Karma in The Enduring Chill

The first thing I thought after reading O'Connor's "The Enduring Chill" was that karma got Asbury. Convinced that he's dying, Asbury returns home so that he can die in the family home. He's been living in New York City as a writer but he's dropped everything so that he can die at home. He quit his job and has no savings to speak of. He's dependent on his family to take care of him on his deathbed. Once home he breaks the rules by drinking the fresh milk and smoking in the barn. He encourages the black farm employees to do the same. Now that he's dying he doesn't have to think about the consequences to his actions.

However, when Dr. Block comes back with the results from Asbury's blood sample he reveals that Asbury is actually not going to die. Suddenly, Asbury has the future that he hadn't been planning for. He's sick because he's been drinking the unpasteurized milk from the family farm, proving he never really cared about the consequences anyway. Because he didn't follow the rules he's going to be sick with a fever for life and he has to figure out what to do with no job and no money.

Don't live so selfishly or else you might regret it.