I don't believe you can get that level of outward calm that Fraser demonstrates without having to have gone through a lot of rage, directed at whomever was closest. This makes perfect sense to me, as I feel he couldn't be as restrained as he is without having at some point vented, and experienced the result of that venting (compare with the killing the caribou story - the act makes it real to him). Otherwise he'd just be all repression and then a psycho. I think what I mean to say is, this is a terrific, believable backstory. I love that what the old man can give him is tough love - because you'd have to be tough to live in the NWT as long as George and Martha have, even if you're a librarian, and it's obvious that emotional repression is their bequest to Bob! And Martha's reaction. Beautiful, visceral writing.