I'm reading a short story called "Elsewhere" by Stephanie McClure. could someone give me a brief summary of this short story?

also does the spider web symbolize anything?

What would be the most appropriate time to read sandburg’s grass

What happened when the boy who survived an explosion aboard a steamboat returns to town

"as one of our outstanding historical figures once said, ‘when a great democracy is destroyed, it will not be because of enemies from without but rather because of enemies from within.’" (paragraph 7) how does this quote reveal mccarthy’s point of view and advance the purpose of his speech?