The Baby Without a Name

In Popular Mechanics by Raymond Carver, the most illuminating line of the whole story is the last. "In this manner, the issue was decided." This could really be interpreted in a few ways. One could read this and take it as the parents killing the baby because they physically tore him in half during the struggle. Most who read this took it this way from what I observed. Still, it could be interpreted that one parent, likely the father from the description, gained possession of the baby. The issue decided is who will get the baby after the father leaves. Instead of being mature about the decision, the parents decided to give in to their rage with eachother and put the baby's life in danger. Neither of them should have been caretakers for anything living and breathing.