in chapter 20 how does James's conversation with Eddie Thompson indicate that Ruth McBride-Jordan is likely a reliable narrator?

On his journey to Suffolk, James met several people who did remember his mother as a girl, as well as her family. The story that Eddie Thompson told James about Mameh, who used to slip them candy and fruit, corroborates the image of Ruth's mother as a good woman. His words also support Ruth's contentions about how people viewed the Rabbi: with suspicion and dislike. James's interactions with individuals from his mother's past only add depth to his mother's story.