Journal #5- Chapters 13 -15 (Atticus)

Journal #5- Chapters 13 -15 (Atticus)

Ah… Summer. Although summer is my favorite season, this summer was going to be different. My sister, Alexandra, talked me into letting her live with us for a while. Said she needed to talk some sense into both Jem and Scout about proper etiquette. As I am getting older, I felt no need to argue with my sister, for she is a lady and can teach Scout more things about a women than I ever could and can be there for Jem when I am not around to teach him to be a gentlemen. Maybe she could be like a mother figure for a while, though no one could ever replace my dear wife. Oh I loved her so much…

“How’d you like for your Aunty to come live with us?” I asked when I got home. I knew that Alexandra wasn’t Scouts most favorable family member, and really didn’t want to scold her if she said that she wouldn’t accept her living here. I could see it deep in her eyes that she really had no choice but to sound enthusiastic and welcome her into our home. Maycomb welcomed her with open arms. Miss Maudie Atkinson baked her one of her famous Lane cakes, Miss Stephenie Crawford come over for longs visits, and Miss Rachel would invite her over for coffee in the afternoons. Scout and Jem weren’t causing fuss and I hadn’t heard Alexandra complain about anything yet so I thought that this summer wasn’t going to be so bad after all. That was until my sister insisted that Jem and Scout know about their family history and that they should start actin’ like true Finches, and live up to the family name. I really found no need in telling them our family history. I had no problem with the way I have raised my kids and don’t mind if my daughter, Jean Louise Finch, goes walkin’ around in overalls and barefoot. She is my daughter and no matter what happens, I will always love her exactly the way she is.

Before bed, I knocked on Jems bedroom door and found both Jem and Scout and thought it appropriate to try and explain to them about the family tree.
“Have we done something?” Jem asked.
I really didn’t know where to begin with the subject, “No, I just want to explain o you that- your Aunt Alexandra asked me… son, you know you’re a Finch, don’t you?”
“That’s what I’ve been told.” I could tell that Jem was uncomfortable with the situation and rose awkwardly. “Atticus, what’s the matter?”
I crossed my knees and folded my arms. “I’m trying to tell you the facts about life.” Jem began to loose his patience and it came out in his tone of voice.
“I know all that stuff,” he said.
How else was I supposed to get the message across if they aren’t listening to what I have to say? I took a more serious tone with them, “Your aunt has asked me to try and impress you upon you and Jean Louise that you are not from run-of-the-mill people, that you are the product of several generations’ gentle breeding-“ I paused watching Scout locate an elusive redbug on her leg. “Gentle breeding,” I continued. “and that you should try to live up to your name. She asked me to tell you you must try to behave like the little lady and gentlemen that you are. She wants to talk to you about the family and what it’s meant to Maycomb County through the years, so you’ll have some idea of who you are, so you might be moved to behave accordingly,” I concluded at a fast pace. I picked at my collar uncomfortably and then Scout picked up a comb off of Jem’s dresser and ran its teeth along the edge.
“Stop that noise,” I said curtly. After I said it, I regretted it. I knew that Scout had expected more of her father figure and she immediately began to cry. She come up to me and dug her face into my chest. The silence was uncomfortably quiet, so much that you could hear my watch ticking, and the sound of our breathing.
“Your stomach’s growling,” she said.
I found it no longer necessary to keep a firm tone and said, “I know it.”
“You better take some soda.”
“I will,” I said. I put my hand on to the back of her head and told her that there was nothing to worry about. “It’s no time to worry,” I said.

I stood up and left the room almost slamming the door into the fragile door trim but caught it just in time for it to squeak. I opened the door again and peered around, finding Jem and Scout staring at where the closed door had just been. “Get more like Cousin Joshua every day, don’t I? Do you think I’ll end up costing the family five hundred dollars?” They knew I was teasing and smiled a soft smile their way before saying goodnight, and heading down stairs.

One Saturday night, Scout asked me what rape was and I told her that it was simply the carnal knowledge of a female by force and without consent.
“Well if that’s all it is why did Calpurnia dry me up when I asked her what it was?”
She asked Calpurnia what?! This must’ve happened when I left town. “What was that again?”
“Well, I asked Calpurnia comin’ from church that day what is was and she said ask you but I forgot and now I’m askin’ you,” she said.
The daily paper was now in my lap as I looked at her again and asked her to repeat. She began tellin’ me how they went with Calpurnia to her church on Sunday and I honestly enjoyed the idea of them going with Cal to church. It was nice of her to let Jem and Scout join her for mass.
“You all were coming back from Calpurnia’s church that Sunday?”
Jem answered, “Yessum, she took us.”
Scout said the same thing, “Yessum, and she promised me I could come out to her house some afternoon. Atticus, I’ll go next Sunday if it’s all right, can I? Cal said she’d come get me if you were off in the car.” I thought it was a great idea for Scout and Jem to go again but before I could even say my opinion on the subject, my sister was the first one up.
“You may not!” she growled. I glaced at her with amusing eyes but then Scout turned to her and said, “I didn’t ask you!” I was up from my chair in no time, not quite looking in any certain direction.
“Apologize to you aunt,” I said.
“I didn’t ask her, I asked you-“
I turned my head towards her, pinned her down against the wall with my good eye and said, “First apologize to your aunt.” Although Scout mutter almost inaudiable, I knew she had said sorry.
“Now then,” I said. “Let’s get this clear: you do as Calpurnia tells you, you do as I tell you, and as longs as your aunt’s in this house, you will do as she tells you. Understand?” Scout nodded her head and stood there in the living room for a while before she went off on her way. While she was gone, I sat back down in my chiar, Jem was reading a football magazine, and my sister began saying, “…you’ve got to do something about her. You’ve let things go on too long, Atticus, too long.”
“I don’t see any harm in letting her go out there. Cal’d look after her there as well as she does here,” I retorted.
“Atticus, it’s all right to be soft-hearted,” she continued. “You’re an easy man, but you have a daughter to think of. A daughter who’s growing up.”
“That is what I am thinking of,” I said.
“And don’t try to get around it. You’ve got to face it sooner or later and it might as well be tonight. We don’t need her now.” How dare she even consider kicking Calpurnia out of this household.
“Alexandra,” I said with an even voice. “Calpurnia’s not leaving this house until she wants to. You may think otherwise, but I couldn’t have got along without her all these years. She’s a faithful member of this family and you’ll simply have to accept things the way they are. Besides, sister, I don’t want you working your head off for us- you’ve no reason to do that. We still need Cal as much as we ever did.”
“But Atticus,” she began.
I cut her off. “Besides, I don’t think the children’ve suffered one bit from her having brought them up. If anything, she’s been harder on then in some ways than a mother would have been… she’s never let them get away with anything, she’s never indulged them the way most colored nurses do. She tried to bring them up according to her lights, and Cal’s lights are pretty good- and another thing, the children love her.” Right then, Scout entered the living room. I retreated back to reading my newspaper and Alexandra continued with her embroidery. I could tell that she was furious but I couldn’t have cared less. No matter how much I loved my sister, sometimes she just gets way too over her head about things and I have to settle them with a serious tone and put her where she belongs. Jem and Scout left the room together and I heard only one door close upstairs. They must be talking about what just happened.

I heard a clunk and decided to go up and investigate what was going on. When I entered the room, I immediately had to pull Scout off of Jem. My temper wasn’t too steady and ordered them to go to bed. “Both of you go to bed right now.”
“Taah!” Scout retorted back to Jem.
“Who started it?” I asked.
“Jem did. He was tryin’ to tell me what to do. I don’t have to listen to him now, do I?” Scout asked.
I smiled. Oh how I found it so entertaining to see my children bicker over such a small concept. I will always love Scout’s dedication to her beliefs and courage to stand up for what she believed in, but there comes a time where it’s inappropriate to result in violence. “Let’s leave it at this,” I said. “You mind Jem whenever he can make you. Fair enough?” Alexandra was present but silent, like she should be, and walked down the hall with me.
“Just one of the things I’ve been telling you about.” All I wanted was silence but then I heard my name being called. “Atticus, can you come here a minute sir?” What was the matter? Was he or Scout hurt? I rushed up stairs as fast as I could. I walked into the middle of the room looking at Dill Harris, filthy as could be. I assumed that Dill must’ve been very hungry and told Scout to go get him a pan of cold corn bread.

“Mr. Finch, don’t tell Aunt Rachel, don’t make me go back, please sir! I’ll run off again-!”
“Whoa son,” I said. “Nobody’s about to make you go anywhere but to bed pretty soon. I’m just over to tell Miss Rachel you’re here and ask her if you could spend the night with us- you’d like that, wouldn’t you? And for goodness’ sake put some of the county back where it belongs, the soil erosion’s bad enough as it is.”

I was just about to fall over I was so tired. I also was overwhelmed by the Tom Robinson case but told the children to ignore anything the town or their classmates said about me, or them. That they were just words and that they didn’t mean nothin’. As their father, I don’t want them to have to worry about anything that is being said for my actions and responsibilities. They just deserved to have fun just like any other kid in the town.