TKAM Post #4

Journal #4
Chapters 10, 11 & 12
Perspective of Mrs. Dubose

Because I live on the way to the business district of Maycomb, people pass by my house all the time. I get amusement out of hollering at them in one way or another. I’ve only been AQUAINTED with a few people in my entire life. Not many seem worthy of my time.
Two children I see somewhat often are Atticus Finch’s children, Jem and Scout. Whenever they walk by, I give stare them down and make them feel worthless. It comes naturally to me, especially now that their daddy is a nigger-lover. He’s defending a black man in court! That is unheard of around here.
Anyways, today I was sitting on my porch as usual when the two of them were walking by. I asked them what they were doing at this time of day; they must have been skipping school. I was about to call their principal on them, when Jem said, “It’s Saturday, Mrs. Dubose.”
“Makes no difference if it’s Saturday. I wonder if your father knows where you are?” I was just looking for a way to get them in trouble so they wouldn’t pass my house all the time.
“Mrs. Dubose, we’ve been goin’ to town by ourselves since we were this high,” he said and put his hand a little above the sidewalk.
Although this is true, I was not about to admit that. “Don’t you lie to me! Jeremy Finch, Maudie Atkinson told me you broke down her scuppernong this morning. She’s going to tell your father and then you’ll wish you never saw the light of day! If you aren’t sent to reform school before next week, my name’s not Dubose!”
Jem tried to tell me this wasn’t true.
“Don’t you contradict me! And you, what are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady! You’ll grow up waiting on tables if somebody doesn’t change your ways- a Finch waiting on tables at the O.K. Café- Ha!” I was talking to Scout. She needs to start acting like a lady. She pretends to be so INGENUOUS, but I can see right through that.
I continued, “Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers! Yes indeed, what has this world come to when a Finch goes against his raising? I’ll tell you… Your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for!”
I knew I had really gotten to them with that one. Silently, I congratulated myself. The Finches didn’t say anything more; they just kept walking.
Later that day, I came outside to see all the tops of my camellias cut off! Everyone knows how FANATICAL I am about those. I immediately knew Jem Finch was guilty, so I made him come over and clean it up. He offered to work on them every Saturday to help them grow back out, and in my mind I DEBATED whether to accept that or not, but I decided not to. I wanted him to read to me. At first he seemed PERPLEXED at such an obscure request, but he agreed to it. Although it was for therapy, I actually enjoyed the extra company for a while.