Journal #2 - Chapters 4-7 - Perspective: Scout

Scout's Diary

Dewey Decimal System, my bum. It makes no sense, to learn by flashing cards in your face. I could learn more by myself. I'm happy it ended. Summer started, and that meant no more of that flashcard crap. I think it was unanimous that no one liked it. Jem said it gets better as you go, but I wouldn't believe it. Anyways, Summer starting meant Dill was coming back, which we both enjoyed. Strange fellow, really, but he was fun. We started acting out the Radleys, because we had exhausted nearly every other act, and we thought it would be fun to start our own act. We got it nearly perfect, down to the itty bitty details, 'till Atticus came and ruined it all. Asking if this game of ours had anything to do with the Radleys, Jem answered no. Judging by his evasion, we wondered if it was safe to play this game anymore.

Dill 'n Jem have been two peas in a pod. They have been so close together, and I've been feeling a bit left out. I've been visiting my neighbor, Miss Maudie Atkinson, a lot. She's this chameleon lady, who changes to what she's doing. She's real good at gardening, and her cakes are amazing. She was a friend of my pa's bro, Jack. We started talking about Boo, which she insisted I call Arthur. She said she wasn't malignant as a boy, which I find hard to believe. Said it was his foot-washing father. Nonetheless, if he wasn't crazy before, he is now.

Next mornin', Dill and Jem had a plan. They said they would stick a note in the side window of the Radley place. They wouldn't stop callin' me a sissy, so I went along. We got caught by Atticus, though, just like I predicted. Not too good of a plan, I'd say, but they were going to come back for more.

On the last day Dill was going to be here, Jem and Dill had another plan to get a peek of what Boo looked like. I was forced to come again, because they wouldn't stop tormenting me. All of the sudden, we see a man in a hat. We tried to get a closer look, but BAM! A gunshot in the air, and we scattered. Dill and I were home free, but poor Jem was stuck on the fence. He took his pants off and ran. We got punished a bit by the adults, but we got off easy considering our excuse was playing poker. Dill had to go that day, so we waved him goodbye. He kissed me before he left though, because we were apparently engaged. That boy, wonder where he'll end up one day. Anyways, after he left, Jem snuck back out to get his pants back. He looked a little shocked when he came back, but we decided to call it a night.

The next day, I found out why he was so shocked. The pants were mended together, but not like what a woman would do. Something like what a guy might have done. Stirred me up a bit, but we continued on with our day. School started again, and so did the Dewey Decimal System. I'll learn to bear with it eventually. After school had ended, on our way back, Jem and I found some soap carvings in a knothole inside a tree. I decided to take it. After examining them closer, we were shocked to find that they looked just like us. We were spooked by this, and wondered who would do this. We considered our neighbor that could carve soap well, but why would he carve us?

The next few days, we found chewing gum, a spelling bee medal, and a pocket watch. We decided from then on out, anything in there was ours. We had a jolly good time collecting these things and putting them in Jem's trunk, but we wondered where they came from. No one dare walked by the Radley place besides us, so it wasn't anyone from school. Could it possibly be from Boo Radley himself?! The thought sends shivers down my spine, but Boo doesn't seem as much of a beast as he was. He seems more human. Anyways, the knothole got sealed up by Boo's brother, and we were a bit glum. He said the tree was dying, but it looked perfectly fine. What's up with that?