Chapter 1-5

Dear Diary,

Lately little Scout Finch has been coming over and sitting with me on my porch. I let her, Jem, and Charles in my yard so long as they didn’t jump on the arbor and explore my lot. I reckon Jean Louise vists often because that brother of hers, Jem, tells her to leave him alone. I’ve heard him say it several times from my house. Its almost twilight and my bath is done. I walk outside and take a seat on my front steps and wait for Scout to come. Moments later I see her walking over towards me. After Scout sat down we talked and watched he sun. From my seat I could see a blade of nut grass. I quickly got up and went to it. Scout followed as I got down on my hands and knees and started spraying the weed with poison.
“Why can’t you just pull it up?” she asked after watching my determination to get rid if the nut grass.
“Pull it up, child, pull it up? I asked picking up the limp sprout and squeezing to get out all of the grains. “Why, one sprig of nut grass can run a whole yard. Look here. When it comes fall this dries up and the wind blows it all over Maycomb County!” I explained. We talked for a few moments longer and when I smiled she looked at my teeth in shock. She asked me what was on my teeth and I told her they were gold prongs clipped to my teeth.
“Look here.” I said wanting to show her something. She looked and with a click of my tongue I thrust out my bridgework. We moved back to the porch steps and chattered, until Scout asked about Boo Radley. I don’t like how the young children in this town listen to all those rumors. They have never even met him but still believe them.
“His name is Arthur and he’s alive,” I told her after she asked if he was dead. I tried to change the subject but Scout didn’t catch on.
“Yessum. How do you know?” she asked almost completely ignoring my attempt to change subjects.
“Know what, child?” I asked trying to seem confused.
“That B-Mr. Arthur’s still alive?” she asked. After telling her it was a morbid subject, I told her what little I knew. I told her he didn’t die and get stuffed up a chimney. What a silly question. She told me that this is what Jem says. She also asked me if he was crazy.
“If he’s not he should be by now. The things that happen to people we never really know. What happens in houses behind closed doors, what secrets-“ she interrupted me defending her father. I told her I didn’t mean it like that. I tried changing the subject once more offering her some fresh poundcake and she said she would like some.
I’m glad she didn’t bring it up again.