Journal #2- Chapters 4-7 (Jem)

Dear Journal,

I love when Dill comes to us. There’s nothing better than hanging out with Dill and playing games and scheming plans with him. Sometimes Scout wants to come and join us, but we always shoo her away. I haven’t felt that bad about it, not since she started sitting with the chameleon, benevolent, Miss Maudie Atkinson. Scout’s been spending so much time with her, but I can’t blame her. We were unanimous, she’s the nicest lady we know. We even have a little agreement with her. We’re allowed to roam in her yard, eat her scuppernongs (if we didn’t jump on the arbor), and play on her lawn. We were very grateful for these terms, we didn’t talk with her much so we wouldn’t ruin the delicate relationship.

One afternoon, Dill came up with a great idea. He said we should give that malignant Boo Radley a note, and leave it on his window. We agreed that the note should say something about how we wanted him to come out sometimes, and that we wanted him to tell us what he actually does in his house all the time. Also, that we wouldn’t hurt him and that we’d buy him an ice cream if he’d let us. We had just finished writing the note and I was making the long pole that would place the note on the window when Scout came up. She begged us to tell her what we were doing, but we told her she had to do what we said in order for us to tell her. She regrettably agreed and we told her. She said it was a bad idea, but she went along with it. I was so afraid, but being the oldest, I had to act strong. We ended up getting caught by Atticus, and he was pretty mad. He told us not to torment Boo Radley anymore, but who am I to listen to him?

The next night, Dill, Scout, and I all went to Radley Place and we snuck around to their vast back lot. Evadingly, we lifted Dill up to the window to see through, but he could only see curtain. So, I leapt up onto the porch and then, out of nowhere, we saw a shadow of a man with a hat. The silhouette walked past me, then turned and came back. By then, we were out of there. As we were going throw the collards, Scout tripped, and we heard a roaring boom, the fire of a shotgun. We sprinted back to the fence, but when I tried to get under it, my pants ripped and got caught. I wiggled myself out of them and ran as fast as my legs would allow. When we got back to our house, I glanced back at Radley Place, now flooded with the whole neighborhood. I thought that if we didn’t show up and sound curious, people would get suspicious. I grabbed Scout and Dill, unaware I was in my shorts, and we casually walked back down to Radley Place. I was scared out of my mind. I was completely convinced someone would realize it was us, but when we got down there, it was totally fine. Then Atticus asked where my pants were. Thankfully, Dill was there. He is the best fibber I know, and he thought of a perfect story to explain my lack of pants on the spot. He claimed that he had them because he’d won them when we were playing strip-poker (whatever that was). Miss Rachel was appalled at our little game and told Dill to give me my pants back. It was all quite an exciting night.

But it got better. As I lay in my bed, I realized that I couldn’t let my pants be found, then we’d get caught. So I got up, and Scout stopped me. She tried to talk sense into going into a place I’d get my head shot off, but I went anyway. But the strangest thing happened. My pants were hanging on the fence, neatly folded, and the tear was crookedly sewed. I was in awe when I walked back to the house and showed Scout. She was surprised as well. That was one of the most exciting nights of my life.

Written faithfully,
Jeremy Atticus Finch
a.k.a. Jem Finch