Chapter 10

           Atticuswasfeeble:hewasnearlyfifty.WhenJemandIaskedhimwhyhewassoold,hesaidhegotstartedlate,whichwefeltreflecteduponhisabilitiesandmanliness.Hewasmucholderthantheparentsofourschoolcontemporaries,andtherewasnothingJemorIcouldsayabouthimwhenourclassmatessaid,"Myfather—"

           Jemwasfootballcrazy.Atticuswasnevertootiredtoplaykeep-away,butwhenJemwantedtotacklehimAtticuswouldsay,"I’mtoooldforthat,son."

           Ourfatherdidn’tdoanything.Heworkedinanoffice,notinadrugstore.Atticusdidnotdriveadump-truckforthecounty,hewasnotthesheriff,hedidnotfarm,workinagarage,ordoanythingthatcouldpossiblyarousetheadmirationofanyone.

           Besidesthat,heworeglasses.Hewasnearlyblindinhislefteye,andsaidlefteyeswerethetribalcurseoftheFinches.Wheneverhewantedtoseesomethingwell,heturnedhisheadandlookedfromhisrighteye.

           Hedidnotdothethingsourschoolmates’fathersdid:heneverwenthunting,hedidnotplaypokerorfishordrinkorsmoke.Hesatinthelivingroomandread.

           Withtheseattributes,however,hewouldnotremainasinconspicuousaswewishedhimto:thatyear,theschoolbuzzedwithtalkabouthimdefendingTomRobinson,noneofwhichwascomplimentary.AftermyboutwithCecilJacobswhenIcommittedmyselftoapolicyofcowardice,wordgotaroundthatScoutFinchwouldn’tfightanymore,herdaddywouldn’tlether.Thiswasnotentirelycorrect:Iwouldn’tfightpubliclyforAtticus,butthefamilywasprivateground.Iwouldfightanyonefromathirdcousinupwardstoothandnail.FrancisHancock,forexample,knewthat.