Chapter 2

           DillleftusearlyinSeptember,toreturntoMeridian.Wesawhimoffonthefiveo’clockbusandIwasmiserablewithouthimuntilitoccurredtomethatIwouldbestartingtoschoolinaweek.Ineverlookedforwardmoretoanythinginmylife.Hoursofwintertimehadfoundmeinthetreehouse,lookingoverattheschoolyard,spyingonmultitudesofchildrenthroughatwo-powertelescopeJemhadgivenme,learningtheirgames,followingJem’sredjacketthroughwrigglingcirclesofblindman’sbuff,secretlysharingtheirmisfortunesandminorvictories.Ilongedtojointhem.

           Jemcondescendedtotakemetoschoolthefirstday,ajobusuallydonebyone’sparents,butAtticushadsaidJemwouldbedelightedtoshowmewheremyroomwas.Ithinksomemoneychangedhandsinthistransaction,foraswetrottedaroundthecornerpasttheRadleyPlaceIheardanunfamiliarjingleinJem’spockets.Whenweslowedtoawalkattheedgeoftheschoolyard,JemwascarefultoexplainthatduringschoolhoursIwasnottobotherhim,IwasnottoapproachhimwithrequeststoenactachapterofTarzanandtheAntMen,toembarrasshimwithreferencestohisprivatelife,ortagalongbehindhimatrecessandnoon.Iwastostickwiththefirstgradeandhewouldstickwiththefifth.Inshort,Iwastoleavehimalone.

           "Youmeanwecan’tplayanymore?"Iasked.

           "We’lldolikewealwaysdoathome,"hesaid,"butyou’llsee—school’sdifferent."

           Itcertainlywas.Beforethefirstmorningwasover,MissCarolineFisher,ourteacher,hauledmeuptothefrontoftheroomandpattedthepalmofmyhandwitharuler,thenmademestandinthecorneruntilnoon.