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Chapter 24
Roosevelt’slosthermind—justplainlosthermindcomingdowntoBirminghamandtryin’tositwith‘em.IfIwastheMayorofBirminghamI’d—"
Well,neitherofuswastheMayorofBirmingham,butIwishedIwastheGovernorofAlabamaforoneday:I’dletTomRobinsongosoquicktheMissionarySocietywouldn’thavetimetocatchitsbreath.CalpurniawastellingMissRachel’scooktheotherdayhowbadTomwastakingthingsandshedidn’tstoptalkingwhenIcameintothekitchen.Shesaidtherewasn’tathingAtticuscoulddotomakebeingshutupeasierforhim,thatthelastthinghesaidtoAtticusbeforetheytookhimdowntotheprisoncampwas,"Good-bye,Mr.Finch,thereain’tnothin’youcandonow,sothereain’tnousetryin’."CalpurniasaidAtticustoldherthatthedaytheytookTomtoprisonhejustgaveuphope.ShesaidAtticustriedtoexplainthingstohim,andthathemustdohisbestnottolosehopebecauseAtticuswasdoinghisbesttogethimfree.MissRachel’scookaskedCalpurniawhydidn’tAtticusjustsayyes,you’llgofree,andleaveitatthat—seemedlikethat’dbeabigcomforttoTom.Calpurniasaid,"Becauseyouain’tfamiliarwiththelaw.Firstthingyoulearnwhenyou’reinalawin’familyisthatthereain’tanydefiniteanswerstoanything.Mr.Finchcouldn’tsaysomethin’ssowhenhedoesn’tknowforsureit’sso."
ThefrontdoorslammedandIheardAtticus’sfootstepsinthehall.AutomaticallyIwonderedwhattimeitwas.
