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           Atticussaidhedidn’tseehowanythingelsecouldhappen,thatthingshadawayofsettlingdown,andafterenoughtimepassedpeoplewouldforgetthatTomRobinson’sexistencewaseverbroughttotheirattention.

           PerhapsAtticuswasright,buttheeventsofthesummerhungoveruslikesmokeinaclosedroom.TheadultsinMaycombneverdiscussedthecasewithJemandme;itseemedthattheydiscusseditwiththeirchildren,andtheirattitudemusthavebeenthatneitherofuscouldhelphavingAtticusforaparent,sotheirchildrenmustbenicetousinspiteofhim.Thechildrenwouldneverhavethoughtthatupforthemselves:hadourclassmatesbeenlefttotheirowndevices,JemandIwouldhavehadseveralswift,satisfyingfist-fightsapieceandendedthematterforgood.Asitwas,wewerecompelledtoholdourheadshighandbe,respectively,agentlemanandalady.Inaway,itwasliketheeraofMrs.HenryLafayetteDubose,withoutallheryelling.Therewasoneoddthing,though,thatIneverunderstood:inspiteofAtticus’sshortcomingsasaparent,peoplewerecontenttore-electhimtothestatelegislaturethatyear,asusual,withoutopposition.Icametotheconclusionthatpeoplewerejustpeculiar,Iwithdrewfromthem,andneverthoughtaboutthemuntilIwasforcedto.

           Iwasforcedtoonedayinschool.Onceaweek,wehadaCurrentEventsperiod.Eachchildwassupposedtoclipanitemfromanewspaper,absorbitscontents,andrevealthemtotheclass.