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           Somehow,itwashotterthen: ablackdogsufferedonasummer’sday; bonymuleshitchedtoHoovercartsflickedfliesintheswelteringshadeoftheliveoaksonthesquare. Men’sstiffcollarswiltedbynineinthemorning. Ladiesbathedbeforenoon,aftertheirthree-o’clocknaps,andbynightfallwerelikesoftteacakeswithfrostingsofsweatandsweettalcum. 

           Peoplemovedslowlythen. Theyambledacrossthesquare,shuffledinandoutofthestoresaroundit,tooktheirtimeabouteverything. Adaywastwenty-fourhourslongbutseemedlonger. Therewasnohurry,fortherewasnowheretogo,nothingtobuyandnomoneytobuyitwith,nothingtoseeoutsidetheboundariesofMaycombCounty. Butitwasatimeofvagueoptimismforsomeofthepeople: MaycombCountyhadrecentlybeentoldthatithadnothingtofearbutfearitself. 

           Welivedonthemainresidentialstreetintown—Atticus,JemandI,plusCalpurniaourcook. JemandIfoundourfathersatisfactory: heplayedwithus,readtous,andtreateduswithcourteousdetachment. 

           Calpurniawassomethingelseagain. Shewasallanglesandbones;shewasnearsighted;shesquinted;herhandwaswideasabedslatandtwiceashard. Shewasalwaysorderingmeoutofthekitchen,askingmewhyIcouldn’tbehaveaswellasJemwhensheknewhewasolder,andcallingmehomewhenIwasn’treadytocome. Ourbattleswereepicandone-sided. Calpurniaalwayswon,mainlybecauseAtticusalwaystookherside. ShehadbeenwithuseversinceJemwasborn,andIhadfelthertyrannicalpresenceaslongasIcouldremember. 

           OurmotherdiedwhenIwastwo,soIneverfeltherabsence. ShewasaGrahamfromMontgomery; Atticusmetherwhenhewasfirstelectedtothestatelegislature.