First Impressions

Journal #1
Chapters 1-3
Perspective of Scout

During the summer, when I was 6 and Jem was 10, we met a new guy. We peeked through the wire fence at Miss Rachel's house and he was hanging around. He was a small person with snow white hair and blue eyes. He was wearing blue linen shorts, he was a eccentric person, and his name is Charles Baker Harris, but people called him Dill. He told us he could read, but so could I; I didn't really know what to think of him. I could tell that Jem liked him though, and he told him about Boo Radley,the malevolent phantom. Jem told Dill all the things that irked and intimidated lots of people, but he wasn't scared one bit. Dill was really interested, and he dared Jem to try to make a Radley come out!

Jem never said no to a dare, but that one was BIG! He wanted to persevere and do it, but the Radleys could kill him, and Jem knew it.When we got to the Radleys house Jem was spooked, I could tell. He says he has me to worry about when he gets scared to do somethin'. Dill could tell too, so they made a compromise; Jem just needed to run up and slap the house. I could tell that he was relieved, and he did it fast. Once he finished he ran right past us, and Dill and I ran after him. He actually did it! It was impressive, but soon after that Dill had to go back to Meridian. I was sad at first but then I remembered I was going to school soon! I couldn't wait, I wouldn't be left out anymore.

My first day of school was bad, I got in trouble for things that I couldn't help doing. My teacher, Miss Caroline, didn't really like me from the start. When she found out that I could read she said mean stuff about my daddy, and looked down on me. Then she thought Walter forgot his lunch and was offering him money. She didn't know that the Cunningham's didn't take nothing from no one that they couldn't pay back. And Walter surely couldn't pay that back, he hasn't even seen 3 quarters together in his life. When I told her about it, she told me I was starting off the wrong foot in everyway. She told me to hold out my hand and I thought she was gonna spit on it; make some type of deal with me. Instead she pulls out her ruler and gave me half a dozen quick little pats, then told me to stand in the corner. I still feel shamed, that I dont really wanna talk about it anymore.