I joined a small family practice while my husband decided on a much larger city firm. We found a flat at the top of an old house, the owner not needing as much space as her family had grown up and left home. I really enjoy the visits from Atticus, which he makes quite often and our discussions about events and people from my childhood. The visits passed too quickly and after he had left I felt great unhappiness and already planning what to do on his next visit.
I myself have only been back to Maycomb a few times; on every occasion I have noticed a change in the opinions and attitudes of the residents of the town. Maycomb appears to be catching up with its surrounding towns both economically and with regard to discrimination. There is no longer the belief that a white person has the right to mistreat a black person just because of the colour of their skin. Negroes are now beginning to have the same rights as white humans. A Negro can go into the same shops and they are slowly beginning to be granted the opportunity of an education. These are all steps in the right direction and hopefully it won’t be very long, before we see Negroes and white people living happily together in the same community. These changes have all taken time, but soon it may become real life.
‘Jean Louise, breakfast is ready,’ said Cal interrupting my thoughts. Cal was still working for Atticus and she still lived in the Negro Community in her small shack like house with all her friends around her.
‘I am coming, I won’t be long,’ I replied while yawning gently. Leaping out of bed I dress quickly; I am spending a few days in Maycomb helping Atticus with a case that he is working on. He is now showing the signs of age, though he is still fighting cases he feels morally correct and the majority of the time these include the defence of the Negroes.
‘Good morning Scout,’ Cal said while putting a pile of pancakes on the table. I was always surprised at how little Cal had changed over the many years.
‘Good morning Cal, what a really beautiful day! I am so happy to be back here and away from city life.’ I say in a cheerful tone.
‘I am pleased you’re back on a visit, we all miss you, especially Atticus, he misses you and Jem a lot, we are always talking about you and what you are both doing.’ Cal replied.
‘Where is Atticus, Cal?’ I said, having not seen him since the previous evening.
‘He’s just gone to the courthouse to pick up some papers, He shouldn’t be long, and he will see you back here later. Tuck into your breakfast, I have made crackling bread, you’re favourite.’ Cal responds.
Having had breakfast I grab my coat and bag and I step out into the beautiful sunshine. As I enter the back yard it is like entering another world, I visualise pictures of my childhood days playing games with Jem and Dill. The yard itself hasn’t changed much but its surroundings have.
The tree house that I helped Jem build was still there, but somehow seemed to be a part of the tree; covered and strangled by the interwoven ivy. I walked out of the yard and along the sidewalk. As I walked along I couldn’t help but be drawn back to the thoughts of my childhood. However, it was the old Radley house that dominated my memories.
It wasn’t very far to walk; when I got there it wasn’t the same, the old oak tree was still there but it had been partly been cut down. The house had changed, it looked new, and it had been painted in a bright white. It seemed to be bigger the window shutters where replaced and the garden was immaculate and the flower beds filled with almost every plant I had ever seen. It seemed an entirely different place. Then I heard laughter from young children coming from upstairs. A child appeared at the window.
‘Hello,’ the child shouted in a joyful tone, while smiling.
‘Hello,’ I replied while waving and smiling back. Although smiling on the outside I felt pain and emptiness; Boo was such a major part of my childhood and now he had disappeared. It was only last year that my father informed me of the tragic death of Boo, it hadn’t until this moment properly set in that he was no longer alive; I guess I just wanted to believe there was some sort of mistake. I found it upsetting because people had such incorrect and false judgements of him when really he was a kind, thoughtful generous person. Then again it occurred to me what Atticus said to me as a child ‘it is a sin to kill a mockingbird’.
I turned around and started to walk slowly back to the house, on the way I decided to go and see Miss Maudie. Every time I came to Maycomb I went to see Miss Maudie. She had aged a lot, however it did not stop her doing anything she could have done when I was a child. Her age also didn’t affect the state of her garden; it was still full of beautiful azaleas with not a weed in sight.
When I arrived at Miss Maudie house, she was in her garden as she always was.
‘Hello Miss Maudie,’ I said in a jubilant tone.
‘Hello Scout, you gave me a fright, I can’t say how nice it is to see you’ replied Miss Maudie while planting another brightly coloured azalea.
‘How are you, your garden is looking wonderful,’ I said.
‘Thank you, I am feeling very well. I have spent a lot of time in the garden; I have just been taking advantage of the sunshine.’ She responded.
‘I hope you’re not working too hard, I don’t want you hurting yourself.’ I remarked.
‘Don’t you worry about me; I am fine, so how are you?’ She enquired.
‘I’m fine, since starting my new job I couldn’t be any happier,’ I answered. Then the loud ringing sound of Miss Maudie’s telephone disturbed our conversation.
‘Sorry Scout, I have to answer that, nice seeing you, you’ll have to come round again so we can catch up on everything.’ Miss Maudie said, while rushing into the house.
I also had to go as I was meant to meet Atticus an hour ago back at the house. So I quickly walked off back home. When I arrived, I walked through to the sitting room, and as usual Atticus was sitting in his favourite arm chair, reading the most recent edition of the Maycomb Tribune.
‘Hello Scout, where have you been’ said Atticus.
‘I’ve just been out for a walk to see everything and I went to see Miss Maudie.’ I answered while taking a seat next to the unlit fire.
‘How is Miss Maudie, is she okay? I haven’t seen her for a while as I have been overloaded with work.’
‘She is fine, she’s her cheerful self,’ I replied while taking some papers out of my bag.
I had something I wanted to talk to Atticus about but I didn’t know if this was the time to talk. It has been on my mind for a long time and I have thought about it hard. I decided this was the time to tell him.
‘Atticus I have something I want to tell you.’
‘Okay, Scout you know you can talk to me any time you want.’ Atticus replied.
‘I am pregnant, that is the easy bit it is just that I now have to make up my mind whether to move to Maycomb and help you or to stay in the city, I feel totally unable to make this decision. I was hoping you would help me make the right choice.’
‘Scout I am so happy for you’ said Atticus at the same time giving me a hug.’ I am so sorry Scout I can’t help; it is completely up to you. I wouldn’t mind what you do; I will always support your decisions.’
After talking to Atticus most of the remainder of the day and into the night and thinking very hard into the early hours of the morning I came to a decision, THAT MY HEART WILL ALWAYS BE IN MAYCOMB BUT MY LIFE IS NOW IN MONTGOMERY.
