It was almost September and Dill would be leaving tomorrow. He was off with Jem swimming. I spent my time with Calpurnia and Miss Maudie.
Today Aunt Alexandra was having the ladies over. After they talked, they were going to have refreshments . Aunt Alexandra told me to join them for refreshments. I didn’t know if I should go into the dining room or stay out. I was wearing my pink Sunday dress and nice shoes. Since Aunty let Calpurnia serve them today, I thought if I spilled something on my dress Calpurnia would have to wash it out before tomorrow. I didn’t want to give her anymore work today.
“Can I help you, Cal?” I asked
“You just be quiet and sit over there,” she said, “an‘ you can help me load up the trays when I come back.”
I helped Calplurnia carry in the coffee pot and did not spill a thing. Aunt Alexandra smiled “Stay with us, Jean Louise,” she said. This was all her campaign to teach me to be a lady. I sat next to Miss Maudie. I tightly gripped the sides of the chair and waited for someone to speak to me.
“You’re mighty dressed up, Miss Jean Louise,” Miss Maudie said, “Where are your pants today?”
“Under my dress.”
I hadn’t meant it to be funny, but the ladies laughed. My cheeks grew hot as I realized my mistake, but Miss Maudie just looked down at me. She never laughed at me unless I meant it to be funny.
Miss Stephanie Crawford called from across the room, “Whatcha going to be when you grow up, Jean Louise? A lawyer?”
I said no. But I hadn’t really thought about it.
I asked Mrs. Merriweather who was sitting to my right about what they had been talking about before I came in. She filled me in on how she had been out to visit a family who was living in sin and squalor . She told me how fortunate I was to live in a good Christian family with Christian folks in a Christian town.
