Date: 31/12/39
What a dreadful, dreadful year. First, I had to deal with a case I knew that I could never win. Tom Robinson, a Negro, a hardworking, honest man, was accused of raping a defenseless young girl whose father was an alcoholic. I knew that by taking the case, I was going down in terms of public approval. My children at school were also ostracised because their father was a "nigger-lover"
This county by the name of Maycomb, does, like all the southern cities, have a thing against the Negroes. I do not quite see why that is. They are hardworking, polite, don't usually commit crimes. The only reason, is that their ancestors were slaves. A ridiculous reason! it does not really matter who their great-great-great-great-grandparents were, its who they are now! Anyway back to the case, I knew Tom was innocent, but I also knew that the jury would never rule in favour of a Negro. I did not care, I did my best. But obviously it was a gone case. There was still an appeal, though. Unfortunately, Tom did not trust the appeal and tried to run, with the result of seventeen bullets placed through him, making no less dead than a doornail.
Though I also received a projectile after the trial, though it was less than a bullet. Bob Ewell, angry that I humiliated him at the trial, spat at me, in the face. He just had to chew tobacco. He, not being content with spitting in my face, had to attack my children. Fortunately, my weird and anti-social neighbour Boo Radley saved my children. And Bob Ewell was killed, by his own knife, and Jem was around. I insisted to Heck Tate that we have an inquiry on this.He refused point-blank and said that Bob Ewell fell on his own knife while trying to kill Jem and Scout and there will be no investigation. Period. Well, I certainly do hope that this is going to be a better year.
Bless be to us all.
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