TKAM post 6

Perspective of Tom Robinson

Today was my court case. I was a little nervous, because I was pretty sure I would loose just because I am black. When I got to the court house, there were a lot of people there. I had seen a lot of these people before, but I defiantly wasn't expecting such a big crowd. I was not thinking that I would cause so many people to come into the court case. There were so many people standing up and outside because of the limited number of seats. The court room was pretty big. The balcony was for the rest of the black people to sit, but there were some white people up there too. I was oblivious to the fact that all these people were here to watch me, the defendant in a court case about rape. I thought they were all here to just hear about the "rape," but they were here to see me loose (even though i haven't lost yet).

The first person up in the witness stand is sheriff Heck Tate. "He said that he heard Bob Ewell running and calling his name. When he found Bob, he asked him what was wrong, and he said that Tom Robinson was in his house raping his daughter, Mayella Ewell. " That is not the correct thing that happened. He's making up lies. Heck is excused from the witness stand.

Bob Ewell is called up. His side of the story says "I was coming home, and I saw Tom Robinson in my house all over my Mayella. I heard her scream so I went inside, and when I got in, he ran out the front door, I tried running after him, but couldn't catch him. Mayella had bruises mostly on her right side, a black eye on her right, and choke marks around her neck. So I ran to find Mr. Heck Tate, and I ran and found him, and showed him Mayella." After he told his story, Atticus asked him many questions. He asked him if he knew how to write, and he said sure he did. Atticus had Bob write his full name clearly on a piece of paper. Bob Ewell is left handed. A person who gets beat up mostly on their right side has probably gotten beat up by a lefty.

Atticus continues questioning Bob Ewell, and gets a few more hints slowly that I am not guilty. Mr. Ewell gets accused of not calling a doctor right after he found out that his daughter was raped. Mr. Ewell is dispelled from the witness stand, and Mayella is called up next. She says "I was outside watering my geraniums, and Tom Robinson walked by as he does everyday. I ask him to chop up a dresser that I have, because he does some chores for me for no charge. I say that I would give him a nickle for doing some things for me. I was going upstairs to get the money, and he followed me in and when i turned around, he was on top of me on the floor. He raped me, chocked me, and beat me. I was yelling, and my dad came home, and saw Tom on top of me. Tom ran away, and my dad asked me what happened. I told him everything, and he went to go get the sheriff." Before she told her story, she was crying. She didn't want Atticus to interrogate her like he did to her dad. After she told her story, she was fine. Atticus also asked her many questions. He asked her where her siblings were, and she said she gave them each a nickle to indulge themselves with ice cream from town. It had taken her a long time to save up that money, but she did it, and gave it to her siblings.

Mayella was excused from the stand, and I was called up. I told them the true story "I was walking to work, and I passed by the Ewell house as I do everyday. Mayella called me over and told me she had something to do for me. She said it was inside, and so i followed her in. she said she needed me to get something for her from up high on a dresser that she couldn't reach. I stood on the chair, and got it down for her. when I was coming down, she started hugging and kissing me. I didn't do anything to her I swear, and didn't hurt her. I tried to pull her away from me, but I didn't hurt her. She was kissing me and said that she has never had a kiss from a boy, and the stuff her dad does to her doesn't count. I saw her dad through the window, and i pulled free from her, and ran away." Mr. Gilmer asked me why I ran, and I said "If you were black like me, you would run too. I didn't do anything bad but go in the house. I just ran." I got many more questions. My boss, Link Deas stands up and yells out that I have never done anything bad, and I shouldn't be here testifying this. Link got sent out of the court room.

I obviously couldn't have beat her up because I don't have a working left hand. It got it caught in a Cotton shredder once a few years back. I got half my arm cut off so if i did beat her up, she would be injured on her left side, not her right. I knew that Bob Ewell was begrudging that I am saying this, the truth. But I want to be innocent.