Sick Days w/ Atticus Finch

Part 1

Maycomb, Alabama. What a horrid town. Unfortunately it was the only place that would hire me. It wasn't anywhere near my hometown, but it would have to do. I was from the north, very far north and a place like Alabama was unlike anything I had experienced before. This was a town that stayed at a constant 80 degrees or higher until mid October and was prone to high levels of humidity. It's absolutely miserable.

I didn't know a single person aside from Doctor Reynolds. He was the one that hired me; a fresh out of college nurse. I had very little real medical experience. I had done a few small procedures on cadavers, but never on anyone living. That is precisely why I had so much trouble finding a job, especially in a time when it was near impossible to get paid more than a quarter a week.

I was walking to Doctor Reynolds' office when two kids ran up to me. One was a small girl in a pair of dirty overalls and the other was a boy in a pair of similarly dirty overalls. They were both slim, but looked healthy, if a bit scratched up from playing all day. The little girl stopped right in front of me and took my hand, yanking me down the street they had come from. She said through labored breathes, " You the new nurse right? Come fast, Atticus ain't feelin' so good." 

I quickly asked a few questions as she pulled me. " Who's Atticus?"

" Atticus 's our daddy, " the boy responded. 

" Where do you live?"

" Just round the corner."

" What do you mean that he isn't feeling good?"

" He's real hot and he won't eat much and he keeps coughin'," the little girl said.

" And what are your names?" 

" Why, don't you know? I'm Scout and this here's Jem."

I had no idea who they were, but I figured two kids in Maycomb would't try to hurt me, so I kept letting them pull me until we arrived at their house. It really was just around the corner. I knew Maycomb was small, but not this small. The kids pushed open a screen door and Scout yelled to someone, " I brought the nurse, didn't see the doctor!"

A tall woman with dark, glowing skin pushed open a door, carrying a bucket of water and a cloth. She said, " Stop hollerin' Scout. Jem, go take this to Atticus's room." She handed the tray to Jem and he scurried up the stairs, Scout followed behind. The woman came up to me, brushing invisible lint from her apron and smoothing the scarf over her hair. She said, " I'm sure this is an inconvenience ma'am, but Mr. Finch just ain't doing so well, and he won't see a doctor himself, so I sent the kids for the doctor, but apparently they ain't find him, so do you mind taking a look? Assuming you're able to."  

I was dumbfounded for a moment, reeling from all that had happened. I took a breath and then spoke up. " Yes...yes I can take a look. I'm sure it's all fine. If you could call Doctor Reynolds just in case, that would be lovely." She nodded and was about to leave when I said, " Sorry, I don't think I caught your name." She said, " I'm so sorry ma'am. I'm Calpurnia. Pleasure to meet you." I nodded, " You as well." I had also noticed that no one had asked for my name. However, I figured it was time for me to do my job and stop standing around. 

I walked up the stairs of the house, following the children's path. At the top of the staircase were a few rooms, but only one door was open. I walked inside and found a man lying in bed, a tray placed on his bedside table and a kid on either side of him. His eyes were closed and his face was covered in sweat. I went to his bedside, telling the children to move aside. I pressed the back of my hand to his face; his temperature was blazing hot, even for this time of year.

I grabbed the rag from the bucket of water and gently dabbed some of his sweat away. I asked the children, " He won't eat?" They shook their heads. " And he keeps coughing?" They nodded. " When did this start?"

Jem said, " Just yesterday mornin'. He said he didn't much feel like eating and then he went up to his room and didn't come back down. Cal came up to check on him and found him layed up in bed coughin' his head right off and sweatin' a sea."

I nodded. I needed him to wake so I could ask a few more questions, but for now it seemed clear that he only had a cold. I turned to the kids, " So he hasn't eaten since the day before yesterday?" They nodded. " Has he drunk anything?" They nodded. " How much?"

Scout said, " About half a glass of water." I nodded. Clearly he was fatigued. I said, " Alright, well don't fret little ones, he just seems to have a cold. He'll be good as new in a day or two. He just needs to break this fever. " They nodded, both sighing in relief. Calpurnia walked up the stairs and shewed the children out. She said, " Thank you for your help ma'am. Doctor says he don't need to come by and that you'll handle it." I nodded, I could handle this. Thankfully it wasn't anything bad.

I heard the man stir and looked down to see his eyes opening.