Chapter 2

Finny's emblem

This morning we woke up and Mr. Prud'homme came to our room. He is a pretty strict substitute teacher, and gets angry at the students when they skip dinner. When he asked us why we weren't at dinner the night before. "We had been swimming in the river, Finny explained; then there had been a wrestling match, then there was that sunset that anybody would want to watch, then there'd been several friends we had to see on business" (14). As he rambled on, Mr. Prud'homme began to loosen up and was slightly amused. As we got dressed for the day, Finny pulled out, "A finely woven broadcloth shirt, caarefully cut, and very pink" (17). When I asked what it was, he told me it was going to be his "emblem". If anyone else had worn that shirt, they would have been in trouble, but not Finny. Not that I feel guilty about this, but I kind of envy him, and his ability to get away with anything. Anyway, that afternoon, the substitute headmaster, Mr. Patch-Withers, invited the Upper Middle class to tea, at the headmasters house. We talked about the bombing in Central Europe and Finny started to get comfortable, so he took off his jacket. This revealed his belt, which was actually the school tie. Mr. Patch-Withers was shocked and so Finny went into a long story, about how the tie brings together the outfit and the world. "I felt a sudden stab of disappointment" (21) by this, because I thought he might finally be getting in trouble. All in all, however, "It was quite a compliment to me, as a matter of fact, to have such a person choose me for his best friend" (21). As we walked back, Finny decided that we should jump into the river again, together, "To cement our partnership" (24), as Finny put it. We formed a suicide society, "The Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session." We climbed up, but I lost my balance, and almost fell. Finny grabbed my arm. If he hadn't I wouldn't be alive. "Finny had practically saved my life" (24).