How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"I don't see why you do that," he said, watching me. "Everybody in town knows that door won't lock."
"I don't do this for everybody in town; I do it in case of strangers. You can't be too careful about strangers. That's what the Colonel says." (1.34-35)
Tupelo Landing is a pretty insular place and strangers don't often come along. It's the kind of safe town where you can leave your small business unlocked, but Mo still makes a show of pretending to unlock the door… just in case there are out-of-towners looking on.
Quote #2
By 7:30 half the town had crowded into the café and rising seventh grader Skeeter McMillan—tall, slender, freckles the color of fresh-sliced baloney—had claimed the counter's last spot. (1.80)
The café is such a popular meeting place for everyone in town that they show up by 7:30AM during the summer. Even the kids are up early enough to drop by. What's up with that?
Quote #3
"Somebody's made a mistake," I said. "I served Mr. Jesse his lunch not eight hours ago. He stiffed me on the tip, just like always. He's fine. Turn by Miss Blalock's barn up here," I said, pointing. "We can take the back way to Mr. Jesse's, through the woods. He'll straighten this out." (6.4)
Mo is completely shocked and in denial that anything terrible could happen in their safe little community. After all, she just saw Mr. Jesse this morning and everything was fine—he can't possibly be dead.