Visting Devon School for the First Time in a While

May 19, 1958

It has been a while since I have been at Devon School.  Lots of good memories remain here, along with some bad ones.  The school looks the same as it did before… the only thing that changed was me,  just like the French proverb “plus c’est la même chose, plus ça change” (the more things remain the same, the more they change).  As I entered the First Building, I saw the marble steps, and It made me think of Finny. I wish he was still here, so he could see the school again, and maybe we could even take a jump into the river together.  It was very interesting to see the tree that we used to jump off of, because it seemed so much shorter now than it had in the past.

Finny Died from a Second Broken Leg

May 23, 1943

I can’t believe Finny is gone.  That stupid doctor needs to learn how to do a simple bone setting.  Maybe Finny would still be alive then.  I wish I could talk to Finny one more time, so we could talk like before, and maybe even think of a way to get Brinker back for making us go to that stupid mock trial.  I don’t even know what to do with myself now that my best friend is gone.  I don’t know if it was my fault or not, because if it wasn’t for me, there wouldn’t have been a trial in the first place.  On the other hand, it was the inexperienced doctor who couldn’t set a bone.  Either way, he shouldn’t have died like that.

The Trial and its Effects

May 20, 1943

Brinker really went over the edge this time with the mock trial.  He nearly cost me a friend, and almost Finny’s life too.  I’m not sure why it even mattered to him that much anyway.  What happened on that branch was between me and Finny, and nobody else.  If Leper wasn’t on campus, I might have been saved the humiliation and they would have never known the truth.  Hopefully Finny won’t be too hurt and his foot will recover faster than it did before.  After all, it was a “cleaner break” according to Dr. Stanpole.  Is it possible to have different types of leg breaks?

A Trip to Leper's House

January 29, 1943

I visited Leper today at his “Christmas location”.  It seems that he deserted the war, because he “lost his right mind”. When I got back from Leper’s house I got  immersed into a snowball fight immediately with all of my friends from Devin School.  Finny organized it of course, and in the end, we all ganged up on him until he gave up.  At the end of the fight he fell and everyone was concerned, but he said he was ok, and that he can even “feel my leg getting stronger”.  I’m glad he is doing better, because I still haven’t been able to forgive myself for what I did on the super suicide society tree.

Joining the Olympics?!?!

December 13, 1942

This morning, Finny questioned me about joining any sports teams.  When I told him no, he made me do 30 chin-ups to get in shape for one.  I can hardly ever do 10 let alone 30!  Then we went running, and I was even surprised at myself for getting such good strides and I was beating times I never even dreamed of.  Finny claims he is trying to train me for the Olympics now that he can’t go, but I don’t know if I will ever be ready to.  Hopefully they won’t have the 1944 Olympics, so I will have an excuse to not have to go.

Finny Broke his Leg!!

September 17, 1942
I don’t know whether or not to blame myself for Finny’s leg.  I went to see him today, prepared to try to tell him what really happened, but before I did, I yelled at him because I was to embarrassed to tell him.  I don’t know what got into me on that branch.  I know I shook the tree branch, but the reason why escapes me.  I don’t want Finny to think that I did it on purpose to try to harm him, but I don’t really know what to tell him.   What do you think I should do?

The Tree by the River

September 15, 1942
I nearly fell off the tree branch by the river yesterday.  If it wasn’t for Finny, I would have fallen and hurt myself.  Then again, if it wasn’t for Finny, I also wouldn’t have been up there in the first place.  I guess I owe him a little bit for that.  At least we have a meeting for the Super Suicide Society tonight, and that should make me forget about the incident… or make me think about it more… oh well, “whatever happens happens” I guess.