How It All Goes Down
- Chapter 7 is narrated by Aibileen. It's late October now, and the heat lets up a little.
- Aibileen is worried about Mae Mobley's self-esteem; Elizabeth is constantly telling Mae Mobley she's bad, and the little girl starting to believe it. So Aibileen tells her she's good, every day.
- It's time for Mae Mobley to get potty-trained. Elizabeth won't demonstrate, and Aibileen isn't allowed to, so Mae Mobley isn't exactly picking up the skill.
- Aibileen decides to demonstrate in her outside bathroom. Mae Mobley quickly follows her example. When Aibileen tries to show Elizabeth Mae Mobley's progress, Mae Mobley runs out to Aibileen's bathroom and uses it.
- Elizabeth freaks out, hitting Mae Mobley and telling her she'll "catch diseases" (7.75) from it.
- After, Aibileen apologizes to Mae Mobley and tries to comfort her.
- Aibileen and Skeeter's conversations continue over the next weeks. One day, Skeeter brings up the book Treelore was writing, but before she can continue, Elizabeth walks in.
- November 8th is the third anniversary of Treelore's death, and Aibileen is feeling pretty low.
- While shopping at the Piggly Wiggly for the Leefolts' Thanksgiving dinner, Aibileen learns that Treelore's friend Robert Brown was beaten and blinded by white men after he uses the white bathroom at a local lawn and garden store.
- When Aibileen gets home that night, Skeeter visits her and tells her the good idea: she wants to interview local maids about their experiences working for white families and to compile their stories into a book. Aibileen tells Skeeter this is way too dangerous and that none of the maids will agree to it.