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.
Quote #4
The Colonel offers Karate Night as a public service, same as Jaycees on Tuesdays and Miss Jennifer's Ballroom on Mondays. Wednesdays we hold Emergency Bridal Showers. (6.22)
The café doesn't just serve food, it's a kind of community meeting hall for all the residents of Tupelo Landing. They even have regularly planned events like Karate Night and Ballroom.
Quote #5
"I hear the Tyson brothers found Jesse's body at Fool's Bridge. And-"
"Who told you that?" Starr asked, his voice sharp.
"Everybody. It's all over town." (6.80-82)
Poor Detective Starr. He's trying so hard to keep his investigation contained, but he doesn't realize how close-knit the Tupelo Landing community is, and how gossip spreads like wildfire. All of his leads are out in the open.
Quote #6
"No one's on their own in the eternal sense of things, Mo," she said. "If no one else volunteers, we'll have a service at the café."
"A funeral? For Mr. Jesse?" I said. "Do you think anybody will come?" (8.49-50)
Mr. Jesse wasn't all that popular in life because he was a mean, stingy old man, but that doesn't mean that the town will forget him when he's gone. Mo is skeptical, but Miss Lana assures her that everyone will show up for the funeral.
Quote #7
I surveyed the crowd. The café's customers stood in dwindling patches of shade, asking questions, making up answers, and passing them along as fact. (11.26)
Everyone in town goes where the action is, which can be a little annoying for Detective Starr and his team. They even take lunch right next to the crime scene so they can gossip about who killed Mr. Jesse.
Quote #8
Lavender, Dale, and me showed up for his service early, only to find the church parking lot packed. People streamed toward the glistening white church in busy, crooked lines, like ants heading for a sugar cube. (15.2)
Just like Miss Lana predicted, Mr. Jesse's funeral is standing room only. The townspeople may not have very many nice things to say about him, but they'll still show up to pay their respects.
Quote #9
For the rest of the night, light flooded our house and yard as Starr's people and our neighbors searched for Miss Lana. Deputy Marla found the double footprints along the café wall. "There was a scuffle. Looks like he dragged her the last few feet," she told Starr, avoiding my eyes. (18.56)
Even in the worst moments (like finding out that Miss Lana has been kidnapped), Mo can be sure that she's not alone. The whole community rallies around her and helps search for one of their own.
Quote #10
By noon, half the town draped themselves over Miss Rose's yard, chatting and eating lunches they'd brought over themselves. Thes and Reverend Thompson nudged in among the Azalea Women, who'd claimed the garden table. Atilla Celeste and her mother sat by their Cadillac, eating grapes and carrot sticks. Skeeter's folks spread a blanket on the lawn. (21.20)
Tupelo Landing is the kind of place where you don't have to invite people over for lunch because they just randomly show up. It's a good thing that Miss Rose is used to this kind of thing and doesn't get annoyed at the whole town setting up for lunch in her front yard.