Al Capone Does My Shirts

Wednesday, January 16, 1935

School is lonely for Moose as Scout will no longer talk to him. At home, he is writing a letter to his old friend Pete when Theresa calls him and Natalie outside: Piper is handing out the laundry money and Annie promised that she would buy some candy. Theresa tells Natalie that she can bring her buttons. Piper tries to get Natalie’s attention but she is too absorbed with her buttons; however, when Piper asks Natalie to make the calculation to split their money three ways, Natalie does it instantly. Mr. Trixle tells Piper, Moose, Jimmy, and Annie that the Warden wants to see them inside. All of them are terrified.

Theresa grabs Natalie’s hand and brings her along. Moose is astounded that Natalie is letting anyone touch her. At the library, the Warden explains how disappointed he is and reads a letter from Del Peabody’s father about the laundry operation Del has told him about. In the letter, Mr. Peabody writes, “I am appalled by the extremely poor taste and unseemly behavior of your daughter and her friends” (112), and threatens to go to the San Francisco Chronicle if such a thing happens again. Annie tells the Warden the scheme was Piper’s idea.