To Kill a Mockingbird

What did Mr. Dolphus Raymond mean by the following: "You little folks won't tell on me now, will you? It'd ruin my reputation if you did"?

Chapter 20

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Raymond has just confessed that the bottle of liquid he carries with him is not the alcohol everyone believes it to be but cola. He doesn't want the children to tell anyone they're wrong in their assumptions. When Scout asks why he does such a thing, Mr. Raymond explains he feels he has to give the population some reason for his odd behavior (being friendly toward black people). Mr. Raymond believes it's easier for people to handle strangeness when they have a reason to explain it. Thus, he pretends to be a drunkard.

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