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On October 8, 1912, when James was six years old, Doodle was born. Doodle was what they called a caul baby. He was born with a membrane still surrounding him. At the time it was believed by many that this membrane was made of Jesus' nightgown.
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When Doodle was only a few months old James began to make plans to kill by smothering him with a pillow so that he could put him out of his misery.
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One day James was watching Doodle as he lay in his crib and he poked his head between the posts and smiled at James. At this very moment he was convinced that Doodle was all there. James ran through thehalls screaming to everyone that Doodle was indeed all there.
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When Doodle was still living after three months it was decided that he should be given a name. He was named William Armostrong because even after three months everyone still believed he wouldn't make it and James believed "such a name sounds good only on a tombstone".
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During Doodle's third winter he learned to crawl. They would bring him out in front of the fireplace and they all felt that he "became one of us".
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One day when Doodle was crawling around and even beginning to talk James decided his little brother was going to need a better name than William Armstrong if he was gunna be sticking around. Since he looked like a Doodlebug when crawling backwards James decided to name him Doodle.
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Although Doodle could crawl he showed no signs of walking so his father built him a go-cart in which James was to haul him around in everywhere he went. James found this to be an enormous burden.
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Eventually James began to understand that Doodle was his brother and he was stuck with him. One day James decided to take Doodle to "the only beauty I knew, Old Woman".
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When Doodle was five James he was emberassed at having a brother of that age that couldn't walk so he set out to teach him.
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"But all of us must have something or someone to be proud of, and Doodle had become mine."
That summer James began to put all the energy he had into Doodle and teaching him to walk. In the beginning it was so hopeless that it was a miracle James didn't just give up. -
One day after much practicing, he stood alone for a few seconds. Even though it was only a few seconds it was just the inspiration that they both needed to continue to push through.
"When he fell I grabbed him in my arms and hugged him, our laughter pealing through the swamp like a ringing bell." -
After months of little to no rain a hurricane hit and ruined Doodleand James' family farm and all the crops, but when there father raised his arm into the sky and cursed the Republican party they knew it would all be okay.
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Doodle began making much progress, but they decided not to share their progress with anyoneuntil he could walk well. It was decided they would show everyone on Doodle's birthday.
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On Doodle's sixth birthday he showed his whole family his progress. They all began to cry, especially JAmes. No one knew that the main reason he was crying was because he had done it all for himself.
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After seeing Doodle make so much progress with walking and feeling that satisfaction, James sets out to teach him to do all the things other kids his age were doing such as running, climbing, swimming, etc.
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Doodle began to get sick often and, although James knew he should give up, he couldn't.
"I should have already admitted defeat, but my pride wouldn't let me." -
Doodle and James find a bird that dies soon after in their yard. Their mother clarifies that it is called a scarlet ibis.
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Doodle makes a unique and unexplainable connection with the scarlet ibis and after its death decides to bury it. After burying it he can't eat.
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James gets frustrated with Doodle for not trying to be normal and leaves him in a storm. When Doodle doesn't come out of the woods James goes back for him and finds him slumped against a tree.
