At the beginning of the chapter, we find out that Mr. Raymond sips only Coca-Cola from a paper sack, deliberately pretending to be drunk. Why does he do this?

Mr. Raymond believes that it's easier for people to deal with his strange behavior if they believe it's a direct result of drinking. He is married to a black woman, and he enjoys the company of the black neighborhood in which he lives. The people of Maycomb find his actions incomprehensible, so he allows them to believe he is merely a drunk.