Author's Note: After I read The Outsiders, I started thinking about why Two
Bit saw the world as a joke and why he never used his real name. After
thinking for awhile, I came up with the idea that he might do it to hide
his true self and that got me thinking about why he would want to hide his
true self. This story is the result of my musings. I've written this story
as if Two Bit was writing a diary.
Slip on a mask
Two Bit's Diary
Dear diary
I know everyone would laugh to death if they knew I was writing a diary. But there's a lot they don't know about me. A lot I don't want them to know about me. To them, I'm the clown, the jester, the one whose always telling jokes no matter what's going on. But that's just a mask I put on, so I can escape my life, even if its only for awhile. I'm so used to slipping on the mask everyday, its practically second nature by now.
For people to fully understand why I'm like this, they'll have to know my life story. It all started 13 years ago. Back then I was still young, naïve and innocent. My parents, my brother and I live together. Life was perfect. But then everything went downhill. The factory my mum was working for, was having financial problems. So, they decided to cut back on staff. My mum was one of the people who got fired.
Also, at the same time, my father ran away with a secretary and took our life savings with him. The combined pressure of losing her husband and her job, sent my mother into a deep depression and she started using drugs. I don't know where she got the money to buy them, but I'm pretty sure it was illegal.
Because my mother was no longer providing for us, my 14 year old brother and I had to earn money by doing odd jobs and begging on the streets. Of course this didn't earn much, so my brother decided to pretend he was 16 and see if he could get a job. He managed to get a job working in a shady bar. It didn't pay much, but it was enough to put food on out plates.
Just when I thought everything was becoming bearable, things got worse. My brother was killed in a fight at the bar between 2 drunks. I was devastated. I had been incredibly close to my brother, despite our age difference and now he was gone.
But, life had to go on. I managed to convince my mother to apply for the dole. Now we have enough money for the necessities of life. My mother is still on drugs, even though she's been to rehabilitation more times than I can count.
Nobody knows any of this. When I'm with the gang, I'm Two Bit Mathews, the comedian. But when I'm at home, I'm Keith Mathews, the boy with a mother, who doesn't even know he exists. The boy with a father, who ran away a long time ago. The boy with a brother, who died trying to provide for the family.
Maybe one day I'll be brave enough to tell someone my story. But for now, I'll just slip on my mask and pretend.
Author's Note: So how did you guys like it? Please R&R
Slip on a mask
Two Bit's Diary
Dear diary
I know everyone would laugh to death if they knew I was writing a diary. But there's a lot they don't know about me. A lot I don't want them to know about me. To them, I'm the clown, the jester, the one whose always telling jokes no matter what's going on. But that's just a mask I put on, so I can escape my life, even if its only for awhile. I'm so used to slipping on the mask everyday, its practically second nature by now.
For people to fully understand why I'm like this, they'll have to know my life story. It all started 13 years ago. Back then I was still young, naïve and innocent. My parents, my brother and I live together. Life was perfect. But then everything went downhill. The factory my mum was working for, was having financial problems. So, they decided to cut back on staff. My mum was one of the people who got fired.
Also, at the same time, my father ran away with a secretary and took our life savings with him. The combined pressure of losing her husband and her job, sent my mother into a deep depression and she started using drugs. I don't know where she got the money to buy them, but I'm pretty sure it was illegal.
Because my mother was no longer providing for us, my 14 year old brother and I had to earn money by doing odd jobs and begging on the streets. Of course this didn't earn much, so my brother decided to pretend he was 16 and see if he could get a job. He managed to get a job working in a shady bar. It didn't pay much, but it was enough to put food on out plates.
Just when I thought everything was becoming bearable, things got worse. My brother was killed in a fight at the bar between 2 drunks. I was devastated. I had been incredibly close to my brother, despite our age difference and now he was gone.
But, life had to go on. I managed to convince my mother to apply for the dole. Now we have enough money for the necessities of life. My mother is still on drugs, even though she's been to rehabilitation more times than I can count.
Nobody knows any of this. When I'm with the gang, I'm Two Bit Mathews, the comedian. But when I'm at home, I'm Keith Mathews, the boy with a mother, who doesn't even know he exists. The boy with a father, who ran away a long time ago. The boy with a brother, who died trying to provide for the family.
Maybe one day I'll be brave enough to tell someone my story. But for now, I'll just slip on my mask and pretend.
Author's Note: So how did you guys like it? Please R&R