I put down my book exhausted. I had just finished the 2nd chapter of,
"The Outsiders". I had to still finish the 3rd chapter, but I figured I
could do it in the morning before school started. I was reading it for an
English project. It seemed weird to me how the greasers were treated
because of where they came from. I laid my head down on my pillow and tried
to concentrate on falling asleep, but visions of Ponyboy, Johnny, Dallas,
and the rest of the greaser crew danced through my mind.
My eyes began to flutter with the bright sunlight. I sat up alarmed. 'I'm late for school!', I thought. I looked around and realized that I was not in my room. I surveyed my surroundings with shock. 'Where am I?', I thought with disbelief. This was nothing compared to my usual semi-fancy living accommodations at home. I was laying in a double bed with mismatch sheets. They were, along with the bed, stiff and felt like something you would be presented with in a hospital. The walls were a dingy white from years of wear. The floor was hard linoleum. 'I feel bad for anybody who would have to sleep on that', I said to myself. The room was small with only a bed, a desk with a chair, and a small table. None of the furniture matched, I noted. Nothing like you would see in my home.
I could smell bacon cooking and realized just how hungry I was. I figured I'd better get up and find out where the hell I was because I didn't have a clue. Maybe I could get some free food out of this. (I have always been a big eater, even though I am small.) I got out of bed and the floor was freezing. I longed for my fuzzy pink slippers and matching robe. I jumped over a pile of dirty clothes on my way out the door.
I opened the door and followed the trail of voices down a hallway. I passed a couple of doors on both sides of me before I entered the living room. I was shocked to find two guys sitting on the couch watching television. They looked up at me as I entered. They didn't seem surprised to see me. One even smiled and asked, "Are you feeling any better?" He was really cute like a model or an actor or something.
"Yeah, I guess." I answered; unaware of what he was talking about. "Um, not to sound rude, but who are you and where am the hell am I at?" I questioned.
He let out a slight laugh. "My name is Sodapop Curtis, and this is my brother Ponyboy Curtis." He said, and they both held out their hands. I was in shock at first. 'Wasn't that the name of the two greaser brothers from the story?' I asked myself. I didn't want to leave them hanging, so I shook their hands uneasily.
"And let me guess" I said. "Were in Tulsa, Oklahoma, right?"
"Yeah" he replied. "I guess you remember now. Last night you were out of it, and you were saying something about having to read your book. It was really weird." He paused for a minute then smiled warmly. "Now let me ask some questions of my own." He said and waited for an answer.
"Go on." I said.
"What is your name, and what were you doing passed out in the middle of a street on the east side of town? I mean, you look more that a west type girl to me." He said.
I had no idea what he was talking about! Passed out in the middle of the street?! They were both staring at me waiting for an answer, so I had to think of something quick. "I'm sorry for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Coqena Chocolat LeBrock."
"Whoa!" Sodapop interrupted me. "Can I get you to write that one down?!" I laughed. I was beginning to like this Sodapop character.
"You may call me CoCo, most people do anyway. They don't remember what my real name is and mostly forget all together that I have one. As for being passed out in the street, I don't remember how that came about. Are you sure I was passed out?" I asked.
"Yeah, you sure were. My older brother, Darry, had to carry you here. He even gave up his bed for you. He's at work now so you won't be able to meet him now. You hungry?"
"You better believe it!" I said with excitement.
Sodapop got up from the couch and proceeded into the kitchen. "Do you like eggs and bacon? It's a bit cold, but it's still good."
"Yes, that would be fine, thank you. Make sure that if I don't see your brother that you tell him thank you for me. It's not everyday that I have people given up beds for me, especially when he has to go to work in the morning." I said.
"Aw, don't worry about it. He don't expect no thank you's from you." Sodapop said as he fixed me a plate. He handed it to me as he cleared off the kitchen table and pulled out a chair. "Here have a seat. What would you like to drink? We have regular milk, chocolate milk, orange juice, water, pepsi and coffee."
"Milk will be fine, thanks. Gee, you people sure do go through a lot of trouble for a stranger." I said as I began to eat.
"Nah, it's no trouble, really." He said as he handed me a glass of milk. "Your welcome to stay here as long as you want. However, I won't be around today. I have to go to work. I'm already late. Ponyboy will show you around and introduce you to the rest of the guys. I have to go now. Nice meeting you, CoCo. Bye." He said
"It was nice to meet you too, Sodapop". I said as I shook his hand again. "Thanks again for everything. Have a good day at work! Bye."
"Thanks! Have fun around our boring house." He yelled back through the screen door. I heard a car rev up and take off down the street probably doing around 70.
My eyes began to flutter with the bright sunlight. I sat up alarmed. 'I'm late for school!', I thought. I looked around and realized that I was not in my room. I surveyed my surroundings with shock. 'Where am I?', I thought with disbelief. This was nothing compared to my usual semi-fancy living accommodations at home. I was laying in a double bed with mismatch sheets. They were, along with the bed, stiff and felt like something you would be presented with in a hospital. The walls were a dingy white from years of wear. The floor was hard linoleum. 'I feel bad for anybody who would have to sleep on that', I said to myself. The room was small with only a bed, a desk with a chair, and a small table. None of the furniture matched, I noted. Nothing like you would see in my home.
I could smell bacon cooking and realized just how hungry I was. I figured I'd better get up and find out where the hell I was because I didn't have a clue. Maybe I could get some free food out of this. (I have always been a big eater, even though I am small.) I got out of bed and the floor was freezing. I longed for my fuzzy pink slippers and matching robe. I jumped over a pile of dirty clothes on my way out the door.
I opened the door and followed the trail of voices down a hallway. I passed a couple of doors on both sides of me before I entered the living room. I was shocked to find two guys sitting on the couch watching television. They looked up at me as I entered. They didn't seem surprised to see me. One even smiled and asked, "Are you feeling any better?" He was really cute like a model or an actor or something.
"Yeah, I guess." I answered; unaware of what he was talking about. "Um, not to sound rude, but who are you and where am the hell am I at?" I questioned.
He let out a slight laugh. "My name is Sodapop Curtis, and this is my brother Ponyboy Curtis." He said, and they both held out their hands. I was in shock at first. 'Wasn't that the name of the two greaser brothers from the story?' I asked myself. I didn't want to leave them hanging, so I shook their hands uneasily.
"And let me guess" I said. "Were in Tulsa, Oklahoma, right?"
"Yeah" he replied. "I guess you remember now. Last night you were out of it, and you were saying something about having to read your book. It was really weird." He paused for a minute then smiled warmly. "Now let me ask some questions of my own." He said and waited for an answer.
"Go on." I said.
"What is your name, and what were you doing passed out in the middle of a street on the east side of town? I mean, you look more that a west type girl to me." He said.
I had no idea what he was talking about! Passed out in the middle of the street?! They were both staring at me waiting for an answer, so I had to think of something quick. "I'm sorry for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Coqena Chocolat LeBrock."
"Whoa!" Sodapop interrupted me. "Can I get you to write that one down?!" I laughed. I was beginning to like this Sodapop character.
"You may call me CoCo, most people do anyway. They don't remember what my real name is and mostly forget all together that I have one. As for being passed out in the street, I don't remember how that came about. Are you sure I was passed out?" I asked.
"Yeah, you sure were. My older brother, Darry, had to carry you here. He even gave up his bed for you. He's at work now so you won't be able to meet him now. You hungry?"
"You better believe it!" I said with excitement.
Sodapop got up from the couch and proceeded into the kitchen. "Do you like eggs and bacon? It's a bit cold, but it's still good."
"Yes, that would be fine, thank you. Make sure that if I don't see your brother that you tell him thank you for me. It's not everyday that I have people given up beds for me, especially when he has to go to work in the morning." I said.
"Aw, don't worry about it. He don't expect no thank you's from you." Sodapop said as he fixed me a plate. He handed it to me as he cleared off the kitchen table and pulled out a chair. "Here have a seat. What would you like to drink? We have regular milk, chocolate milk, orange juice, water, pepsi and coffee."
"Milk will be fine, thanks. Gee, you people sure do go through a lot of trouble for a stranger." I said as I began to eat.
"Nah, it's no trouble, really." He said as he handed me a glass of milk. "Your welcome to stay here as long as you want. However, I won't be around today. I have to go to work. I'm already late. Ponyboy will show you around and introduce you to the rest of the guys. I have to go now. Nice meeting you, CoCo. Bye." He said
"It was nice to meet you too, Sodapop". I said as I shook his hand again. "Thanks again for everything. Have a good day at work! Bye."
"Thanks! Have fun around our boring house." He yelled back through the screen door. I heard a car rev up and take off down the street probably doing around 70.