I was only a few blocks away from our house coming back home with two
armloads of groceries. I was looking over at the poster that was on the
wall.
Maralyn Moroe. She's really pretty. I wish that I was her, then I'd be able
to be
rich and famous and pretty. Oh well, the guys says that I'm a hot lookin
gal. So
I have to be happy that the guys think that I'm cute. Even though I have
brunette hair, and Two-Bit Mathews likes blondes, he told me that he'd
choose
me over them blondes anyday. I have Dark brown eyes. My hair is about the
length of my lower back, that is only when I don't have my hair up or
something.
We live in this kind of rotten neighborhood. The gang don't seem to mind it, but I do, but not so much as I used to. On the east side of Tulsa, your labled as a Greaser, or hood. You've got hardly any money, you wear your hair long, wear hair grease, girls wear short skirts, and too much makeup. But that's one thing I never went in for, make up, and short skirts, I prefered blue jeans, a white T-shirt, and a plaid shirt over that.
Most of us get jumped by Socs, or the socially elite. They are the snobby west-side rich kids. They get all the breaks, throw beer-blasts, break windows at parties, and jump greasers. They wear expensive clothing, and could get away with murder. In our neighborhood, you gotta stick together w/ your friends, or you could wind up dead or something. You also gotta walk with someone or us greasers'll get jumped.
I was just about to get the groceries into the ice box as I heard a scream. I knew that scream well. I quickly dropped the bag, even though it had eggs in them, and made a dead run towards Ponyboy, my brother, who was only two blocks away. I quickly spotted my brother Ponyboy getting beat up on by the
Socs. My two other brothers were just now showing up along with the rest of
the gang. The gang and me started beating up the Socs, and they started to run.
Darry picked up Pony under the armpits, and shaked him. He asked Pony how he was. "I'm ok, Quit shaking me, Darry, I'm ok."
Darry suddenly stoped. "Sorry."
Darrel, who we called Darry, was a year younger than me. He looked exactly like my dad, but he kinda acts the opposite of him. Our dad was only 40 when he and Mom died. He's six-foot-two, 20 years old, broad-shouldered,
and muscular. He's got dark-brown hair that kicks out in the front and a sight cowlick in the back. He was almost similar to Dad in every way, shape, and form, except for his eyes. They looked like blue-green ice. They have a determined set to them, just like Darry. He uses his head a lot, and has a hard time understanding that isn't in plain fact.
Pony started rubbing his cheek where he seemed to have been hit the most.
I walked over to him. "You ok Pony, did they hurt you bad?"
"Yeah, but I'm ok." He was starting to shake, and I wrapped my arms around him.
Ponyboy was my youngest kid brother. He's 15, good build, and pretty tall. He looked almost exactly like my other kid brother Sodapop. He's got these dark-brown eyes, and dark-brown, almost red, hair. Pony was the one who loved to draw, write, see movies, do anything that used his imagination really. Darry always thought that he should keep his heads outta the clouds, but Soda an me think that he should keep imagining. We knew that he'd get somewhere if he kept imagining. Darry was a bit too hard on Pony at times, but we all
knew that was cause it was out of concern.
Soda came loping back. Soda examined Pony's head a bit. "You got cut up a little, huh, Ponyboy?"
Pony looked bleakly up at Soda. "I did?"
"You're bleedin like a stuck pig."
"I am?"
I quickly wet the end of a handkercheif and pressed it up against Pony's head. "Look!" I said showing Pony the handkercheif. "Did they pull a blade on you?"
"Yeah."
Soda is probably the most handsomest guy that I've ever seen. Not like Darry-Soda's movie-star material, like the type of guy you stop on the stree to see stroll right past you. He's probably as tall as me, and he's a bit slimmer than Darry. He's got this sensitive face that seems reckless and thoughtful at the same moment. He had Mom's hair, and even looked like her, but didn't act like her, he acted more like Dad. Dark-gold hair that he combs back-long and silky and straitght-and the summer sun colors it to a stunning wheat gold. His eyes are dark-brown. Thy're always lively, dancing, and recklessly laughing that can be kind and gentle one minutet, and be the ipitamy of the underworld the next. He's got Dad eyes, but Soda is one uniuqe person. He doesn't have to get near alcohol to get high, he's high off of just living. He even understands everyone.
I looked at pony a bit more, and saw some tears well up in his eyes, although he wiped them away really quick, cause you don't cry infront of Darry unless you're hurt like Johnny was that day we found him at corner-lot. He was shaking so bad, it was like he was the epicenter of an earthquake. Soda put a hand on his shoulder. "Easy Pony, they ain't gonna hurt you no more."
"I know, I'm just spooked that's all."Pony drew a quivering breath.
Soda rubbedhis hair." You're an ok kid, Pony."
I saw Pony grin, and I had to grin too. Soda was the only person that could anyone grin, probably casue he was grinning all the time. I looked up at Soda. "Yer crazy, Soda, Out of your mind."
Darry looked at all three of us as if he were gonna knock all of our heads together. "You're all nuts."
I cocked an eyebrow, a trick that me and Soda had picked up form Two- Bit. "Don't you forget that I'm the oldest one in this family."
Darry satred at me for a second, then cracked a grin. "Yeah, you're right Candycane."
My real name is Candycane, but sometimes they call me Lollipop, or SweetTart, but Two-Bit has a special name for me, Kit-Kat, I guess it's cause he likes me.
The rest of the gang had started to show up after they chased them to their car, and threw rocks at them. They came runnig to us now. They were four lean, hard guys. All of them were as tough as nails, and looked the part. We grew up with them, and we were all as close as family.
Steve Randal is nineteen, tall and lean, with thick greasy hair that he kept back in complicated swirls. He was Cocky, smart, and Soda's best friend since grade school. His specialty was cars. He could lift a hubcap quickeer and quieter than anyone in this town. He knew cars upsidedown, and backwards, and drove anything on wheels. He and Soda worked at the same gas station - Steve part time and Soda full time- and their sation got more peoples than any in town. Either cause Soda could lure all the girls, or cause Steve was great with cars. Steve thought that Pony was a tagalong, casue Soda took him places, unless they were picking up girls or something.
Two-Bit Mathews was the oldest of our gang, only one year older than me, and he was the wisecracker of the group. He's about six feet tall, stocky in build, and had rusty-colored side burns which he was proud of.He had grey eyes and a wide grin, and you couldn't stop him from making funny remarks, even if it was gonna save his life. No one could shut him up, he had to put his two-bits worth in, thus his name. Everyone always forgot that his real name
was Keith, even his teachers forgot. Life was constatnly a big joke to Two- Bit. He is famous for his black-handled switchblade, and shopliftting, and he was always mouthing off to the cops. He couldn't help it. He told me that he had to tell the cops a lot of his jokes just to brighten up their dull lives. He liked blondes, fights, drinking, blondes, and for the oddest reason, school. he was still a jounior at eighteen and a half, and still is.He just went for kicks. I liked him real well, partially cause he kept us in stitches, and partially cause he was kinda romantic around me, even though I wasn't a blonde.
If you ever met a real bad boy, he wouldn't even compare to Dallas Winston- Dally. Pony kept drawing pictures of him when he was sorta in on of those dangerous moods, cause then he could get down Dally's personality in a few lines. He has this elfish face with a pointed chin, sharp animal teeth, and ears like a lynx. His hair was just so blonde that it was an off whitish color.He hated haircuts, and hair grease, so his hair just waved around in the wind.He had
these blazing blue eyes that were cold with that hatred of the world. He had been on the wild side of New York for a few years, three to be exact. He somehow managed to get put in jail by the age of ten. He was probably the toughest one around in the neighborhood and in our gang, meaner and colder.
He was probably as wild as Tim Shepard's gang.
When Dally had lived in New York, he got rid of his steam in gang fight. There really isn't any gangs here, just a group of friends who stick together. Most of the fighting persists between the social classes. The fighting is called a rumble. A rumble is kind of born of a grudge fight, and the fighters usually get their friends to come with them. There are a few gangs here, but there ain't no gang rivalry, so even if Dally was in a gang, he really couldn't have anything to hate, only Socs. And as bad as you whip em, they get all the breaks in life, and that fact ain't gonna change. That might explain why Dally had this mean streak.
Dally had made quite a rep. He had a file on him at the sation a mile long. He get's arrested, gets drunk, rode in rodeos, rolled drunks, jumped small kids, lied, cheated, and stole. Let's just put it this way, he did practically everything. Although he was towe-headed, he was smart, and you can't disrespect a greaser that's smart.
Johnny Cade was the last of our gang. He was just like a puppy that had
been lost and hit too many times. He was the second youngeswt. He had these
big, black eyes in a tanned face with hair that when he combed to the side it would fall into shaggy bangs across his forehead because it was so long. He
wore this suspicious look in his eyes, and I couldn't blame him, He kept getting beatings from the Socs, and at home. His parents never gave a hang about where he was, and if he was alive. He's the gang's pet, everyone's kid brother. His dad kept beating up on him, and his mom ignored him, unless she was steamed at something, then she'd be yelling so luod you could hear it down at our house; all the gang heard it, it was hard for us to listen to it, cause it was like Johnny's mom was yelling at us too.I think that he'd have run far away a thousand times if we had never been there for him. We were the only people that actully cared and showed him love.
Pony looked up at Two-Bit. "So did ya catch em?"
"Nup, They got away this time those dirty..."Two-Bit and I started to see who could make up the best cuss words for the Socs, like we always did after we beat up the Socs.
"The kid's ok then?"
"Yep." Pony was usually quiet around the gang, Soda was really the only
person that could get Pony to talk. "So Dally, I didn't know you were outta the cooler?" He was trying to change the subject.
"Got off early, good behavior." Dally lit a cigarette and handed it to Johnny. Everyone else sat down to have one too, ecept Darry, he'd never somke, cause he didn't wanna ruin his sport skills, or somethin like that. A smoke always lessens the tension. I figured that the cigarette was calming down Pony, cause his color was coming back, and he'd stoped shaking. Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow. "Nice lookin bruise you got there."
Pony touched his cheek lightly. "Really?"
Two-Bit nodded sagely. "Nice cut too, makes you look tough."
Two-Bit put an arm around my shoulders. "You been beatin up more Socs lately or what? I swear, you got some nice muscle on ya there. Soon enough,
you'll be able to whip Dally when he's in one of his dangerous moods."
I kinda giggled and I saw Two-Bit blush a bit. "You're stupid if you'd think I'd take on Dally when he was in one of those moods, even if I was that strong."
He grinned. "Well you do have a point there."
Dally looked over at me. "You're a good lookin gal who has brains too. Two-Bit, how'd you get so lucky?"
"No. She's the lucky one.. She gets to date me!"
I kinda gave him one of those looks that said "You better watch out..." in a sorta sarcastic way. "Why are you proclaiming that I'm goin steady with you
even though it ain't true?" I just shook my head.
Two-Bit just sat there and shrugged
Steve flicked his ashes towards Pony. "What were you doin walkin by your lonesome?"
Pony looked a bit relentless to tell Darry. "I was cominhome from the movies. I didn't think..."
"You don't ever think," Darry broke in, "not at home or anywhere when it counts. You must think at school, with all those good grades you bring home, and you've always got your head in a book, but do you ever use your head for common sense? No siree, bub. And if you did have to go by yourself, you should have carried a blade."
Pony looked at the hole in his tennis shoe. I felt sorry for him. I stood up and looked over at Darry. "...But do you ever use your head for common sense? No sirere bub. It just ain't Pony's fault that he likes movies and the Socs like to jump us. If he had carried a blade with him, He'd of gotten killed. Did you ever think of that?"
Darry loked impatiant. And I glared back at him. "Don't you even start on the kid-brother topic. I'm older than you by a year, so I've got more power and superiorty than you, so it'd be good if you just keep your trap shut."
Two-Bit looked over at Pony. "Next time get one of us to go with you, Ponyboy, any of us will."
Speakin of movies" Dally yawned, flipping away his cigarette end. "I'm walkin over to the Nightly Double tomorow night. Anybody want to come and hunt some action?"
Steve shook his head. "Me and Soda are gonna pick up Evie and Sandy for
the game."
Darry sighed just like he always did. "No I can't, I'm working tomorow night." Darry hardly had any time to do much nowadays. I offered to get a job, but he said that women shouldn't work, so I can't fight that.
Dally looked over at the rest of us. "Candy, Two-Bit, Pony, Johnnycake,
wanna come?
Pony kinda nodded his head, "Me and Johnny'll come. Is that ok Candy?"
I shook my head. "Sure ya can, but be home around midnight ok?"
He nodded. I was really leanient to let Pony go places, even on school nights, just as long he didn't have failing grades.
"I was plannin' on gettin' boozed up tomorrow night. If I don't, I'll come over and find y'all."
I slightly shook my head. "I was plannin on goin with Two-Bit. I'll make sure he comes over though."
I saw Two-Bit looking at his switchblade as we walked home. Pony kept saying that we deserve most of the trouble that we get. He keeps telling me that Dally deserves most of it, and he does, but I don't always agree on that. And he says that Two-Bit don't need or want half the things he takes. He just likes to take things that aren't nailed down or anything. We all can understand why Soda and Steve get into drag races and fights so much. They got way too much feelin and enrgy to blow off.
When I got into the house from drinkin a can of beer with Two-Bit, Soda
was giving Darry a back rub. "Rub harder Soda, or you'll put me to sleep."
I kinda figured he would. Soda can put you to sleep if he tries at it. Darry keeps pulling muscles when he tries to show off by caryin two bundles of roofing at a time up the ladders at work. I felt so bad for him cause he was workin like an old man when he's only twenty. Darry had been to school, played football, He was the best halfback on the team, He was even voted boy of the year. But since we had hardly any money, we couldn't send him to college, even with the football scholarship he'd gotten. Now he works two jobs, and it hurts me to see him like that, but he insists that I shouldn't work.
Everyone had gone to sleep by the time I got done daydreaming of Two- Bit. Why I can never get him out of my head at night is beyond me, well no, I am
his girl in a way, even if we aren't goin steady. He is such a nice guy, he'd give the shirt off his back if you needed it, well maybe only for the gang, and the gang's cousins, but that's about it.
We're all nice to the gang's cousins that come down for a visit. Once Two-Bit's guy cousin, Mike, came up from Texas. Boy he sure acted a lot like Two-Bit. They were both the same age, and looked almost alike. I just didn't like the way he kept pressuring me into doing stuff. Like one night, after Soda, Mike, Two-Bit, and me had gone to a bar, Mike had asked if I wanted to go to the back room with him and get to "know each other better," well I can tell you that it didn't go over too well with Two-Bit and Soda. I slapped him upside the head, and Two-Bit and Soda pounded him so bad that we thought that he was gonna be in the hospital for a few months.
I looked outside and admired the view, I mean it was a pretty night tonight, so I figured that I should before the rain came or somethin. I had so much to think about, I didn't know where to start, but I obviously started somewhere. I drifted off into the vast corners of my mind that night, and to tell ya the truth, it felt kinda nice.
We live in this kind of rotten neighborhood. The gang don't seem to mind it, but I do, but not so much as I used to. On the east side of Tulsa, your labled as a Greaser, or hood. You've got hardly any money, you wear your hair long, wear hair grease, girls wear short skirts, and too much makeup. But that's one thing I never went in for, make up, and short skirts, I prefered blue jeans, a white T-shirt, and a plaid shirt over that.
Most of us get jumped by Socs, or the socially elite. They are the snobby west-side rich kids. They get all the breaks, throw beer-blasts, break windows at parties, and jump greasers. They wear expensive clothing, and could get away with murder. In our neighborhood, you gotta stick together w/ your friends, or you could wind up dead or something. You also gotta walk with someone or us greasers'll get jumped.
I was just about to get the groceries into the ice box as I heard a scream. I knew that scream well. I quickly dropped the bag, even though it had eggs in them, and made a dead run towards Ponyboy, my brother, who was only two blocks away. I quickly spotted my brother Ponyboy getting beat up on by the
Socs. My two other brothers were just now showing up along with the rest of
the gang. The gang and me started beating up the Socs, and they started to run.
Darry picked up Pony under the armpits, and shaked him. He asked Pony how he was. "I'm ok, Quit shaking me, Darry, I'm ok."
Darry suddenly stoped. "Sorry."
Darrel, who we called Darry, was a year younger than me. He looked exactly like my dad, but he kinda acts the opposite of him. Our dad was only 40 when he and Mom died. He's six-foot-two, 20 years old, broad-shouldered,
and muscular. He's got dark-brown hair that kicks out in the front and a sight cowlick in the back. He was almost similar to Dad in every way, shape, and form, except for his eyes. They looked like blue-green ice. They have a determined set to them, just like Darry. He uses his head a lot, and has a hard time understanding that isn't in plain fact.
Pony started rubbing his cheek where he seemed to have been hit the most.
I walked over to him. "You ok Pony, did they hurt you bad?"
"Yeah, but I'm ok." He was starting to shake, and I wrapped my arms around him.
Ponyboy was my youngest kid brother. He's 15, good build, and pretty tall. He looked almost exactly like my other kid brother Sodapop. He's got these dark-brown eyes, and dark-brown, almost red, hair. Pony was the one who loved to draw, write, see movies, do anything that used his imagination really. Darry always thought that he should keep his heads outta the clouds, but Soda an me think that he should keep imagining. We knew that he'd get somewhere if he kept imagining. Darry was a bit too hard on Pony at times, but we all
knew that was cause it was out of concern.
Soda came loping back. Soda examined Pony's head a bit. "You got cut up a little, huh, Ponyboy?"
Pony looked bleakly up at Soda. "I did?"
"You're bleedin like a stuck pig."
"I am?"
I quickly wet the end of a handkercheif and pressed it up against Pony's head. "Look!" I said showing Pony the handkercheif. "Did they pull a blade on you?"
"Yeah."
Soda is probably the most handsomest guy that I've ever seen. Not like Darry-Soda's movie-star material, like the type of guy you stop on the stree to see stroll right past you. He's probably as tall as me, and he's a bit slimmer than Darry. He's got this sensitive face that seems reckless and thoughtful at the same moment. He had Mom's hair, and even looked like her, but didn't act like her, he acted more like Dad. Dark-gold hair that he combs back-long and silky and straitght-and the summer sun colors it to a stunning wheat gold. His eyes are dark-brown. Thy're always lively, dancing, and recklessly laughing that can be kind and gentle one minutet, and be the ipitamy of the underworld the next. He's got Dad eyes, but Soda is one uniuqe person. He doesn't have to get near alcohol to get high, he's high off of just living. He even understands everyone.
I looked at pony a bit more, and saw some tears well up in his eyes, although he wiped them away really quick, cause you don't cry infront of Darry unless you're hurt like Johnny was that day we found him at corner-lot. He was shaking so bad, it was like he was the epicenter of an earthquake. Soda put a hand on his shoulder. "Easy Pony, they ain't gonna hurt you no more."
"I know, I'm just spooked that's all."Pony drew a quivering breath.
Soda rubbedhis hair." You're an ok kid, Pony."
I saw Pony grin, and I had to grin too. Soda was the only person that could anyone grin, probably casue he was grinning all the time. I looked up at Soda. "Yer crazy, Soda, Out of your mind."
Darry looked at all three of us as if he were gonna knock all of our heads together. "You're all nuts."
I cocked an eyebrow, a trick that me and Soda had picked up form Two- Bit. "Don't you forget that I'm the oldest one in this family."
Darry satred at me for a second, then cracked a grin. "Yeah, you're right Candycane."
My real name is Candycane, but sometimes they call me Lollipop, or SweetTart, but Two-Bit has a special name for me, Kit-Kat, I guess it's cause he likes me.
The rest of the gang had started to show up after they chased them to their car, and threw rocks at them. They came runnig to us now. They were four lean, hard guys. All of them were as tough as nails, and looked the part. We grew up with them, and we were all as close as family.
Steve Randal is nineteen, tall and lean, with thick greasy hair that he kept back in complicated swirls. He was Cocky, smart, and Soda's best friend since grade school. His specialty was cars. He could lift a hubcap quickeer and quieter than anyone in this town. He knew cars upsidedown, and backwards, and drove anything on wheels. He and Soda worked at the same gas station - Steve part time and Soda full time- and their sation got more peoples than any in town. Either cause Soda could lure all the girls, or cause Steve was great with cars. Steve thought that Pony was a tagalong, casue Soda took him places, unless they were picking up girls or something.
Two-Bit Mathews was the oldest of our gang, only one year older than me, and he was the wisecracker of the group. He's about six feet tall, stocky in build, and had rusty-colored side burns which he was proud of.He had grey eyes and a wide grin, and you couldn't stop him from making funny remarks, even if it was gonna save his life. No one could shut him up, he had to put his two-bits worth in, thus his name. Everyone always forgot that his real name
was Keith, even his teachers forgot. Life was constatnly a big joke to Two- Bit. He is famous for his black-handled switchblade, and shopliftting, and he was always mouthing off to the cops. He couldn't help it. He told me that he had to tell the cops a lot of his jokes just to brighten up their dull lives. He liked blondes, fights, drinking, blondes, and for the oddest reason, school. he was still a jounior at eighteen and a half, and still is.He just went for kicks. I liked him real well, partially cause he kept us in stitches, and partially cause he was kinda romantic around me, even though I wasn't a blonde.
If you ever met a real bad boy, he wouldn't even compare to Dallas Winston- Dally. Pony kept drawing pictures of him when he was sorta in on of those dangerous moods, cause then he could get down Dally's personality in a few lines. He has this elfish face with a pointed chin, sharp animal teeth, and ears like a lynx. His hair was just so blonde that it was an off whitish color.He hated haircuts, and hair grease, so his hair just waved around in the wind.He had
these blazing blue eyes that were cold with that hatred of the world. He had been on the wild side of New York for a few years, three to be exact. He somehow managed to get put in jail by the age of ten. He was probably the toughest one around in the neighborhood and in our gang, meaner and colder.
He was probably as wild as Tim Shepard's gang.
When Dally had lived in New York, he got rid of his steam in gang fight. There really isn't any gangs here, just a group of friends who stick together. Most of the fighting persists between the social classes. The fighting is called a rumble. A rumble is kind of born of a grudge fight, and the fighters usually get their friends to come with them. There are a few gangs here, but there ain't no gang rivalry, so even if Dally was in a gang, he really couldn't have anything to hate, only Socs. And as bad as you whip em, they get all the breaks in life, and that fact ain't gonna change. That might explain why Dally had this mean streak.
Dally had made quite a rep. He had a file on him at the sation a mile long. He get's arrested, gets drunk, rode in rodeos, rolled drunks, jumped small kids, lied, cheated, and stole. Let's just put it this way, he did practically everything. Although he was towe-headed, he was smart, and you can't disrespect a greaser that's smart.
Johnny Cade was the last of our gang. He was just like a puppy that had
been lost and hit too many times. He was the second youngeswt. He had these
big, black eyes in a tanned face with hair that when he combed to the side it would fall into shaggy bangs across his forehead because it was so long. He
wore this suspicious look in his eyes, and I couldn't blame him, He kept getting beatings from the Socs, and at home. His parents never gave a hang about where he was, and if he was alive. He's the gang's pet, everyone's kid brother. His dad kept beating up on him, and his mom ignored him, unless she was steamed at something, then she'd be yelling so luod you could hear it down at our house; all the gang heard it, it was hard for us to listen to it, cause it was like Johnny's mom was yelling at us too.I think that he'd have run far away a thousand times if we had never been there for him. We were the only people that actully cared and showed him love.
Pony looked up at Two-Bit. "So did ya catch em?"
"Nup, They got away this time those dirty..."Two-Bit and I started to see who could make up the best cuss words for the Socs, like we always did after we beat up the Socs.
"The kid's ok then?"
"Yep." Pony was usually quiet around the gang, Soda was really the only
person that could get Pony to talk. "So Dally, I didn't know you were outta the cooler?" He was trying to change the subject.
"Got off early, good behavior." Dally lit a cigarette and handed it to Johnny. Everyone else sat down to have one too, ecept Darry, he'd never somke, cause he didn't wanna ruin his sport skills, or somethin like that. A smoke always lessens the tension. I figured that the cigarette was calming down Pony, cause his color was coming back, and he'd stoped shaking. Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow. "Nice lookin bruise you got there."
Pony touched his cheek lightly. "Really?"
Two-Bit nodded sagely. "Nice cut too, makes you look tough."
Two-Bit put an arm around my shoulders. "You been beatin up more Socs lately or what? I swear, you got some nice muscle on ya there. Soon enough,
you'll be able to whip Dally when he's in one of his dangerous moods."
I kinda giggled and I saw Two-Bit blush a bit. "You're stupid if you'd think I'd take on Dally when he was in one of those moods, even if I was that strong."
He grinned. "Well you do have a point there."
Dally looked over at me. "You're a good lookin gal who has brains too. Two-Bit, how'd you get so lucky?"
"No. She's the lucky one.. She gets to date me!"
I kinda gave him one of those looks that said "You better watch out..." in a sorta sarcastic way. "Why are you proclaiming that I'm goin steady with you
even though it ain't true?" I just shook my head.
Two-Bit just sat there and shrugged
Steve flicked his ashes towards Pony. "What were you doin walkin by your lonesome?"
Pony looked a bit relentless to tell Darry. "I was cominhome from the movies. I didn't think..."
"You don't ever think," Darry broke in, "not at home or anywhere when it counts. You must think at school, with all those good grades you bring home, and you've always got your head in a book, but do you ever use your head for common sense? No siree, bub. And if you did have to go by yourself, you should have carried a blade."
Pony looked at the hole in his tennis shoe. I felt sorry for him. I stood up and looked over at Darry. "...But do you ever use your head for common sense? No sirere bub. It just ain't Pony's fault that he likes movies and the Socs like to jump us. If he had carried a blade with him, He'd of gotten killed. Did you ever think of that?"
Darry loked impatiant. And I glared back at him. "Don't you even start on the kid-brother topic. I'm older than you by a year, so I've got more power and superiorty than you, so it'd be good if you just keep your trap shut."
Two-Bit looked over at Pony. "Next time get one of us to go with you, Ponyboy, any of us will."
Speakin of movies" Dally yawned, flipping away his cigarette end. "I'm walkin over to the Nightly Double tomorow night. Anybody want to come and hunt some action?"
Steve shook his head. "Me and Soda are gonna pick up Evie and Sandy for
the game."
Darry sighed just like he always did. "No I can't, I'm working tomorow night." Darry hardly had any time to do much nowadays. I offered to get a job, but he said that women shouldn't work, so I can't fight that.
Dally looked over at the rest of us. "Candy, Two-Bit, Pony, Johnnycake,
wanna come?
Pony kinda nodded his head, "Me and Johnny'll come. Is that ok Candy?"
I shook my head. "Sure ya can, but be home around midnight ok?"
He nodded. I was really leanient to let Pony go places, even on school nights, just as long he didn't have failing grades.
"I was plannin' on gettin' boozed up tomorrow night. If I don't, I'll come over and find y'all."
I slightly shook my head. "I was plannin on goin with Two-Bit. I'll make sure he comes over though."
I saw Two-Bit looking at his switchblade as we walked home. Pony kept saying that we deserve most of the trouble that we get. He keeps telling me that Dally deserves most of it, and he does, but I don't always agree on that. And he says that Two-Bit don't need or want half the things he takes. He just likes to take things that aren't nailed down or anything. We all can understand why Soda and Steve get into drag races and fights so much. They got way too much feelin and enrgy to blow off.
When I got into the house from drinkin a can of beer with Two-Bit, Soda
was giving Darry a back rub. "Rub harder Soda, or you'll put me to sleep."
I kinda figured he would. Soda can put you to sleep if he tries at it. Darry keeps pulling muscles when he tries to show off by caryin two bundles of roofing at a time up the ladders at work. I felt so bad for him cause he was workin like an old man when he's only twenty. Darry had been to school, played football, He was the best halfback on the team, He was even voted boy of the year. But since we had hardly any money, we couldn't send him to college, even with the football scholarship he'd gotten. Now he works two jobs, and it hurts me to see him like that, but he insists that I shouldn't work.
Everyone had gone to sleep by the time I got done daydreaming of Two- Bit. Why I can never get him out of my head at night is beyond me, well no, I am
his girl in a way, even if we aren't goin steady. He is such a nice guy, he'd give the shirt off his back if you needed it, well maybe only for the gang, and the gang's cousins, but that's about it.
We're all nice to the gang's cousins that come down for a visit. Once Two-Bit's guy cousin, Mike, came up from Texas. Boy he sure acted a lot like Two-Bit. They were both the same age, and looked almost alike. I just didn't like the way he kept pressuring me into doing stuff. Like one night, after Soda, Mike, Two-Bit, and me had gone to a bar, Mike had asked if I wanted to go to the back room with him and get to "know each other better," well I can tell you that it didn't go over too well with Two-Bit and Soda. I slapped him upside the head, and Two-Bit and Soda pounded him so bad that we thought that he was gonna be in the hospital for a few months.
I looked outside and admired the view, I mean it was a pretty night tonight, so I figured that I should before the rain came or somethin. I had so much to think about, I didn't know where to start, but I obviously started somewhere. I drifted off into the vast corners of my mind that night, and to tell ya the truth, it felt kinda nice.