Everything has gotten better over the last four years. Darry and I have got onto only one fight in four years. That fight really got to
Sodapop. He hadn't talked to us for a week straight. Things have gotten good for all of us. At the age of twenty- two, Ol' Two-Bit has finally said
goodbye to high school. Him and Darry are taking night classes at the local college. Even Soda has gone back to school. Steve is still Steve. He eats,
breathes, and sleeps cars as usual. For eighteen years old, I even have a real good job already. I've been writing for the newspaper, along with filling
in for teachers at my old school. I did embarrass Sodapop really bad though.
One day, I had to sub for one of his classes. When everyone found out I was his younger brother, they kept buggin' him about it. Once we
got home, Soda made me swear to never sub for that class again. I don't blame him.
Since Soda and Darry have been back at school, they had to cut down on their jobs. Soda only works part time at the DX like Steve. Darry
has quit his other job, so now he only roof's houses part time. It's okay though. "Now I'm making up for the years I couldn't work." I told a stubborn
Darry and Sodapop. "We don't want you to work two jobs Pony." Soda had said. I knew that, but I had finally convinced them to let me. I love writing,
and it was all thanks to "The Outsiders". I had gotten an A+ on that. That's when I decided to start writing more.
Finally, Two-Bit had gotten bored with the same people. He decided to go to school and be a teacher (he also writes jokes in the
newspaper). Him and Dar are almost done with school. I haven't got the slightest idea what Darry wants to do though.
I was still bad at talking to Darry. Once in a while, me and him would sit and talk to each other. We don't do that so much anymore. Soda
hates that. Me and Sodapop are just closer, that's all. I don't love him more than Dar. I had thought that though, when I was a kid. I had thought a
lot of things. Like if you got tough, you don't get hurt. If you lose someone, you lose yourself. I've matured a lot since I thought those things.
Cherry Valance and I have started hanging out more. I think I like her more than when I first met her. Me and her have a movie date
tomorrow. Her friend Marcia had left Randy before the rumble had started, even though he wasn't fighting. Two-Bit and Marcia have been going out
since then Two-Bits eyes almost popped out of his head when she asked him to go to the movies. "Like…like a date?" a shocked Two-Bit asked. He
was the most nervous I had ever seen him, even though they hit it off better than when they had first met at the Nightly Double.
Randy. I hated talking about him. I know we had gotten all buddy buddy and everything, but we can't really be friends anymore. Once he had
graduated and went off to college, a drunk driver had hit him in the street. The whole gang had went to see him at the hospital. There was a lot of
Socs there, giving us dirty looks and mumbling about us. Randy had somehow managed a "Lay off." He was in critical condition. Johnny had been in
critical condition. To me that meant Randy would die, which is what happened.
Even earlier before that, was Johnny and Dallas' funeral. The gang was in charge of it, considering that neither of their parents cared enough to do it. It was the
saddest funeral I had ever been to, even my mom and dad's. Two-Bit, Soda, and I cried badly. Somehow Steve had out cried us. Eventually he cried so much, that he
couldn't cry anymore. Darry cried, not trying to even be brave.
A while after the funeral, Sandy had returned with a bouncing baby boy. "I don't understand, Soda. I thought you loved me." Sandy had said, after asking if Soda
would date her again. "I thought you loved me, but you had a baby with another guy. It's been a year Sandy, I've moved on." Sodapop had met this girl at school, who
he had been seeing. When Sodapop told the gang about Sandy, Steve had gotten so mad, he "accidentally" broke one of our kitchen chairs.
Steve has been real good. He and Evie have stuck together. They now have twins; two identical boys. Steve and Evie had decided to name the twins after Dallas and
Johnnycake. Evie told us it was Steve's idea, but Steve had said it was her idea. Steve wasn't good with emotions, especially ones that had to do with Johnny and
Dally. I already knew two of my sons names would be that. Anyway, their wedding is in a week and a half. I had grown to love Steve. In fact, I think the gang has
gotten closer these past years. I guess afraid of losin' anyone else.
Darry has also started seeing this girl. I haven't seen him this happy in a long time. Not since before mom and dad were gone. Her name is Sarah. She is a Soc girl.
Darry could date Soc girls or Greasy girls. We all could I guess. She has been at our house everyday always doing something. If she's not cooking, she's cleaning. She
had even out did Darry's chocolate cake with her own. Darry had been a little jealous, so she gave him the recipe. "Now if I'm not here for some reason, you have a
back up." She told the five of us. I really liked her.
We have all gotten so much more mature than before. Even Two-Bit. Oh, Two-Bit replaced his black-handled switch blade (he got it the same way from the same place).
I hadn't shown the gang "The Outsiders" until a year or so ago. They loved it so much, that they had me try and get it published. It didn't go so well the first time, but I
tried again and succeeded. I had only tried again because I had heard Johnny's soft voice in my head. "You have plenty of time to make yourself what you want." I figured out that's what I wanted. To be a writer. Johnny and Dally had both taught me not to give up.
One day, after being a sub for English (which is what I mostly sub for), I had come home in tears. Sodapop, Darry, Two-Bit, and even Steve were concerned. I sat and
cried for ten minutes straight, without being able to talk. The class was doing a poetry unit, and were discussing Robert Frost's "Nothing Gold Can Stay" Poem. I had
managed to leave before the kids saw me. I walked into my room, and grabbed me and Johnny's copy of "Gone With The Wind". I opened it, and pulled out a wrinkled
and aged piece of paper. I hadn't figured out where to put Johnny's note, so I left it where I got it. I never showed the note to anyone, not even Sodapop. I had
decided though that I could in my book. That was right after I had gotten it.
I learned so much from Dallas Winston and Johnny Cade. Dally taught me you don't give up trying to help someone you care about. In his case, it was Johnny. Johnny
had helped me become the person I am today. I know it will always hurt to talk about them, just like mom and dad. I hated being a Greaser, until Johnny had said I
had plenty of time to change myself, to be what I wanted. I think I stayed gold mostly for Johnny. Every day since I got that note, I haven't missed a single sunrise or
sunset. It's hard to let them go, but I do have four guys and five girls who I know also care about me. I figure this Soc, Grease thing will ever end. So I guess I will just
try to stay gold.
P.s
You will find a copy of
Johnny's note taped in here.
-Ponyboy M. Curtis
Ponyboy,
I asked the nurse to give you this book so you could finish it. The doctor came in a while ago but I knew anyway. I keep getting tireder and tireder. Listen, I don't mind
dying now. It was worth it. It's worth saving those kids. Their lives are worth more than mine, they have more to live for. Some of their parents came by to thank me
and I know it was worth it. Tell Dally it was worth it. I'm just gonna miss you guys. I've been thinking about it, and that poem, that guy that wrote it, he meant you're
gold when you're a kid, like green. When you're a kid everything's new, dawn. It's just when you get used to everything that it's day. Like the way you dig sunsets,
Pony. That's gold. Keep that way, it's a good way to be. I want you to tell Dally to look at one. He'll probably think you're crazy, but ask for me. I don't think he's ever
really seen a sunset. And don't be so bugged over being a greaser. You still have a lot of time to make yourself be what you want. There's still lots of good in the
world. Tell Dally. I don't think he knows.
Your buddy,
Johnny.