It's New Year eve again. New Years is the day I dread the most. New Years isn't too bad for most people. But then again, most people don't have a gang like mine. Most people don't have a gang at all. I like to think of my gang as my family but sometimes I just can't stand them at all! Like Steve who thinks I'm a tagalong and a kid but I'd never tell my brother Sodapop that because I don't wanna hurt his feelings. Or like Dally who's a real hood. Usually I wouldn't tell anyone this but Dally is in jail usually at least twice a week. Sometimes he jumps kids. What kind of person jumps kids!? Oh yeah, Dally does. But oh well, that's how he is and ya gotta respect that.
Well, I hate the New Year because Darry always insists we do something "fun" (meaning boring) together and Soda always gets sick for some reason. I blame winter but I never say that aloud cause last time I did winter decided to pay me back by sending Tulsa a blizzard. Yeah, what's more fun than watching Two-Bit get drunk, Steve trying to make me miserable, and Sodapop puking all night. Well, that's the way it goes.
"Darry! Pony! Darry! Pony! Pony. Pony…." I could hear Soda asking for me but I knew if I waited a minute he would fall asleep and I could get a bucket, some ginger ale, and some other stuff he would need without getting puked on. I know this from earlier experiences. Believe me it's not fun.
"Pony, wanna do something fun?" Darry called from the kitchen.
"Like what!?" I yelled back hoping it wouldn't be something too boring.
"Poker?" Darry answered but it was more like a question. I guessed that poker wouldn't be so bad so I assumed Darry was trying to do something I like. So I simply answered, "Sure." We sat down at the table and played poker and had a good conversation until Two-Bit, Steve, Johnny, and Dally finally showed up. When we were done playing Darry owed me like $50.
"Hey Pony, hey Darry. Where's Soda?" Steve asked first thing. Classic Steve of course he's gonna ask about Soda. Well, at least he said hi to me. That's a start for our relationship to start improving or so I thought. "So, Pony how'd ya manage to get Soda sick again!?"
"We both know perfectly well I always have nothing to do with Soda getting' sick. Everyone knows winter is flu season." I said, rolling my eyes at his idiotic attempt to play the blame game with me. He knows I won't blame anyone else so Steve is just wasting his time. I really don't care though.
"Whatever, can I go see him?" Steve asked looking around my shoulder down the hall where the bedrooms are.
"Sure, make sure you don't-I mean do get sick." I said grinning evilly. I knew it wouldn't solve anything but it felt good. Since Steve was out of my hairs for a little while I decided to try to have fun. I knew somebody was going to start an argument with someone so I sat down and read a book. Two-Bit brought some beer, some wine…. Basically if there's anything alcoholic the person you can trust to have it is Two-Bit. Two-Bit was already drinking some beer and he was sitting in front of the TV watching Mickey Mouse as if it wasn't New Years.
"Two-Bit can't ya ever do anything else than watch Mickey Mouse and drink?" Darry asked looking at the bottle of wine on the counter.
"Nope," Two-Bit said taking another sip of his beer, "I'm spending the rest of the New Year eve like any other day until it's midnight."
"Two-Bit you'll never change and I support you through your life of Mickey Mouse and beer." Dally told Two-Bit mockingly.
"Well, thanks buddy!" Two-Bit slung an arm over Dally's shoulders and grinned.
Dally threw Two-Bit's arm annoyed and yelled violently in his face, "GET THE HECK OFF OF ME!"
" THAT WAY, DALLY!" Two-Bit yelled back before falling on the couch asleep.
"Ok, Dal. I'll just wake him up before the ball drops." Johnny whispered to Dally in his quiet shy voice. If I had to pick my favorite person out of the gang it would be Johnny. Johnny understood me and he understand what my life if like and I would do anything to help him. Maybe that's why we are best friends. Because we would do anything for each other. Because friends are supposed to be able to depend on each other no matter what.
"NO DON'T WAKE HIM! I LIKE HIM BETTER ASLEEP!" Dally was so frustrated with Two-Bit that he actually yelled at Johnny. When I looked up from my book at Johnny he was as white as a ghost. He winced as if someone just slapped him against the head and his eyes were as big as they would go. When Dally saw him he realized what he'd done and he attempted to apologize, "Johnny, man… I'm sorry…. I was just so mad at Two-Bit and…."
"It's all good, man," Was Johnny's quick, simply, and quiet reply. Johnny was looking at the floor at his shoes and he was looking at the book I was reading. "What'cha readin'?"
"Gone with the wind." I replied tossing my book on the table and standing. My book landed with a thud because in case you've never seen Gone with the wind, it's not a small book. But I enjoy my books longer. It gives me more to think about and stuff. I was getting bored and apparently Darry finished the dishes, Steve was back from seeing Soda, and Two-Bit woke up. I knew everyone was gonna want to do something so I pushed the table and couch back and turned the TV off.
"Ok, how bout' we stop drinkin' Two-Bit and wrestle or some crap like that." Dally suggested.
"Ok, I am suddenly glad that I moved the couch." I mumbled and Darry nodded in approval. For once I used my head, but I always use my head on New Years. I don't want a repeat of last year but it never happens. It gets worse every year so it doesn't really ever matter.
Darry and I tried to get everyone to sit down so we could play poker which I tried to resist playing because I stink at this game. The only reason I won earlier was because Darry let me win. He knew I need extra money so he let me win. It's not exactly a confidence booster when you know someone lets you win, but it's appreciated because Darry barely ever has money to spare.
"Two-Bit stop drinkin' all that beer. Save it for midnight." Steve said swiping Two-Bit's not yet opened beer.
"You shouldn't have done that." Two-Bit warned in a low voice.
"Or what?!" Steve questioned Two-Bit who was kind of drunk at the moment.
"You don't wanna know!" Two-Bit growled and looked at Steve and then Steve said something I can't quite recall then everyone else had to get into the fight. And after a while they made no sense whatsoever.
"You bit my toe!" Somebody shouted who I guess was Steve since he was holding his toe and looking at it.
"Yes, I did! And it tasted like peanut butter!" Two-Bit shouted then passed out from being drunk.
"What the….." Dally grumbled looking at Steve's toe.
"It does?" Steve questioned himself and then tasted his own toe.
"Ew…." Johnny said under his breath. I knew something weirder would happen so I picked up my book and started reading it.
"What… it actually does!" Steve replied then added, "I'm goin' to be sick!" Then he managed to get himself to the bathroom before he puked.
"Poor Steve," I said not taking my eyes off my book and strangely I felt bad for him, "You need to go lay down in the spare bedroom?"
Steve nodded and Darry led him to Soda's old room and then returned to get ginger ale and a bucket for him. "Dang kid had to get sick today." Darry mumbled. I peeked in at Steve and he was knocked out cold asleep.
After Steve and Soda was taken care of and asleep it was only Johnny, Dally, Darry, Two-Bit, and me hanging in the living room. I got bored and must of fell asleep cause next thing I knew Johnny was shaking me awake. "Pony, hey Pone. You need to wake up. The ball is about to drop!" I quickly woke up and tried to look at the TV but it was a big blur because I was still asleep.
"Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!" I heard everyone shout. I saw a bright, colorful, ball fall down the TV screen and I was out cold again. I woke up and then starting thinking still very tired and drowsy from my nap I took. Its 1966 now. Happy New Year Ponyboy. I heard someone shout, "OW! STOP EATIN' MY TOES!"
Then I heard someone else shout, "I'M SORRY THEY ARE SO FREAKIN' GOOD! THEY TASTE LIKE POPCORN!"
"What happened to peanut butter?"
"I really don't know…."
"MICKEY'S ON TWO-BIT!"
"YAAAAAAY! LET ME GET MY MICKEY TEE SHIRT!"
"YOUR SOOOO FREAKIN' WEIRD!"
"THANK YOU, STEVE!"
"STOP YELLIN' YOUR GONNA WAKE PONYBOY!
"WHY ARE YOU YELLIN'?"
"I DON'T KNOW!"
Then something hit me in the face and I woke up. Yep, it was all a dream… A very weird dream. Then I felt something off in my stomach and I ran for the bathroom. I puked then Darry came and told me to go to bed. I listened and then mumbled, "This is way better than New Year with the gang." And that's how I spent the New Year eve of 1965. It was the best New Year ever! I'm serious the stomach flu is better than New Years with the gang.