It was a nice summer evening in Tulsa Oklahoma. It was warm, but not too hot. A nice summer breeze was pleasant and refreshing. In this nice weather Ponyboy went for a run to practice for track.
As Ponyboy was passing by Two-Bit's house, he saw Two-bit sitting on the front porch with a brown paper bag on his lap.
"Hey Two- bit," Pony yelled, and was going to keep running but something in Two-Bit's expression caught his attention. Two- bit didn't respond. He just took out a beer bottle out of the bag and took a sip.
"Hey is everything ok?" Pony yelled, concern in his voice. He stopped running and started walking towards where Two-bit was sitting. Two-bit didn't respond again and hung his head. By then Pony was sure something was wrong. He walked up to Two-bit.
"Is something wrong?" Pony asked again wiping sweat off of his face. Two-bit took another sip of his beer then looked at Pony, and there was such hopelessness in his eyes. Then he cleared his throat and said, "My mom lost her job."
"Oh," Pony said looking down feeling uncomfortable, "I am sorry man, can she get another one?" He said, sitting down next to Two-bit, hope in his voice.
"It'd be a while," Two-bit replied, swallowing hard. "Who is gonna hire a greaser and she doesn't have education. She's gonna get unemployment for a few months but that's it. Do you know what that means?"
"No," Pony shook his head.
"I gotta get a job. I finally graduated High School, but I wasn't expecting to get a job so soon. And I have no idea what I want to do. I need a real job not just a bus boy or something." Two-bit said, running his fingers through his hair.
"Well, is there anything you had in mind?" Pony asked carefully.
"Yeah kind of," Two-bit replied staring off to the distance, his voice quivering so slightly. Pony looked at him expectantly, "what?" He asked prompting Two-bit to speak.
"Don't laugh," Two-bit said in a very serious tone of voice, still staring into the distance and avoiding Pony's gaze, "but I'd like to be an EMT."
"EMT?" Pony smiled a little in spite of himself.
"I said don't laugh," Two-bit furrowed his eyebrows and took a sip of his beer.
"Then what's the problem?" Pony asked, trying to meet Two-bit's gaze. He felt really bad for his friend, and the least he could do was to listen and maybe give some advice, "if that's what you want, go for it." Pony added.
Two-bit gave him a look that said 'you don't' get it.' "It costs money to study for that," he stated the obvious.
"Oh," Pony said thoughtfully, "I didn't think of that." Two-bit gave him a look that said 'Pony isn't using his head what else is new.'
"My mom got some savings," Two-bit continued quietly, "said she'd spend it on EMT training if I promise to take it seriously and don't screw up, but I feel bad taking the money." Pony was thoughtful for a moment.
"I think you'll make a great EMT," he said smiling, "and you can repay your mom once you start working." Two-bit sighed, "How can you be sure I'll be good at it. What if I'd be lousy at it and get fired on the first day or something?"
"Oh c'mon that ain't gonna happen," Pony reassured him, patting him on the shoulder. Two-bit sighed heavily again.
At this moment the door opened, and Mrs. Matthews appeared in the doorway. She looked distressed and her eyes were red like she was crying. "Keith, dinner's ready," she said, then noticed Pony. "Oh, hi Ponyboy would you like to join us for dinner?"
"Thank you Mrs. Matthews, but I better get going," Pony replied as politely as possible. Two-bit looked up at her, "I ain't hungry ma," he said.
"Oh you got to eat something, you haven't eaten anything all day."
"Fine, fine," Two-bit said annoyance in his voice, getting up. Mrs. Matthews looked sideways at the bottle Two-bit was holding in his hand.
"Oh," she shook her head in disapproval, "I told you not to drink too much." Two- bit didn't bother to reply to that but went ahead and took another sip of his beer. Pony felt awkward. "I see you around Two-bit," he said, "you too Mrs. Matthews," he said awkwardly, taking a few steps backwards and then exiting.
"Say hi to your brothers for me," Mrs. Mathews called after him.
"Thank you, I will." Pony replied walking away.
Two weeks passed by. Two-bit started taking the EMT course. There was quite a lot of studying involved and he was feeling apprehensive not knowing if he'd be able to handle it. He was sitting at his desk tapping his fingers nervously, anticipating getting his textbook and other materials for the course. So he was just sitting there when the door opened and he saw her. His jaw dropped, and he couldn't help it but stare.
"Hello, I'm Ms. Nelson I'll be your instructor," she said. "Today you'll get your materials for the course," she smiled. She was young, though probably a few years older than Two-bit, but that only added to the appeal. She was tall with broad shoulders and narrow waist. She had shoulder length blond hair and green eyes. Two-bit was almost drooling. She went desk by desk giving out the textbooks and other materials. When she got to Two-bit's desk he held his breath.
That night after dinner at the Curtis Two-bit was telling the guys for the 10th time how beautiful Ms. Nelson was. "Shit I don't even know her name, and she probably got a boyfriend. How am I gonna ask her out? What am I gonna do? I'm never dumbstruck by a chick, but this is different." He was saying while pacing back and forth in the Curtis living room.
"How are you gonna study man?" Soda chuckled, "you'll be distracted by the girl." "I guess I better get my shit together Two-bit replied, "I can't screw - up my mother is paying for this. Besides," he smirked, "I bet Ms. Nelson would like a good student."
Soon Two-bit was leaving.
"Let us know how it goes man," Soda chuckled again.
"Will do man," Two-bit replied as he left.
The truth was he had no idea how he was going to impress Ms. Nelson or how he was going to ask her out. He never had problems getting girls, but those were the girls from downtown, girls that would go out with a different guy each week. This was different. Ms. Nelson was not like that Two-bit could just tell.
He decided to get on good terms with her first. He studied the material really well and raised his hand in class, which was so different from the way he acted in High School. In High School he never studied, and always tried to pull some pranks on the teachers like gluing the teacher's chair or setting the fire alarm off. He acted totally different here. He still didn't know Ms. Nelson's first name, and it was driving him crazy.
He was able to keep this up for a week, and then he couldn't take it anymore. He decided to ask her out. She had office hours after class, and Two-bit showed up at her office.
The office was simply decorated. There was a desk and a chair across from it, and a green table top lamp on the desk. A poster on the wall caught Two-Bit's attention. It was a frying pan with a fried egg in it, and underneath it said "This is what drugs do to your brain," Two-bit wondered briefly if that's also the case with beer, but dismissed the thought right away.
His thoughts were interrupted by Ms. Nelson. "Hi Mr. Matthews," she greeted smiling but she seemed surprised to see him. "Do you have a question, you seem to grasp the material pretty well, please take a seat." She was wearing a silk white blouse, a silver necklace with a small emerald that brought out the color in her eyes was dangling from her neck. Her hair was in a ponytail, and she looked really cute.
Two-bit took a deep breath, willing himself to speak, "Yeah, I have a question," he said clearing his throat and not taking the seat.
"What is it?" She seemed a little impatient. She was writing something or filling out some form and now she put that aside and was looking directly at Two-bit.
"Would you… um, maybe you'd like to go for a coke with me sometime?" Two-bit stumbled over his words. His palms were sweaty, and he felt the need for air. He hated being like that. He had never been nervous because of a girl before.
"You are asking me out on a date?" For a second she looked surprised, but then she was trying to stifle a laugh. "You see Mr. Mathews," she was trying not to laugh, "How old are you?"
"I'm nineteen," Two-bit replied reluctantly, but looking her right in the eyes.
"You see," she replied in an amused tone of voice, like the whole thing was a joke or something. "I'm twenty-three, and I don't date younger men, especially my students."
"But… I'm very mature for my age," Two-bit croaked, feeling the beads of sweat form on his forehead. Of course that was totally untrue. If Two-bit was anything he was less mature for his age - what's with Mickey Mouse and all, but she didn't need to know that did she.
"Is that all?" she asked next, sounding annoyed. Two-bit was bummed. He started walking towards the door, then turned around abruptly – "no it's not all if you must know."
"What else?" she said picking up the papers she had been working on before to let him know that the conversation was over.
"What is your first name?" Two-bit blurted out before he could stop himself. She gave him a long intense look. "If you must know, it's Christina," she replied reluctantly. Two-bit started walking towards the door again, but he couldn't just let it go. He turned around again and said looking her right in the eyes "oh, c'mon don't be like that Christina," he wanted to add baby, but stopped himself in time. "You don't know what you are missing."
Suddenly her facial expression changed to anger and she got up from her seat and was now just glaring at Two-bit. "Look, I said no, can you take a hint?" she spoke up, "now please leave. I'm sure there are other students who actually need to see me."
But Two-bit just would not take no for an answer. "I bet you are gonna change your mind Christina once you get to know me better," he said opening the door and leaving. Christina, he thought to himself that's a nice name. At first he felt bad because of rejection, but he has always been an optimistic guy. Right away he started thinking of a plan how to change her mind.