Hi guys, while creating the regular stories of stupidity I'm still working on, I wanted to write a story that was a little bit angsty. I remembered the lines that Johnny wrote to Ponyboy that said, "Tell Dally to watch a sunset. Tell Dally, I don't think he knows," and I wanted to clarify the real meaning if Dally had never died. Enjoy.
I Don't Think He Knows…
Ponyboy's POV:
I had just finished reading the letter from Johnny that he'd left in Gone with the Wind. "Your buddy, Johnny" it finished and I felt hot tears of anger and sadness running down my face. It's all Bob's fault, I thought, it's all his fault that Johnny is dead in the first place. I let the tears fall and I remembered that in Johnny's letter he asked me to tell Dally to watch a sunset. To watch its beautiful array of gold and pink flow across the sky. I didn't understand, why would Johnny ask me of all people to do that? I'd likely get clobbered over the head for suggesting such a dumb idea to Dally. But I'd do anything for Johnny, run away for him, fight for him, and even tell my crazy secrets to him that nobody else could dig. But I thought, would Dally even listen to me…even if I told him Johnny asked him to? Then I realized Dallas would do anything if Johnny asked him to, draw a picture, go to church, even watch a sunset.
If Johnny had asked Dally to paint a picture of him, Dally would draw it accurately, painting Johnny's eyes perfectly, so that they had that shimmer of fear to their black glow. He would draw his big eyes so bright that you would have thought it was Johnny on the page, but it was. He would perfectly sketch his hair, making it curl behind his ears like it used to and having it glisten with grease. I remembered the way his bangs fell across his forehead is wisps and tufts and my funniest memories were when we had to keep pushing his hair back out of his eyes so he could see. Dallas always did that…even the day Johnny laid still in the hospital.
If Johnny asked Dally to go to church, Dally would have, singing the way the faithful sang, even if he was a hood. He would do it for Johnny, but maybe one day he would turn into a good person, die a saint…okay maybe I'm getting a little too carried away…but you know what they say, anything is possible! I couldn't imagine that, but I wonder if Johnny could, he always looked up to Dallas like a hero and I see why now. He's gallant and so is Johnny is too, so their similarities rub off on each other.
I guess to explain the last thought; I'll have to ask Dallas himself. I didn't want to, but Johnny could get his way with anyone…I don't know what it was, was it that lost puppy look or his fearful, shy smile? I finally left my thoughts, got up, and trailed downstairs to ask Dally that question. You're so lucky that you're my best friend, Johnny, I thought, or I wouldn't be doing this for you! Well, then again, even if he wasn't my best friend, I'd still probably be doing this for him. He could…
"Whoa! Watch it, kid!" Dally said startled.
"Oh, sorry, Dally. Ummm…I kind of have a question for you," I said hesitantly.
"And what would that be?"
"Would you...ummm…watch a, uh, a sunset?" I said shakily while my hands were getting clammy.
"Wait, did you just ask me if I would watch a sunset?"
"Uh…yes."
"Darry always did say you never used you head," he replied annoyed, "Look kid, I don't have time for your stupid questions." He turned away and began walking.
"Please, Dally?"
"Look, I'm not the kind of person to ask these soft questions to. Just leave me alone," he said irritated and his eyes were blazing. I knew better than to annoy him when he was like that, but that didn't stop me this time.
"Do it for Johnny!" I practically screamed.
"What?" Dally turned around with a pained expression on his face, he looked like Darry the day he saw me in the hospital. The way Dally talked was so painfully gentle that I could have cried. We never spoke of Johnny and Dallas liked to keep it that way.
"I said, 'Do it for Johnny'," I replied, "He asked me to ask you that."
"When did he ask you that?"
"In this book he was reading, he left a note to me asking me to ask you to watch a sunset," my breath was getting quick from all those words.
"Let me see," Dally said anxiously and I handed him the letter, which was in my pocket. He read it slowly and lifted his head up. The expression on his face was distressing and he looked like he could cry.
"You know, you had an awful good friend…" he said, "I just wish he could have told me these things…" he replied regretfully.
"It's only because I feel the same," I replied and Dally looked depressingly at me.
"Only if I understood gold," he stated randomly and I looked at the expression on his face and I felt pity. Aching pity that would never leave me. I looked outside at the sunset beginning and tugged gently on his sleeve.
"C'mon," I began, but that was all I could say.
