Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders and I make no profit from this story…
We Would Have Celebrated at Home
I grin across the kitchen at my wife. "Let's go out to eat tonight," I suggest.
"Why?" she asks.
"To celebrate," I vaguely answer.
"Celebrate what?" she asks, her curiosity piqued.
I can't control my excitement any longer. "I got promoted!" I exclaim, "And the raise is big enough that in a few years we might be able to get out of this part of town and move somewhere nicer. We'll even be able to send Sodapop and Ponyboy to college without relying completely on scholarships like we are now with Darry."
She drops the plate that she's washing (good thing it's plastic) and engulfs me in a hug. "That's wonderful! You're right, it does call for celebration, and we haven't been out in such a long time… Where do you want to go?"
"How about that new Italian place? I've heard that their food is good and the prices are reasonable."
"Sure, that sounds delicious. I'll go ask Darry if he can look after his brothers."
Ten minutes later we're walking out the door after all three of our sons have told me congratulations and have told us to enjoy ourselves. We climb into our station wagon and drive off; not knowing what was to come. Not knowing that we would never make it to the restaurant. Not knowing that when we asked Darry to look after his brothers it would be for far longer than just the one evening, and that by doing so he wouldn't end up in college when he was supposed to go. If we had known, we would have celebrated at home.