"Although job performance was taken into consideration, the decision to let you go was an economic one. We just don't have the monetary budget to remain fully staffed. I'm sorry, Darry, let me know if I can do anything for you, anything at all".
The words of his now former boss ate away at Darry Curtis as he gripped the steering wheel of his faded blue truck. He was 22, had two kid brothers to support and now he was jobless.
Sodapop had already been working himself to death over at the DX and he refused to allow Ponyboy to do anything else but focus on school and track because that would be his one way ticket out of Tulsa. No, Darry Curtis was in no position to ask any more of his brothers.
He has failed them, he was supposed to take care of them and then he went and got himself laid off. He angrily kicked at his own heels, thinking how he should have worked harder and been more of a standout employee to his owner, Mr. Townsley.
As Darry beat himself up for his loss he suddenly noticed a scuffle occurring in the streets ahead of him. He hit the brakes and jumped out of the truck. Four guys were pummeling and ganging up on one guy all by his lonesome. Always the hero and a fan favorite of the underdog, Darry furiously came to the defense of the victim who was kneeled on the street, splattered in blood and pulled off one of the attackers off.
Before he could even think about throwing a punch the light haired guy freed himself from Darry's grip, eyes wide open and fearful at the sight of such a large man. The blonde fellow ran for his life as his counterparts began to trail after him. Darry sighed and focused his attention on the raven haired and badly injured boy that lay before him.
"You okay there?" Darry asked, helping the stranger to his feet. "Do you know why those guys jumped you?"
Groaning, the man shrugged his shoulders and pushed his bloody hair out of his face. "No man, I don't know. They were just bored I guess," the stranger responded.
Darry nodded, he was all too aware of the Socs and their favorite past-time of jumping Greasers. But, he knew most people in Tulsa and this guy who couldn't have been more than twenty years old, he had never seen before.
"What's your name? I don't think I've ever seen you around here?" Darry prodded.
He began to pull his shirt over his bleeding arm and said "I just moved to town. My name is Gage, Gage Chambers".
"Well is there anything I can do or anywhere I can take you?" Darry asked, concerned.
"Actually there is. You see, I live with my sister Lacy, her husband Seth and their little son. It'd be a huge help if you could give me a lift to their house," Gage responded gratefully.
So Darry Curtis had just lost his job and now he was aiding an innocent victim of a violent assault. Darry rolled his eyes at his lack of karma but climbed into the driver's seat anyway. Gage gave him directions to his house and Darry set out for the home that was less than ten minutes away.
During the car ride Gage explained that he was out so late because he needed to deliver a package and for the first time that night Darry noticed a brown paper package tucked underneath Gage's coat.
"What package is so important that it needed to be hand delivered at this time of night?" Darry questioned.
"It's for work. I work for my brother-in-law and he said his client needed it immediately," Gage murmured without hesitation.
As Darry pulled into the driveway Gage asked him to come in for a drink.
"It's the least I can do for saving my life," he said. Not eager to get home and have to confess his lack of employment Darry eagerly accepted Gage's invitation and the two entered the modest, middle class home.
"There you are Gage. Where the hell have you been?" Lacy questioned angrily as she flipped the TV off and turned around. "Oh, hello there," she continued at the sight of Darry.
"Hello M'am, you have a lovely home. My name is Darrel, but you can call me Darry everyone does," Darry said, smiling politely.
Gage started to explain what had happened and Lacy's initial hostility towards Darry turned into gratuity. She stood up and hugged him her small frame pressed up against his large one. She then kissed him on the cheek and her blonde hair tied in a messy bun brushed his neck softly.
"Thank you, for saving my brother. I really appreciate it, I don't know how we can ever repay you," Lacy smiled.
Darry was speechless. This woman who sat in her pajamas and washed off face was stunning and her touch drove him crazy.
"I uh...uh don't worry. I mean...well it's not that big of a deal," Darry argued lamely.
Lacy smiled and went into the kitchen before coming out with cups of coffee. The trio sat down at the coffee table and discussed anything and everything. Darry told them about his brothers and the guys in the gang except for he referred to the gang as friends instead. Before thinking, he also copped to losing his job that afternoon. And Lacy and Gage showed immense compassion and sympathy for the eldest Curtis. Lacy began to tell Darry how responsible and caring he was to take guardianship of his brothers. It felt good to Darry. He knew his brothers loved and appreciated him but they never said it.
It was the early morning when the glass door swung open revealing a dark haired man with gaunt features. He wore a trench coat and briefcase and his eyebrows were bunched in confusion at the stranger sitting at his coffee table in his spot. Seth Colette was never a fan of newcomers. He was twenty-eight, successful and managed to secure a marriage to a beautiful twenty-two year old. He loved two things: money and making money. And he hated anything to do with those who sat on a lower social class than him. So as Darry Curtis sat in his armchair in a muscle t-shirt and worn jeans he looked on with disgust.
"What the hell is going on?" Seth roared.
Lacy, Gage, and Darry all jumped up at once and Darry kindly introduced himself and Gage quickly explained the events of the evening. But instead of cooling down like Lacy had, Seth became even more hot headed and red in the face.
"The package, the package!" he roared. "Where the hell is it?"
Gage stood terrified of his brother-in-law but managed to point out to an un-opened and perfectly intact package perched on the table. Seth grabbed the package and headed upstairs but not before turning to Darry and saying "I think you should go". And commanding his wife to follow him to bed. Lacy glanced regretfully at Darry and followed her husband's orders.
When Gage heard the master bedroom door close upstairs he smiled at Darry and thanked him again.
"I'm sorry about him. He's just really stressed," Gage explained.
Darry smiled bleakly but nodded in farewell as he climbed back into his truck. But before he could drive off Gage ran outside and asked him to stop. Rolling down the window Darry looked quizzically at his new acquaintance.
"You should come by tomorrow, if you're looking for a job well, Seth's company is always hiring," Gage confessed.
"I don't have a college degree, I don't think I'd fit there," Darry admitted.
"No need, what this job is in need of is muscles. And Seth is a hard guy to get to like but he puts business first and if you can do that then he won't be an issue," Gage assured him.
Gage scribbled the address on a napkin he was holding and passed it to Darry.
"Here, come by the office tomorrow. We can get you started," Gage smiled and walked back inside.
Darry sat dumbfounded in his car. He had gotten fired, saved a man's life, met a stunning woman who happened to be married to the world's biggest asshole, and now he was offered a new job for a company he'd never heard of and guys he really knew nothing about. In no position to refuse income, Darry knew he would show up tomorrow and he had no idea how in the world to explain this to the guys.