I was up now. I couldn't believe that I actually got up, showered and acted like I was going to work. I can't believe I wasted my gas money driving to the interstate and back. Good god, I was tired, no more than tired, exhausted. When I fell backwards off the latter, the foreman grabbed me by my shirt and told me that if I didn't take my damn vacation and sleep, I was getting fired. I didn't want to take the vacation time. I only made about half a days pay. Not only that, I felt guilty with Pony being at school, and Soda being at work. I was just going to sleep this Friday away. I decided, I would make a really good dinner for them, maybe extend the curfew an hour.
I pulled my truck out of the swerve I did, maybe I was more exhausted than I realized. I could already tell it was going to be one of those gorgeous days. Spring was here. I loved the month of May; it was June, July and August I hated. Then again, everyone who roofed houses for a living did. I was almost upset that I didn't hold off on my vacation time until June. I liked to work in this weather. Today was a day to myself, for myself. I was going to enjoy it. A little rest, relaxation, and peace.
I parked my truck in the driveway. However when I got home, my little brother jumped out of the chair. "Why the hell aren't you in school?" I shouted. Our promise to not fight was going really well until yesterday. He forgot to call and tell me he was going to be an hour late coming home from school. I lost my temper to the point where it scared me.
"Why aren't you at work?" Ponyboy wondered out loud. He started chewing on his nails.
"Get in the car, I'm taking you to school!" I shouted opening the door.
"I'm not going; Soda already called me in sick!" He yelled back, but it couldn't match my voice.
"You don't look sick to me." I slammed the door shut. "Either, I skin you, or you go to school. You pick."
"Skinned, it's the Friday before Mother's day. That's all we do all damn day! Make cards for Mom, give Mom cards and then do stupid games in each class with our Mom's, not to mention that stupid lunch in."
I immediately felt remorse. Our parents had died after father's day. This year was a year of first's for all of us. "Is this the only time you have skipped?" I asked calming my voice.
He nodded yes. "Why are you here?"
"I had vacation time." I admitted. It looked like my day to myself, was going to be a day spent with Pony.
Pony was a smart kid. He realized right away why I hadn't said anything. "Oh, well I am going to meet Curly anyways." He tried to get passed me.
"I don't think so kiddo." Curly was the reason that Pony was late. I pushed him back very lightly.
Ponyboy rolled his eyes at me. "Well you can't exactly be alone, to do what every you do if I am here."
"Ponyboy, it's my day off. I ain't in the mood to fight." I said.
"Fine, I'm going to go read." He left me standing there. I heard his door slam shut.
I sighed and laid down on the couch. So much for a stress free day, that kid was going to drive me crazy. He was like a volcano; he stood there quietly, slowly boiling until he just exploded. When he did it always came with a loud boom and destruction. I took a nap and woke up around ten. The sun was shinning brighter, and the sky was clear. This was defiantly not a day to be indoors. I wondered into the kitchen, to get a Pepsi when the container of worms caught my eye. Soda and I had done some weeding the other day, while waiting for Pony to come home. I had saved every worm I found, in hopes of getting out to the lake.
I grabbed another Pepsi. It would be a peace offering for Pony. I found him sitting on his bed drawing. His colored pencils were now tiny stubs. "Hey, do you want to come fishing with me?"
I held the Pepsi out, but he hadn't even bothered to look up at me. "No." He answered shortly.
That took me by shock. Usually him and Soda jumped at any chance to go fishing or hunting. "What if I buy you another pack of colored pencils?"
"No." He answered again.
Now, I was dumbfounded. "Look, it's a nice day out. We might as well go do something. Since we are stuck with each other."
"I didn't want to be stuck with you. I wanted to go do something. You said no. I am giving you your day off." He still wasn't looking at me.
What had I seriously done wrong? It wasn't a crime to want time to yourself. "Ponyboy, you know exactly why I wasn't going to let you go out with him. Now, either you come fishing with me, or we are both going to be cooped up in the house."
I guess he figured that going fishing was a better idea, because an hour later we were at the lake. I watched him as he wadded up the worm and made an attempt to bait his hook. I couldn't help but laugh. "Ponyboy, who in blue hell taught you to bait a hook?"
"Nobody." He answered. The car ride here was silent. I could tell by the sound of his voice that he still had plans to keep things silent.
"Really, because I know for a fact that Dad took Soda and I when we turned ten fishing." I showed him how to correctly bait his hook. "You know how to cast and reel in?"
"I think I can handle it. And get your facts straight. He took you when you were ten, he took Soda when he was twelve, but Soda couldn't hold still. Then there was the story of him throwing the rock in the lake and scaring all the fish away. So he said he wasn't going to take me until I was fourteen." He tried to cast, but the line only dropped a few inches from his feet.
"Guess it's a good thing I am here." I laughed. "Look, just use you wrist, not your entire arm, it's not a baseball."
We went on our way in silence. Until, I heard the sound of the line and the fish struggle. "Darry, how do I get it off the line.?" He looked excited for the first time today. "
I dropped my fishing pole. "That's not bad for your first catch." I said.
I watched him grin with pride, and he re bated his first hook. I still couldn't help but feel bad for him. He was missing his experience with Dad. My first fishing experience was one of the best memories I had.
It wasn't for another long while, when he spoke again. "Darry, do you think Soda is going to be mad that we came with out him?"
"No, he can't hold still long enough. He doesn't see the fun in fishing. Besides, he is going to be happy we didn't spend the day fighting." I answered. I thought about Soda being here, and then realized that Pony's silent treatment wasn't so bad.
"He wouldn't talk to me all night. We have to stop dragging him into our fights." Pony said.
"We have to stop fighting period. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that last night. You shouldn't have been late either, especially with what happened a few months ago. It makes you coming home late harder."
"I'm sorry about everything." He said quietly.
"Don't apologize. It's not your fault." I finally caught a fish; Pony was already on fish four.
"I'm sorry this day, didn't work out how you wanted it." Ponyboy dropped his head.
I looked over at him. "I'm sorry you had to learn to fish from me. I wish Dad could have taught you."
"Yeah, me too. I guess it is a good thing you are here." Pony said.
I smiled. "See, I'm not so mean all the time."
"Yeah, just ninety nine percent of the time." I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic. I just glared at him. "Okay, okay, you aren't that bad."
"Where did you inherit that attitude from? Soda doesn't have it." I asked.
"I believe from you. At least that is what Steve says." He said in a matter of fact way.
"I'm so glad you got one of my best attributes." I mumbled.
"Evidentially, I got your athleticism, but I'm a lot better than you are."
"Ponyboy." I had cut him off before he could go on. "You're heading onto dangerous territory. There isn't anyone around here to hear you scream."
"It's true, I mean I even caught more fish than you, and it's my first time." He was grinning from ear to ear. He was smart; he dropped his pole and took off running.
I followed him taking off running. It was a good thing he was still out of shape, or I wouldn't have been able to catch him. I picked him up by the knees. "Alright blondie."
"That's not fair, you can't poke fun of my hair!" Pony squirmed.
"I'm feeding you to the fish." I told him sincerely.
"I'll get pneumonia." He protested. He still tried to squirm free. "I'll tell the cops my brother tried to drown me."
"You realize that if you free yourself, you are going to fall head first and crack your skull open." I said.
"Darry put me down!" He demanded.
"You just be happy that I am nice." I said flipping him back on his feet. "Besides, I never taught you about Dad's rule of fishing."
"What do you mean?"
I rubbed the top of his blonde hair. "Who ever gets the most fish has to gut em' and clean em'"
"Sorry, but I don't know how. Guess you'll have to do it." He picked up his rod again. "Darry, are you going to get another vacation day?"
"I don't know." I answered. I probably wasn't going to take my other days.
"You should, take it like Monday, when I'm at school and Soda is at work. You can get some free time. So you don't have to deal with me all day."
"Ponyboy, spending time with you guys isn't a chore." I said. "Is that how you saw today as?"
He shook his head. "No, but Soda and I get time to be alone. You really don't. I just kind of realized that. Does this mean we can come back this time next year?"
I smiled. "Look, you do good in school and the first day of Summer we can all come up here and fish. Sound like a deal?"
"Can it just be me and you?" He asked. "It's kind of nice."
I couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, little buddy."
"Darry, I don't really have to clean and gut the fish, do I? That's kind of gross." He asked randomly. I could tell had been thinking about it.
I laughed. "Depends on how nice I feel like being."
"Can't we make Soda?" He asked
"I don't think so. I think we better be pretty nice to him. He was upset over yesterday."
"So was i." Ponyboy mummbled.
"Me too. We got to knock it off. I mean. Look, I lost my temper yesterday. The way I exploded wasn't right either."
"We'll you could listen to me a little more." Pony looked at his hands. "You didn't even bother to ask why I was home today. I could have been sick."
I had to admit he was right. "Okay, I promise. I'll try an listen."
"I'll remember to always call you, and tell you if I am late." He said. "And not get so defensive."
"Sounds like a deal." I said. I couldn't help but remember how Dad had said that fishing brings out the story tellers in men. Dad and I could always find conversation while fishing. It was going to be like this with Pony and I.
"Darry, you don't have to so secretive about vacation get that you want alone time. It's okay to have fun once in a while." He said.
"Believe me kid, this day was unexpected, but it was just what I needed. Fishing alone isn't much fun." I told him.