I Ran (So Far Away)

by scoutfinches

Jean Louise Finch, now a seasoned reporter for the New York Times, embarks on a journey to Tulsa with her husband, Dill to interview two teenagers, Ponyboy Curtis and Cherry Valence, about the the classism conflict in town, which ceased when "a few kids got killed."

6. The End

I got a call from the elder Curtis brother when we made it to our hotel room.

"My brother wants to know if you'd like to come over for dinner, Mrs. Harris."

I couldn't hide my smile. I enjoyed talking to Ponyboy and was excited to see him smile, and excited to see him forget. "We'd love to. When do we need to be there? "

"Six. "

After dressing my children in their best and tying Dill's tie (as I had been since we began courting), I eagerly followed the written directions set by Darrell. We ended up in one of the more beat up neighborhoods of Tulsa, which looked like it was going under major reconstruction.

Ponyboy and Cherry stood on the porch, waving. Another boy was reading and looked up from his book. He rushed over to the car and opened my door for me.

"The name's Sodapop. Sodapop Curtis. It says so on my birth certificate!"

I laughed and took his hand, "Well, it's very nice to meet you, Sodapop."

"As to you, Scout."

He was undeniably attractive for his age. He had bright, cornflower blue eyes which shined when he smiled. Just like Dill. The only thing he was missing was the blonde hair.

He greeted Dill, and then the kids. He ended up carrying Charles on his back; he buzzed around, pretending to be an airplane. Both of the boys were having fun, laughing and shouting all the way to the front door.

The small house was full of other people. A few boys and a few adults, members of the community.

A few told me how honored they were to meet me and they raved over my memoir. It was the typical stuff, the things I normally dealt with in foreign towns with foreign people. They looked like they would remember this day for the rest of their lives. I forgot who they were and what they said. In the metaphorical notebook of my memories, they are merely a few small smudges.

We sat outside for dinner, on the steps or in the grass. It was a much less formal affair than I had expected. Nonetheless, we were all having a good time.

Cherry was letting Maudie try her makeup. Sodapop and the boys were roughhousing in the yard. Darrel, the older brother, was speaking to a girl, and was very focused.

It was just Ponyboy and I in the end, alone on the steps.

"Things get better, don't they?" He questioned, staring into the setting sun.

"Indeed, they do."