February 22, 1964, Saturday

''Johnny… oh Johnny…'' a voice was heard from the darkness of Johnny's peaceful. ''You still got it, Johnny…'' a mocking moaning voice was heard. Johnny opened one of his eyes to see Two-Bit kicking his lawn chair, moaning and looking up at the morning sky.

''What do you want man? It's…'' Johnny checked his watch. ''8:00 A.M. Man, it's Saturday!'' Johnny said.

''Listen kid. Wake up,'' Two-Bit threw off Johnny's newspapers as they went flying.

''My blankets!'' Johnny complained.

''I'll buy you some later, real blankets,''

''Pfft, you ain't got a job you bum.''

''Shoot kid, shut your trap. This is what today is about.''

''What do you mean?''

''Johnny, I need for you to uh. what's it called? You know… make me look good for some job at Dairy Queen. What do they call it? Uhh when they get someone else to say they're good, which gives em- ''

''Yeah, it's called vouching,'' Johnny said.

''There! That's that dumb word. Anyways kid, I need for you to... vouch? Vouch for me at the Dairy Queen. They need some clerks there, and everyone's been making fun of me for not havin' a job. So I've applied, and they wanna see me for the job application! Except they want a… shoot what do you call it again?''

''A voucher.''

''Yeah, a voucher ! Say all my good traits and shit! Hah! Like I'm not good enough!''

''Yes, you sure are a miracle,'' Johnny sarcastically stated.

''Listen kid, this is a kind of a better part o' town. So… don't be nervous if you see some fancy Socs.''

''What?'' Johnny asked nervously, his face getting pale.

''We'll fit right in! I need for you to get a suit man, and I got this perfect one.''

''You got one too?'' Johnny asked.

''Yup. Your parents' home?'' Two-Bit asked.

''Nah, they're out drinking. They said they'd be home by like 1:00 A.M. in the morning tomorrow.''

''Good. We need that grease to be washed out of your hair, and your hair to look stylish,'' Two-Bit explained.

''Aw, man.'' Johnny grunted. ''What about your hair?'' Johnny asked.

''Shoot kid, I look beautiful! My hair's like Elvis Presley… but shorter! I'll comb it to the side.''

Johnny stood up and led Two-Bit to his house. He walked inside the house to find no one inside. Johnny went inside the bathroom and Two-Bit followed him in, styling his hair. Johnny noticed that he had a bag of clothes with him, that he laid down on the couch. Johnny changed out of his clothes and he stepped into the shower, turning it on, he let the warm water run down on his hair.

''Get that grease out, man!'' Two-Bit called from the sink of the bathroom.

''I know! Worry about yourself! You don't shower at all!''

''What, and you're so clean?'' Two-Bit scoffed.

Johnny washed out all the dirtiness from his hair and he started scrubbing his dirt-riddled dirty body.

''I need a razor, there it is,'' Two-Bit reached into the sink and turned it on. Johnny heard the razor turning on and the obnoxiously loud buzzing noise. ''Ow shit! Oh! That's blood,'' Two-Bit said.

Johnny couldn't help but laugh. ''This'll happen to you soon kid, once you start growing a stubble like this!'' Two-Bit growled.

He left the bathroom and soon enough Johnny stepped out, looked at his hair, it was wet and the grease was all gone. Two-Bit gave him some clothes to change into, and Johnny did so. He came out the bathroom wearing a black suit with a white shirt. ''You ain't got no tie?'' Johnny asked.

''Screw those ties, who needs em? They're com-pli-ca-ted anyways.''

Johnny went onto the couch and turned on the TV to watch Mickey Mouse come on. About five minutes later, Two-Bit came out the shower and bathroom wearing a gray suit and a white shirt underneath. ''All right kid, time to comb your hair,'' Two-Bit said, pointing at Johnny and beckoning him to come.

''Aw, come on man. Don't go too hard!'' Johnny grunted. He went into the bathroom as Two-Bit got out a switchblade.

''Woah, there's a comb right there! Jeez man, you trying to kill me?'' Johnny asked.

''Sorry kid,'' Two-Bit put his switchblade in his pocket and he grabbed the comb.

He combed Johnny's hair to the side, making it slicked up. ''There ya go, you look like a Soc now!'' Two-Bit said. ''Hole' up man.'' Two-Bit grabbed Johnny's sideburns.

''Ow!'' Johnny exclaimed.

''Be quiet, beauty hurts.''

Two-Bit put covered up Johnny's sideburns on top of his ear. Two-Bit grabbed the comb and combed his hair slicked upwards. ''All right, think we're ready. Let's go!''

Two-Bit went outside into his car along with Johnny. ''Okay here's the plan. You say we took the bus here, that's how uh good we are. Your name will be… what's a smart sounding name?'' Two-Bit thought long and hard as he went onto the border of the Greasers territory to the nice part of town. He parked and got off the car. He started walking to the Dairy Queen.

''I got it!'' Two-Bit exclaimed as he was near the big Dairy Queen that was clean and tidy.

''What is it?''

''Tommy Cade, or Thomas Cade. Good name, eh?''

''Sure thing, Keith Matthews.''

''You shut your mouth kid. Ain't no one call me Keith.''

''Well your interview will.''

''Shoot, I guess so. So anyways, you gotta say I'm a hard-working person and shmuck like that. You got some fancy words in mind- good, you gonna need them. Uh say I have worked as an um, clerk at the DX.''

''Sure thing, I guess.'' Johnny sighed as he walked in the Dairy Queen.

''Hello!'' a man wearing a suit greeted them. Johnny studied the place, it was so clean and big, and a large statue of a milkshake was there, with some jazz music playing. Johnny had never seen such a place, usually all the Dairy Queens in town were just some dirty dome-shaped abominations, but this… was beautiful.

''…and this is my voucher, Thomas Cade. He is 16 years old, he is very small for his age, but don't be quite worried, he is an intelligent person. He was one of my… what is the word?'' Keith whispered quietly only to Johnny.

''Acquaintance,'' Johnny mouthed.

''Acquaintance! Haha, yes, I lose my words sometimes,''

The person chuckled and led them to the office of the boss. Johnny looked at his name-tag and saw the name ''Miles Farren.''

''Hello, nice to meet you!'' Two-Bit shook hands with Miles.

''Pleasure to meet you too,'' Miles smiled. Johnny stood up and shook hands with Miles also.

''So… let me see your resume you sent me in the mail,'' Miles opened a drawer and took out some files, flipping through the K's, he found Keith Matthew.

Idiot! He made his own? Oh, shoot, his grammar is prolly horrible.

''Yes… I noticed some grammar mistakes in this… is English not your strong suit?'' Miles inquired.

''Yeah… math and social studies and science. Those are my strong suit.'' Miles looked towards Johnny.

''Yes, indeed. He has always helped me out with my homework. He even is quite popular with the broad- girls at the school, he has a great charm, and I am sure this could apply to Dairy Queen also,'' Johnny said. Miles smiled.

''Any past experiences?''

''No-'' Johnny said, but Two-Bit spoke louder than him, Johnny's felt anxious, what if he heard? He wasn't supposed to speak, that question was directed to Two-Bit!

''Yes, I worked at the DX!''

''The DX?'' Miles narrowed his eyes.

''Yes, the DX.''

''Hm, you know Leon?''

''Leon? Of course I love him!''

''Leon..?'' Johnny quietly asked, he pinched himself, remembering not to say anything, but Miles glared at him.

''Boy, I know your fibs. You are Two-Bit-Matthews. Greaser from Tulsa. And you,'' Miles narrowed his eyes towards Johnny. ''I don't know who you are, but you're certainly not 16. Did he hire you to vouch for him?''

''No, he asked.. I mean… I volunteered. I swear he is a great person!'' Johnny wanted to slap himself for giving everything away.

''Oh give me a break!''

''We don't like Greases working at this part of town. Get them!'' Miles yelled.

Two people, Socs, appeared in front of the door. Johnny and Two-Bit quickly stood up and Two-Bit crashed through them. Johnny jumped over the counter, but tripping on the milkshake statue. ''Oof!'' Johnny grunted. A Soc grabbed him by the leg and started dragging him back. ''HELP! HELP!'' Johnny cried out, remembering the beat-down.

Two-Bit raced back from the exit and slugged the Soc. ''Dirty bastards!'' Miles yelled.

Johnny stood up and ran towards the exit with Two-Bit. He heard boots coming behind him, they were gaining pace on him. Johnny turned around, as they reached for him Johnny leaned to the right, and then ran to the left, as the Soc fell to the ground in confusion. turn as. Did I just do that?

''Pick up the pace!'' Two-Bit yelled. Johnny turned around and jumped over the Soc on the floor.

Johnny turned around to see a huge crowd of Socs chasing the Greasers! ''We're dead man! We're dead!''

''Don't worry! I got a plan!'' Two-Bit ran through an alleyway and climbed onto a ladder up to the roof. He could see the Socs yelling at them from down the roof.

''Get down you wimps!''

''Typical greaseballs!''

''You have to trust me on this one. Johnny, jump to the other roof,''

Johnny looked at the other roof, it seemed miles away. ''You idiot! I ain't jumping!''

''Fine! I'll go first!'' Two-Bit went to the edge of the roof, backing up. He gained momentum and jumped towards the other roof, grabbing the ledge. ''Now you! I got you!''

Johnny backed up and ran for Two-Bit's stretched out hand, but Johnny miscalculated it. He fell to the floor and hit his stomach on the concrete. He felt a sharp pain on the side of his head, and he saw black.