I was really glad I would pass English. But still I worried about Ms.
Haskin calling Darry. I didn't want to be there when he got the call. So I
didn't go home after school. I walked down to gas station to see Soda and
get a Pepsi. I stood in the Garage drinking my Pepsi watching Sodapop and
Steve fix a car up.
Soda asked "What are you doing here Ponyboy? Shouldn't you be home or something?"
Well lately I had just been at home ever since Johnny died I had no great friend to do stuff with.
"I came over to tell you to tell Darry I won't be home for dinner tonight." I replied
"Why? Where ya going?" he asked
"Ummm… I'm going to a friends house, He invited me over for dinner."
"Ya Ya, just let him go, and we can get back to work." Steve butted in
"Ok I'll tell him Pony, Just be home by midnight."
And with that I walked off. I wasn't really going to a friend's house that was a lie. I was going to the church where Johnny and I had spent a week in hiding. I went straight to the Train tracks like Dally had told me and Johnny to do before. The Train came by and I threw my Bag on board and Jumped up myself. It took quiet a while to get to my stop but I did get there. I jumped off and walked along the road. Then I went up the hill to where the church once stood. I sat on the highest point of the hill and looked out around me. The sun was just beginning to set. The sky turned crimson pink and Gold. I turned to my bag and pulled out Gone with the Wind. I opened it to where I left off reading to Johnny and started up again. I didn't stop reading until it was pitch black. And I only stopped then to pull out my flashlight. I was reading the book very slowly, I wanted Johnny to hear and understand every word. So when I got to the big words I would take a few minutes to explain them to Johnny even though he wasn't there. I knew though that he was somewhere listening to me, maybe Heaven. I continued on, long into the night. Finally I finished and said goodbye to Johnny. I had never really said a final goodbye but I did.
There wasn't another Train back home that night so I had to walk. It was 40 miles but I was ready to walk it. Every 10 miles I would take a 5- minute brake. I didn't have a watch on so I didn't know the time. When I reached our street the sun was just beginning to rise. All the lights were on in our house. When I got closer I could hear yelling going on inside. It sounded like Darry was yelling at Soda. It also sounded as if Steve was trying to stand up for Soda. I felt weak walking up the steps of the house. I'd been walking for about 4 hours, and hadn't eaten since breakfast the day before. I reached the door, took a deep breath and opened it. Darry was yelling at Soda real bad.
"How could you not ask where the house was or who his friend was? He's been gone all night! That's It I'm calling the Police." Darry screamed at Soda
"It wasn't his fault Darry, I told to just let him go so we could get back to work." Steve jumped in.
The door closed with a small bang. The yelling stopped and they all looked at me as I walked into the Family room.
"It wasn't his fault Darry, Don't yell at him. And it wasn't Steve's either." I said matter-of-factly.
Darry then turned to me and started yelling, just as I expected.
"Where the heck were you? You've had us worried sick! We were looking for you everywhere! Who were you with?" He shouted
I looked over to Soda he seemed as if he was about to burst into tears any minute. I knew Darry had been yelling at him all night.
"Where were you?" he asked again
"Out" I stated
"Out where and with who?"
"Just out, I thought we weren't gonna fight anymore, so why don't you just leave me alone." I said very calmly
I wasn't even mad or upset that Darry was yelling at me. It was very strange. Darry looked shocked, he turned and looked at Soda then back to me.
"I have the Right to yell at you, it's 6:30 am. You've been out all night, Now kindly tell me who you were with and where you were." Darry said more calmly
"I was with Johnny, so leave me alone."
Darry, Two-Bit, Steve, and Soda just looked at me dumb struck. I could feel hot tears rolling done my cheeks. Soda came over and rapped his arms around me.
"Johnny's dead, you know that Pony." Soda said as if talking to a small wounded animal. I pushed myself out of his hold. And backed away.
"I know he's dead, I'm not stupid you know? I can still be with him even if he's dead!" I yelled
My body suddenly became overwhelmingly weak. I could feel myself shaking, the room was moving in and out of focus. I tried to stay calm.
"Ponyboy? Are you ok?" someone asked, I think it was Darry.
"I'm sorry Darry." I said.
Then everything went black.
Soda asked "What are you doing here Ponyboy? Shouldn't you be home or something?"
Well lately I had just been at home ever since Johnny died I had no great friend to do stuff with.
"I came over to tell you to tell Darry I won't be home for dinner tonight." I replied
"Why? Where ya going?" he asked
"Ummm… I'm going to a friends house, He invited me over for dinner."
"Ya Ya, just let him go, and we can get back to work." Steve butted in
"Ok I'll tell him Pony, Just be home by midnight."
And with that I walked off. I wasn't really going to a friend's house that was a lie. I was going to the church where Johnny and I had spent a week in hiding. I went straight to the Train tracks like Dally had told me and Johnny to do before. The Train came by and I threw my Bag on board and Jumped up myself. It took quiet a while to get to my stop but I did get there. I jumped off and walked along the road. Then I went up the hill to where the church once stood. I sat on the highest point of the hill and looked out around me. The sun was just beginning to set. The sky turned crimson pink and Gold. I turned to my bag and pulled out Gone with the Wind. I opened it to where I left off reading to Johnny and started up again. I didn't stop reading until it was pitch black. And I only stopped then to pull out my flashlight. I was reading the book very slowly, I wanted Johnny to hear and understand every word. So when I got to the big words I would take a few minutes to explain them to Johnny even though he wasn't there. I knew though that he was somewhere listening to me, maybe Heaven. I continued on, long into the night. Finally I finished and said goodbye to Johnny. I had never really said a final goodbye but I did.
There wasn't another Train back home that night so I had to walk. It was 40 miles but I was ready to walk it. Every 10 miles I would take a 5- minute brake. I didn't have a watch on so I didn't know the time. When I reached our street the sun was just beginning to rise. All the lights were on in our house. When I got closer I could hear yelling going on inside. It sounded like Darry was yelling at Soda. It also sounded as if Steve was trying to stand up for Soda. I felt weak walking up the steps of the house. I'd been walking for about 4 hours, and hadn't eaten since breakfast the day before. I reached the door, took a deep breath and opened it. Darry was yelling at Soda real bad.
"How could you not ask where the house was or who his friend was? He's been gone all night! That's It I'm calling the Police." Darry screamed at Soda
"It wasn't his fault Darry, I told to just let him go so we could get back to work." Steve jumped in.
The door closed with a small bang. The yelling stopped and they all looked at me as I walked into the Family room.
"It wasn't his fault Darry, Don't yell at him. And it wasn't Steve's either." I said matter-of-factly.
Darry then turned to me and started yelling, just as I expected.
"Where the heck were you? You've had us worried sick! We were looking for you everywhere! Who were you with?" He shouted
I looked over to Soda he seemed as if he was about to burst into tears any minute. I knew Darry had been yelling at him all night.
"Where were you?" he asked again
"Out" I stated
"Out where and with who?"
"Just out, I thought we weren't gonna fight anymore, so why don't you just leave me alone." I said very calmly
I wasn't even mad or upset that Darry was yelling at me. It was very strange. Darry looked shocked, he turned and looked at Soda then back to me.
"I have the Right to yell at you, it's 6:30 am. You've been out all night, Now kindly tell me who you were with and where you were." Darry said more calmly
"I was with Johnny, so leave me alone."
Darry, Two-Bit, Steve, and Soda just looked at me dumb struck. I could feel hot tears rolling done my cheeks. Soda came over and rapped his arms around me.
"Johnny's dead, you know that Pony." Soda said as if talking to a small wounded animal. I pushed myself out of his hold. And backed away.
"I know he's dead, I'm not stupid you know? I can still be with him even if he's dead!" I yelled
My body suddenly became overwhelmingly weak. I could feel myself shaking, the room was moving in and out of focus. I tried to stay calm.
"Ponyboy? Are you ok?" someone asked, I think it was Darry.
"I'm sorry Darry." I said.
Then everything went black.
