TWO:
I don't know how long we sat there and waited for Darry to come home. Occasional glances at the clock told me that he was now four hours late. In my opinion that was hardly the "bit late" that Darry had phoned and told Soda he would be!
"Do you think we should call the police?" I finally asked my brother.
Soda glared at me. "I know what you're thinking Pony, but god wont be that cruel. We won't lose Darry like we lost Mom and Dad." He snapped. "So get it out of your head!"
"I wasn't thinking anything." I muttered even though I had been. "Soda?"
"Mmm?"
"Do you remember when the police came to tell us about the accident? I sometimes think about it now and-" I began, but Soda jumped to his feet and interrupted me.
"Don't do it Ponyboy!" He yelled. "I don't want to remember. There are so many things I don't want to remember. I don't want to remember the day you and Johnny killed that Soc, and I don't want to remember the worrying Darry and I did when we didn't know where you were, and I don't want to remember Johnny dying to save those damn kids, and I also don't want to remember Sandy!"
"Glory Soda!" I managed to say.
"Sorry Pony." Soda sat back down, slumping in the chair.
"I'm sure Darry's fine. He's probably lost track of time." I said, with a weak smile.
Soda managed an equally weak one. "Yeah, I'm sure you're right Pony. So what happened in the city today with you and Two-Bit?"
I stared. "What?"
"I saw the look the two of you gave each other. So spill it Pony, what gives?" Soda demanded.
I lit a cigarette before answering. And then I told him about the two girls and their comments. He didn't look too bothered by them, but like I said, being a greaser we get a lot of comments like that, and we're used to them by now. He did, however, look surprised at Two-Bit's reaction.
"Two-Bit actually said that he was sick of everyone being classed as something? And that if you were different from the stereotype it didn't count?" He asked.
"Pretty much yeah." I said, taking a drag on my cigarette. "I never realised he thought like that. Actually I think I've noticed a lot of the gang change in the last few months, sometimes overtly, sometimes more subtly."
Soda frowned, and was about to say something when we heard our old Ford pull up out the front. It has a pretty distinctive sound and a moment later Darry walked in looking exhausted.
"You're pretty late Dar'" Soda said casually.
"There was an accident at work. The boss had an accident, so I've been at the hospital." Darry replied, flopping into a chair like his legs couldn't support his body anymore.
"Gosh, was it bad?" I asked.
"Bad enough." Darry replied. "The doctors think he might be paralyzed."
Soda muttered a curse, and then asked, "What does that mean for you?"
Darry shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. Maybe longer hours and more work. Maybe the boss will sell the company and I'll be out of a job. I don't know yet. On the other hand maybe there won't be any real change. We've just got to wait and see I think."
"I cooked you some dinner. Want me to heat it up?" Soda asked.
Darry shook his head. "I'm too tired to eat. I think I might just hit the sack. But thanks anyway Soda."
After Darry had headed off to bed, Soda and I sat there silently for a moment.
"Someone who works as hard as Darry does won't ever lose his job." I said confidently.
Soda shrugged. "Who knows Pony?" He muttered. "Who knows?"
*****
I was reading the book I had to read for English the next day when the phone rang. Darry had headed off to work planning on stopping in at the hospital on his break, and Soda was at work as well.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Ponyboy Curtis?" A strange voice asked.
"Yes.." I said, wondering who the heck it was.
"My name is Mr. Gibbons. I'm from the welfare department. I've been instructed to come over to your place and see how things are going." The man explained.
"See how things are going?" I repeated. "We're fine so you don't have to bother."
"I'm sure you are Ponyboy, however when things have happened like they did for you the other month we conduct random visits purely to make sure everything is fine." The man explained. "I'll need to make a time when yourself, Sodapop, and Darryl will all be home."
"Soda's going out tonight, but maybe tomorrow night?" I said, resigned to our fate. If the government was going to check up on us, we may as well get it over and done with.
"Fine.and Ponyboy? How are you personally?" The man asked. "How have you been since the hearing?"
"Fine." I replied.
"And your grades? Did you pick them up?" The man asked.
"My grades were fine." I replied.
The man sighed, it was obvious to him that he wouldn't get anything more out of me. "Well I'll be over about seven tomorrow night then."
"Okay." I replied, hanging up with a sigh. What a pain in the butt, but I guessed it was no big deal. I was just a little irritated by the idea that the government thought they had to check on us. We were fine. Well we were as fine as could be expected considering the circumstances!
*****
Later that afternoon I got bored, and headed down to the garage where Steve and Soda worked. Steve had recently got the cast off his arm, and was back working properly. He was out the front when I arrived.
"Where's Soda?" I greeted him.
"Working." Steve replied. "We're pretty busy so we don't really need any distractions."
His words didn't bother me too much-I'd learnt early on that Steve didn't really like me. And the feeling was generally mutual! If it weren't for Soda neither of us would have put up with the other!
"Soda don't mind me being here." I muttered.
"Soda ain't the boss is he?" Steve snapped back. "Anyway, find out for yourself. He's out the back polishing a car."
Soda grinned when he saw me. "Bored Pony?" He asked.
"Stiff." I replied, lighting another cigarette. It seemed I'd been smoking even more than usual the last few weeks, but I didn't care.
Soda reached over to grab the smoke for a drag himself. "Lucky school starts soon to keep you outta' trouble."
"I'm not in trouble." I replied indignantly.
"Not at this moment." Soda conceded.
I told him about the man ringing from the welfare agency, and how he was coming over to see us the next night. "It's nothing important though." I hastened to add. "Routine for people like us."
"People like us?" Soda repeated. "You mean Greasers?"
"Maybe, I thought he was more referring to the incident with the Soc and all." I replied.
"Oh well." Soda shrugged. "No biggie."
"Nope." I replied.
*****
To our surprise Darry was home early that night-in fact before Soda! He looked pale and concerned about something.
"How was work Darry?" I asked.
"Fine." He replied, sounding exactly like me earlier that day when I was asked how I was by the government man!
"Did you go to the hospital?" I asked.
"I did." Darry replied, grabbing a coke from the fridge.
"And?" I asked.
"Pony, can this wait?" Darry asked, with a sigh.
"I don't think so." I replied, and then I told him about the man from the government, and his eyes widened.
"Routine you say?" He asked, sounding skeptical.
"So he reckoned." I replied.
"Hmm." Darry said. "Not the best timing is it? Soda's still depressed over the thing with Sandy, and I'm..well, you're the only one who seems to have no real problems Pony."
"For once." I muttered with a grin. "Darry, what happened at the hospital?"
"Did I say you should be a shrink not long ago?" Darry asked. "I've changed my mind-you can be a mind reader."
I didn't reply.
"The silly fool had no insurance-none whatsoever. So to pay his medical bills, and they're gonna' be big ones especially once he gets back home and can't even walk! His wife is beside herself..anyway, to cover the bills he has no choice but to sell the business." Darry finished.
"Sell it?" I repeated. "But he can't!"
"Of course he can Pony. It's his damn business isn't it?" Darry snapped.
"But-what will you do?" I asked.
"I'm not sure really." Darry admitted. "He said he hates to do this to me since I've worked so hard for him and all. But he did say that he would give me an excellent reference. I'm sure it won't be too hard to get another job. I know my work, and I work hard..."
I nodded. "Sure. I'm sure it won't be hard." I replied, a little concerned about that.
"Don't worry Pony." Darry assured me. "I told you it would be fine-and it will be!"
"Okay." I replied, not convinced, but not about to say so. Darry didn't need me worrying about things also! But he had hit the nail on the head when he said he knew his job, and he worked hard, plus his boss was prepared to give him an excellent reference, so he shouldn't be without a job for too long. But I had a feeling the man from the government might not look too favorably on it!
I don't know how long we sat there and waited for Darry to come home. Occasional glances at the clock told me that he was now four hours late. In my opinion that was hardly the "bit late" that Darry had phoned and told Soda he would be!
"Do you think we should call the police?" I finally asked my brother.
Soda glared at me. "I know what you're thinking Pony, but god wont be that cruel. We won't lose Darry like we lost Mom and Dad." He snapped. "So get it out of your head!"
"I wasn't thinking anything." I muttered even though I had been. "Soda?"
"Mmm?"
"Do you remember when the police came to tell us about the accident? I sometimes think about it now and-" I began, but Soda jumped to his feet and interrupted me.
"Don't do it Ponyboy!" He yelled. "I don't want to remember. There are so many things I don't want to remember. I don't want to remember the day you and Johnny killed that Soc, and I don't want to remember the worrying Darry and I did when we didn't know where you were, and I don't want to remember Johnny dying to save those damn kids, and I also don't want to remember Sandy!"
"Glory Soda!" I managed to say.
"Sorry Pony." Soda sat back down, slumping in the chair.
"I'm sure Darry's fine. He's probably lost track of time." I said, with a weak smile.
Soda managed an equally weak one. "Yeah, I'm sure you're right Pony. So what happened in the city today with you and Two-Bit?"
I stared. "What?"
"I saw the look the two of you gave each other. So spill it Pony, what gives?" Soda demanded.
I lit a cigarette before answering. And then I told him about the two girls and their comments. He didn't look too bothered by them, but like I said, being a greaser we get a lot of comments like that, and we're used to them by now. He did, however, look surprised at Two-Bit's reaction.
"Two-Bit actually said that he was sick of everyone being classed as something? And that if you were different from the stereotype it didn't count?" He asked.
"Pretty much yeah." I said, taking a drag on my cigarette. "I never realised he thought like that. Actually I think I've noticed a lot of the gang change in the last few months, sometimes overtly, sometimes more subtly."
Soda frowned, and was about to say something when we heard our old Ford pull up out the front. It has a pretty distinctive sound and a moment later Darry walked in looking exhausted.
"You're pretty late Dar'" Soda said casually.
"There was an accident at work. The boss had an accident, so I've been at the hospital." Darry replied, flopping into a chair like his legs couldn't support his body anymore.
"Gosh, was it bad?" I asked.
"Bad enough." Darry replied. "The doctors think he might be paralyzed."
Soda muttered a curse, and then asked, "What does that mean for you?"
Darry shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. Maybe longer hours and more work. Maybe the boss will sell the company and I'll be out of a job. I don't know yet. On the other hand maybe there won't be any real change. We've just got to wait and see I think."
"I cooked you some dinner. Want me to heat it up?" Soda asked.
Darry shook his head. "I'm too tired to eat. I think I might just hit the sack. But thanks anyway Soda."
After Darry had headed off to bed, Soda and I sat there silently for a moment.
"Someone who works as hard as Darry does won't ever lose his job." I said confidently.
Soda shrugged. "Who knows Pony?" He muttered. "Who knows?"
*****
I was reading the book I had to read for English the next day when the phone rang. Darry had headed off to work planning on stopping in at the hospital on his break, and Soda was at work as well.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Ponyboy Curtis?" A strange voice asked.
"Yes.." I said, wondering who the heck it was.
"My name is Mr. Gibbons. I'm from the welfare department. I've been instructed to come over to your place and see how things are going." The man explained.
"See how things are going?" I repeated. "We're fine so you don't have to bother."
"I'm sure you are Ponyboy, however when things have happened like they did for you the other month we conduct random visits purely to make sure everything is fine." The man explained. "I'll need to make a time when yourself, Sodapop, and Darryl will all be home."
"Soda's going out tonight, but maybe tomorrow night?" I said, resigned to our fate. If the government was going to check up on us, we may as well get it over and done with.
"Fine.and Ponyboy? How are you personally?" The man asked. "How have you been since the hearing?"
"Fine." I replied.
"And your grades? Did you pick them up?" The man asked.
"My grades were fine." I replied.
The man sighed, it was obvious to him that he wouldn't get anything more out of me. "Well I'll be over about seven tomorrow night then."
"Okay." I replied, hanging up with a sigh. What a pain in the butt, but I guessed it was no big deal. I was just a little irritated by the idea that the government thought they had to check on us. We were fine. Well we were as fine as could be expected considering the circumstances!
*****
Later that afternoon I got bored, and headed down to the garage where Steve and Soda worked. Steve had recently got the cast off his arm, and was back working properly. He was out the front when I arrived.
"Where's Soda?" I greeted him.
"Working." Steve replied. "We're pretty busy so we don't really need any distractions."
His words didn't bother me too much-I'd learnt early on that Steve didn't really like me. And the feeling was generally mutual! If it weren't for Soda neither of us would have put up with the other!
"Soda don't mind me being here." I muttered.
"Soda ain't the boss is he?" Steve snapped back. "Anyway, find out for yourself. He's out the back polishing a car."
Soda grinned when he saw me. "Bored Pony?" He asked.
"Stiff." I replied, lighting another cigarette. It seemed I'd been smoking even more than usual the last few weeks, but I didn't care.
Soda reached over to grab the smoke for a drag himself. "Lucky school starts soon to keep you outta' trouble."
"I'm not in trouble." I replied indignantly.
"Not at this moment." Soda conceded.
I told him about the man ringing from the welfare agency, and how he was coming over to see us the next night. "It's nothing important though." I hastened to add. "Routine for people like us."
"People like us?" Soda repeated. "You mean Greasers?"
"Maybe, I thought he was more referring to the incident with the Soc and all." I replied.
"Oh well." Soda shrugged. "No biggie."
"Nope." I replied.
*****
To our surprise Darry was home early that night-in fact before Soda! He looked pale and concerned about something.
"How was work Darry?" I asked.
"Fine." He replied, sounding exactly like me earlier that day when I was asked how I was by the government man!
"Did you go to the hospital?" I asked.
"I did." Darry replied, grabbing a coke from the fridge.
"And?" I asked.
"Pony, can this wait?" Darry asked, with a sigh.
"I don't think so." I replied, and then I told him about the man from the government, and his eyes widened.
"Routine you say?" He asked, sounding skeptical.
"So he reckoned." I replied.
"Hmm." Darry said. "Not the best timing is it? Soda's still depressed over the thing with Sandy, and I'm..well, you're the only one who seems to have no real problems Pony."
"For once." I muttered with a grin. "Darry, what happened at the hospital?"
"Did I say you should be a shrink not long ago?" Darry asked. "I've changed my mind-you can be a mind reader."
I didn't reply.
"The silly fool had no insurance-none whatsoever. So to pay his medical bills, and they're gonna' be big ones especially once he gets back home and can't even walk! His wife is beside herself..anyway, to cover the bills he has no choice but to sell the business." Darry finished.
"Sell it?" I repeated. "But he can't!"
"Of course he can Pony. It's his damn business isn't it?" Darry snapped.
"But-what will you do?" I asked.
"I'm not sure really." Darry admitted. "He said he hates to do this to me since I've worked so hard for him and all. But he did say that he would give me an excellent reference. I'm sure it won't be too hard to get another job. I know my work, and I work hard..."
I nodded. "Sure. I'm sure it won't be hard." I replied, a little concerned about that.
"Don't worry Pony." Darry assured me. "I told you it would be fine-and it will be!"
"Okay." I replied, not convinced, but not about to say so. Darry didn't need me worrying about things also! But he had hit the nail on the head when he said he knew his job, and he worked hard, plus his boss was prepared to give him an excellent reference, so he shouldn't be without a job for too long. But I had a feeling the man from the government might not look too favorably on it!