SEVEN:
Darry spoke to my principal about me being out of school for awhile when I'd only just got back, but luckily I've always been a pretty good student, and the principal figured I'd have no troubles catching up, plus it would be educational for me. On the last day in school before we were due to leave I threw my books in my locker with a big grin on my face. Curly Sheppard-who was out of reform school for the time being-walked past and made a face.
"You got lucky Pony. You're gonna be over there havin' fun and I'm gonna be stuck here in school." He complained.
I grinned, unable to hide my excitement. "Nothing like this has ever happened to our family. All we've had lately is trouble after trouble so I'm sure as heck gonna' have fun over there!"
Curly sighed, and ran a hand through his longish hair. "Yeah, well, don't forget us all back here." He said.
He'd no sooner left than Mandy came over. "Is it true Pony? Are you going to London?"
"True as life." I replied a little coolly. I still had my doubts about her and her Soc friends, and why she'd even give me the time of day, but at the same time there was something about her which made it hard for me to be real mean to her.
"Wow. The best I've done is Hawaii and California-my mum likes the sun." She said. "But England-it's a whole new country."
"Yup." I said. "Of course I'm a bit nervous about the plane trip-I've never been on one before."
"Oh you'll be fine Pony!" She assured me. "Once your up you don't even feel like you're moving. And they feed you all the time."
I laughed. "Two-Bit'll love to hear that!" I said, thinking of his large appetite. Although we Curtis boys could rival him sometimes! "Besides, I won't have time to get nervous with all the homework I'm taking with me. You'd think I was going away for nine months, not nine days!"
Mandy laughed. "That's teachers for you." She said with a grin. "Well, have fun over there Pony."
"Sure." I said.
*****
"Thought you said that girl from the city was a Soc?" Two-Bit grumbled later that day. He was leaning against the school gate waiting for me so we could walk home.
"What?" I asked confused.
"Mandy wasn't it? She hangs around with the Socs, so why the heck would she speak to you?" Two-Bit said.
"Oh." I said realising he must know about the conversation at the locker. After I'd spoken to her the other day I'd told him about her and the socs. "Well she is sorta', but she's not a real soc."
He rolled his eyes. "A soc is a soc is a soc."
"Whatever." I said, and then I changed the subject. "Don't you think we better get home so we can pack? There sure isn't gonna be time in the morning to do it."
"I can't believe we're going to London!" He said. "Mom wants me to bring her back some duty free Scotch-I'll have to get Darry to get it for me."
"I'm sure he will." I said. And I was pretty sure he would. Darry had been in a great mood since he found out he was able to come with us. He hadn't had a holiday since he started working and he could really do with one.
As we walked home Two-Bit told me his English general knowledge: "They drive on the wrong side of the road, they call people mate or lad, they speak funny, they have castles and kings and queens, they drink beer, they eat-"
"Glory Two-Bit you make it sound like England's another planet or something!" I interrupted him, and he grinned sheepishly.
"Well it kind of is when you think about it Pony. I mean for greasers like us who haven't been very far it may as well be another planet!"
I had to admit he had a point!
*****
"PONY! Get your lazy butt outta' bed or we'll miss the flight!" Darry called early the next morning.
I groaned and rolled over in the bed. "Coming." I called back.
It took me a few minutes to make it out of bed. The sun had yet to rise and it was cold, and if it weren't for the fact that I was about to head off on the trip of a lifetime I would have gone straight back to bed. I went and had a shower and did my teeth and then went downstairs, feeling a lot more awake, and a lot more excited. The reality had hit me when I was in the shower, and I couldn't stop grinning. Two-Bit arrived with his suitcase, just in time for the bacon and eggs Darry was cooking up.
"You know in England they eat huge meals for breakfast. Mom told me about it-bacon, eggs, sausages, tomatoes, baked beans!" He licked his lips.
I couldn't eat properly because I was too excited, and then I got to worrying about whether or not I'd forgotten anything.
"You should take him outta' the house more often." Two-Bit told Darry through a mouthful of bacon and eggs.
Darry just grinned. I glanced over at Soda. He had a thoughtful look on his face-one I'd seen often the last few weeks since Sandy had left, but at the same time he looked happier than he had, so I guessed whatever it was he was thinking didn't bother him too much?
Steve arrived then to drive us to the airport. "You jetsetters ready?" He asked.
For an answer Two-Bit completed a somersault and then a cartwheel.
Steve rolled his eyes. "Jesters might have been more like it." He muttered to himself. I had wondered whether Steve had been offended that we hadn't invited him to England with us. Even though I didn't like the guy I still thought he might feel a little left out, although there would have been no chance of him coming with us. In a louder voice he asked, "Are we ready gang?"
We were!
*****
"See ya later all. Have fun." Steve called to us. We'd checked our bags in, and made sure everything was in order before wandering around the airport for a bit, with Steve complaining about the stupid rule where international passengers had to be there so early. Now we finally were getting ready to board the plane and Steve was on his way back home to work.
"Sure, we'll bring you back something, don't work too hard buddy." Soda called back.
At the boarding gate the stewardess took our tickets, and told us where we'd be sitting.
"Bags the window!" Two-Bit called.
"Hell no Two-Bit, who do you think won this trip? I get the window!" I said, hurrying after him.
"Why don't you take turns children?" Darry called after us.
"Because that would actually make sense." I heard Soda say dryly.
I got my way, and settled into the window seat, with Two-Bit next to me, and Darry and Soda across the aisle in the middle. I watched as the other passengers boarded and shoved their carry-on luggage in the overhead lockers, and then the stewardesses showed us what to do if there was an emergency. I watched it, my palms a little sweaty. I knew that it was safer to fly than it was to drive, but that didn't completely help my confidence. And then the pilot's voice came over the speakers; telling us to make sure our seats were upright and tables were not out, and that we were belted in. The plane started to move down the runway, and then the stewards and stewardesses sat down in their own seats ready for takeoff. We sat there for a few minutes before we began to move again, and this time we went faster and faster and then we were taking off up into the air. Two-Bit was craning his neck to look out the window over me.
"Wow." He muttered, and I just grinned. I was still a little nervous as we steadily climbed up. After awhile we straightened up, and the pilot's voice came over the speakers telling us that we were now at cruising altitude and that we were now free to move about the cabin. The stewards and stewardesses got up and moved about now.
I leant over to where Darry and Soda were sitting. "Wasn't that bad was it?" I asked them.
Darry snorted. "I saw your face Pony-you were scared." He said.
I started to deny it hotly, but then I just grinned. We were going to England-who cared?
Darry spoke to my principal about me being out of school for awhile when I'd only just got back, but luckily I've always been a pretty good student, and the principal figured I'd have no troubles catching up, plus it would be educational for me. On the last day in school before we were due to leave I threw my books in my locker with a big grin on my face. Curly Sheppard-who was out of reform school for the time being-walked past and made a face.
"You got lucky Pony. You're gonna be over there havin' fun and I'm gonna be stuck here in school." He complained.
I grinned, unable to hide my excitement. "Nothing like this has ever happened to our family. All we've had lately is trouble after trouble so I'm sure as heck gonna' have fun over there!"
Curly sighed, and ran a hand through his longish hair. "Yeah, well, don't forget us all back here." He said.
He'd no sooner left than Mandy came over. "Is it true Pony? Are you going to London?"
"True as life." I replied a little coolly. I still had my doubts about her and her Soc friends, and why she'd even give me the time of day, but at the same time there was something about her which made it hard for me to be real mean to her.
"Wow. The best I've done is Hawaii and California-my mum likes the sun." She said. "But England-it's a whole new country."
"Yup." I said. "Of course I'm a bit nervous about the plane trip-I've never been on one before."
"Oh you'll be fine Pony!" She assured me. "Once your up you don't even feel like you're moving. And they feed you all the time."
I laughed. "Two-Bit'll love to hear that!" I said, thinking of his large appetite. Although we Curtis boys could rival him sometimes! "Besides, I won't have time to get nervous with all the homework I'm taking with me. You'd think I was going away for nine months, not nine days!"
Mandy laughed. "That's teachers for you." She said with a grin. "Well, have fun over there Pony."
"Sure." I said.
*****
"Thought you said that girl from the city was a Soc?" Two-Bit grumbled later that day. He was leaning against the school gate waiting for me so we could walk home.
"What?" I asked confused.
"Mandy wasn't it? She hangs around with the Socs, so why the heck would she speak to you?" Two-Bit said.
"Oh." I said realising he must know about the conversation at the locker. After I'd spoken to her the other day I'd told him about her and the socs. "Well she is sorta', but she's not a real soc."
He rolled his eyes. "A soc is a soc is a soc."
"Whatever." I said, and then I changed the subject. "Don't you think we better get home so we can pack? There sure isn't gonna be time in the morning to do it."
"I can't believe we're going to London!" He said. "Mom wants me to bring her back some duty free Scotch-I'll have to get Darry to get it for me."
"I'm sure he will." I said. And I was pretty sure he would. Darry had been in a great mood since he found out he was able to come with us. He hadn't had a holiday since he started working and he could really do with one.
As we walked home Two-Bit told me his English general knowledge: "They drive on the wrong side of the road, they call people mate or lad, they speak funny, they have castles and kings and queens, they drink beer, they eat-"
"Glory Two-Bit you make it sound like England's another planet or something!" I interrupted him, and he grinned sheepishly.
"Well it kind of is when you think about it Pony. I mean for greasers like us who haven't been very far it may as well be another planet!"
I had to admit he had a point!
*****
"PONY! Get your lazy butt outta' bed or we'll miss the flight!" Darry called early the next morning.
I groaned and rolled over in the bed. "Coming." I called back.
It took me a few minutes to make it out of bed. The sun had yet to rise and it was cold, and if it weren't for the fact that I was about to head off on the trip of a lifetime I would have gone straight back to bed. I went and had a shower and did my teeth and then went downstairs, feeling a lot more awake, and a lot more excited. The reality had hit me when I was in the shower, and I couldn't stop grinning. Two-Bit arrived with his suitcase, just in time for the bacon and eggs Darry was cooking up.
"You know in England they eat huge meals for breakfast. Mom told me about it-bacon, eggs, sausages, tomatoes, baked beans!" He licked his lips.
I couldn't eat properly because I was too excited, and then I got to worrying about whether or not I'd forgotten anything.
"You should take him outta' the house more often." Two-Bit told Darry through a mouthful of bacon and eggs.
Darry just grinned. I glanced over at Soda. He had a thoughtful look on his face-one I'd seen often the last few weeks since Sandy had left, but at the same time he looked happier than he had, so I guessed whatever it was he was thinking didn't bother him too much?
Steve arrived then to drive us to the airport. "You jetsetters ready?" He asked.
For an answer Two-Bit completed a somersault and then a cartwheel.
Steve rolled his eyes. "Jesters might have been more like it." He muttered to himself. I had wondered whether Steve had been offended that we hadn't invited him to England with us. Even though I didn't like the guy I still thought he might feel a little left out, although there would have been no chance of him coming with us. In a louder voice he asked, "Are we ready gang?"
We were!
*****
"See ya later all. Have fun." Steve called to us. We'd checked our bags in, and made sure everything was in order before wandering around the airport for a bit, with Steve complaining about the stupid rule where international passengers had to be there so early. Now we finally were getting ready to board the plane and Steve was on his way back home to work.
"Sure, we'll bring you back something, don't work too hard buddy." Soda called back.
At the boarding gate the stewardess took our tickets, and told us where we'd be sitting.
"Bags the window!" Two-Bit called.
"Hell no Two-Bit, who do you think won this trip? I get the window!" I said, hurrying after him.
"Why don't you take turns children?" Darry called after us.
"Because that would actually make sense." I heard Soda say dryly.
I got my way, and settled into the window seat, with Two-Bit next to me, and Darry and Soda across the aisle in the middle. I watched as the other passengers boarded and shoved their carry-on luggage in the overhead lockers, and then the stewardesses showed us what to do if there was an emergency. I watched it, my palms a little sweaty. I knew that it was safer to fly than it was to drive, but that didn't completely help my confidence. And then the pilot's voice came over the speakers; telling us to make sure our seats were upright and tables were not out, and that we were belted in. The plane started to move down the runway, and then the stewards and stewardesses sat down in their own seats ready for takeoff. We sat there for a few minutes before we began to move again, and this time we went faster and faster and then we were taking off up into the air. Two-Bit was craning his neck to look out the window over me.
"Wow." He muttered, and I just grinned. I was still a little nervous as we steadily climbed up. After awhile we straightened up, and the pilot's voice came over the speakers telling us that we were now at cruising altitude and that we were now free to move about the cabin. The stewards and stewardesses got up and moved about now.
I leant over to where Darry and Soda were sitting. "Wasn't that bad was it?" I asked them.
Darry snorted. "I saw your face Pony-you were scared." He said.
I started to deny it hotly, but then I just grinned. We were going to England-who cared?