Chapter 10 (wow, in the 2 digits. Sorry my chapters are so short. I just
like to write that way better.)
All characters are Hinton's except Kayla and her baby, which the baby technically is Hinton's, but anyways, on with the story.
"When I first started, I was harder for me to concentrate. I lost my memory easily and would have trouble seeing clearly. Sometimes I'd have panic attacks, I was worried about everything all the time."
The counselor is nodding, writing, nodding. Darry made me tell the school counselor, said I needed someone who understood this to help me out. I didn't want to. I'm afraid she'll blame it on Darry and me and Soda'll be taken away, maybe, maybe she'll.
"Yes, that's what we hear from most young addicts. Marijuana sends signals to the brain that can make it hard to concentrate and even harder to recall and absorb new information."
Maybe she'll decide it's not right for me to be in all these advanced classes. She wouldn't be wrong, my grades are going to hell. But I worked so hard to get to where I am. I was so proud of myself, so proud that I'd been able to do it, to get this far.
"Ponyboy, are you with me? Are you thinking about what I'm saying?"
I only got this far by hard work, lots and lots of hard work. They don't want greasers to get this far in school, but I'd beaten all odds and done it. Darry was proud too. I remember that night, how long ago was it? About a year, but God, it doesn't feel like that much time has gone by. The night Dally and Johnny died. Darry had said that I had to keep my grades up. He was proud.
"Ponyboy, are you even listening to me? Our sessions won't help at all if you don't listen. Now tell me, what else are you noticing about your addiction."
There was something between her teeth. What, I don't know. But it was distracting. What had she asked me? What else? So much else.
"At first it didn't take much to get to feeling good. But as time went on, I needed more and more just to get the same feeling I used to get from half a smoke-full."
She smiles in my direction. "That's normal, too. When the body becomes chemically dependent on Marijuana, it's normal to need more to get the same effects."
Maybe that thing between her teeth is chicken.
"Anything else?"
"Listen, Mrs. Danner, I don't mean to be disrespectful but none of what you're telling me is helping."
Her face scrunches up, her lips get tight. The thing between her teeth is pressed up against the outside of her top lip.
"How about this? If you keep this up, Ponyboy, it's going to begin affecting your long-term physical health, if it hasn't already. You'll be looking at breathing problems, reduced blood-flow to the brain, and possible tremors. Does that help?"
Too much. What she was telling me was too much for me to absorb. I needed a smoke, right then. But I couldn't smoke it in front of the counselor, the one trying to get me off it.
So I got up and left.
All characters are Hinton's except Kayla and her baby, which the baby technically is Hinton's, but anyways, on with the story.
"When I first started, I was harder for me to concentrate. I lost my memory easily and would have trouble seeing clearly. Sometimes I'd have panic attacks, I was worried about everything all the time."
The counselor is nodding, writing, nodding. Darry made me tell the school counselor, said I needed someone who understood this to help me out. I didn't want to. I'm afraid she'll blame it on Darry and me and Soda'll be taken away, maybe, maybe she'll.
"Yes, that's what we hear from most young addicts. Marijuana sends signals to the brain that can make it hard to concentrate and even harder to recall and absorb new information."
Maybe she'll decide it's not right for me to be in all these advanced classes. She wouldn't be wrong, my grades are going to hell. But I worked so hard to get to where I am. I was so proud of myself, so proud that I'd been able to do it, to get this far.
"Ponyboy, are you with me? Are you thinking about what I'm saying?"
I only got this far by hard work, lots and lots of hard work. They don't want greasers to get this far in school, but I'd beaten all odds and done it. Darry was proud too. I remember that night, how long ago was it? About a year, but God, it doesn't feel like that much time has gone by. The night Dally and Johnny died. Darry had said that I had to keep my grades up. He was proud.
"Ponyboy, are you even listening to me? Our sessions won't help at all if you don't listen. Now tell me, what else are you noticing about your addiction."
There was something between her teeth. What, I don't know. But it was distracting. What had she asked me? What else? So much else.
"At first it didn't take much to get to feeling good. But as time went on, I needed more and more just to get the same feeling I used to get from half a smoke-full."
She smiles in my direction. "That's normal, too. When the body becomes chemically dependent on Marijuana, it's normal to need more to get the same effects."
Maybe that thing between her teeth is chicken.
"Anything else?"
"Listen, Mrs. Danner, I don't mean to be disrespectful but none of what you're telling me is helping."
Her face scrunches up, her lips get tight. The thing between her teeth is pressed up against the outside of her top lip.
"How about this? If you keep this up, Ponyboy, it's going to begin affecting your long-term physical health, if it hasn't already. You'll be looking at breathing problems, reduced blood-flow to the brain, and possible tremors. Does that help?"
Too much. What she was telling me was too much for me to absorb. I needed a smoke, right then. But I couldn't smoke it in front of the counselor, the one trying to get me off it.
So I got up and left.