Chapter 13 (Keep the reviews coming!)
"If you think this is a game, Ponyboy, let me assure you, it is NOT! This is between you and your body, Ponyboy. Your organs, your heart, everything that keeps you going is suffering severely because of this."
I nod.
"Then I guess we will go ahead and begin. Darry, you are Ponyboy's legal guardian. What do you think about all this?"
Darry looks at Mrs. Danner. He knows that whatever he says or does, she's watching, observing.
"Well, I've pretty much told him what I think. It's stupid and it's going to ruin him. He's heard it all a thousand times."
"Darry, have you ever told him how it makes you feel to know that he's 100%ly disregarding everything you've taught him about morals and values? Maybe if he could get into your heart and into your soul, he'd understand more thoroughly. Do you think you might want to give that a shot?"
Everyone but me stares at her. Finally, Darry says, "Mrs. Danner, I don't think that Pony's "100%ly disregarding" anything. I think that this is something he's going to have to realize by himself. No matter how many big words you cram into a sentence trying to explain to him what he should and should not be doing, Pony's going to do what he wants to do, because that's just how Pony is."
Mrs. Danner stares at him in shock for a minute. She can't believe anyone who's anyone (and especially a 22-year-old greaser) would talk to her that way. "Then why, Mr. Curtis, are we here?"
"Because I didn't know what else to do, Mrs. Danner, and you can say that that's because I'm too young or too irresponsible, but I don't think that anyone on this planet could MAKE Ponyboy stop."
Mrs. Danner smiles and stands up. "Well, Mr. Curtis, maybe if I give it a go I can find someone who would know what to do. I guarantee he won't be able get his hands on marijuana at the Norman Child Adoption Center, and I'm willing to bet that that's where he's going to end up, because from what I've seen of this little arrangement, you're definitely not what's best for Ponyboy. I wouldn't be one bit surprised if you were the reason for all this. I will be contacting the center this very afternoon to work out some of the details. Good-bye, Mr. Curtis."
Darry puts his head in his hands. No one's sure what to do next, and even Steve's eyes are as big as baseballs. I'm having trouble understanding what it is she's going to do. I don't want to believe it.
"Darry, Darry, man, I am real sorry." Steve's trying to comfort Darry, but Darry's not showing signs of improvement from the minute Mrs. Danner had said "Norman Child Adoption Center" and now. "Ok, alright, ah, we can get through this. They're going to send someone out to see us before they take Pony and Sodapop away. They HAVE to, because otherwise we've already lost. And you two," Darry looks right at me and Sodapop with red, tear-fighting eyes.
"you two are the only ones I've got left."
"If you think this is a game, Ponyboy, let me assure you, it is NOT! This is between you and your body, Ponyboy. Your organs, your heart, everything that keeps you going is suffering severely because of this."
I nod.
"Then I guess we will go ahead and begin. Darry, you are Ponyboy's legal guardian. What do you think about all this?"
Darry looks at Mrs. Danner. He knows that whatever he says or does, she's watching, observing.
"Well, I've pretty much told him what I think. It's stupid and it's going to ruin him. He's heard it all a thousand times."
"Darry, have you ever told him how it makes you feel to know that he's 100%ly disregarding everything you've taught him about morals and values? Maybe if he could get into your heart and into your soul, he'd understand more thoroughly. Do you think you might want to give that a shot?"
Everyone but me stares at her. Finally, Darry says, "Mrs. Danner, I don't think that Pony's "100%ly disregarding" anything. I think that this is something he's going to have to realize by himself. No matter how many big words you cram into a sentence trying to explain to him what he should and should not be doing, Pony's going to do what he wants to do, because that's just how Pony is."
Mrs. Danner stares at him in shock for a minute. She can't believe anyone who's anyone (and especially a 22-year-old greaser) would talk to her that way. "Then why, Mr. Curtis, are we here?"
"Because I didn't know what else to do, Mrs. Danner, and you can say that that's because I'm too young or too irresponsible, but I don't think that anyone on this planet could MAKE Ponyboy stop."
Mrs. Danner smiles and stands up. "Well, Mr. Curtis, maybe if I give it a go I can find someone who would know what to do. I guarantee he won't be able get his hands on marijuana at the Norman Child Adoption Center, and I'm willing to bet that that's where he's going to end up, because from what I've seen of this little arrangement, you're definitely not what's best for Ponyboy. I wouldn't be one bit surprised if you were the reason for all this. I will be contacting the center this very afternoon to work out some of the details. Good-bye, Mr. Curtis."
Darry puts his head in his hands. No one's sure what to do next, and even Steve's eyes are as big as baseballs. I'm having trouble understanding what it is she's going to do. I don't want to believe it.
"Darry, Darry, man, I am real sorry." Steve's trying to comfort Darry, but Darry's not showing signs of improvement from the minute Mrs. Danner had said "Norman Child Adoption Center" and now. "Ok, alright, ah, we can get through this. They're going to send someone out to see us before they take Pony and Sodapop away. They HAVE to, because otherwise we've already lost. And you two," Darry looks right at me and Sodapop with red, tear-fighting eyes.
"you two are the only ones I've got left."