"Johnny's Diary."
Dear Diary, or does that sound too nerdy?
I suppose a lot of people would think a guy having a diary, or a journal, was pretty stupid anyway, wouldn't they? But I actually got the idea from none other than "Adrian Mole's Diary" when we were studying it in English, and then it was further reinforced when it was mentioned by the guidance counselor that perhaps I write things down in an effort to get them off my chest. I was pretty apprehensive at first needless to say, since I suppose it's kind of geeky to have a diary, certainly not tough. But that's me. I know the gang would argue with me if they heard me say that, but I'm not really one of them. I'm different. My name is Johnny Cade, I'm pretty small, and I've got black hair, black eyes and a tanned face. I don't talk much, but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking. I don't want to sound like I'm fishing for sympathy, but I haven't had the easiest of lives, and I still don't. My parents aren't exactly the parental kind as you're bound to see sooner or later in here. That's why the gang are so important to me I think- they are in a sense my family. The rest of the gang are an interesting lot, and it seems I'm always changing my mind on how I feel about them.
Darrel Curtis, we call him Darry, is probably the leader if we could say we had one. Darry is the eldest of three children and he's got a heck of a lot of responsibility. When the Curtis' parents died he was left in charge, and sometimes I think it gets a bit much for him and he takes it out by being extra bossy, but I'm sure that's only because he cares. Darry's a pretty big guy- just over six feet and he's got broad shoulders and is muscular. He looks as though he can handle the weight of the world, but he's human just like the rest of us, as I've already sort of pointed out. Darry played football in school, and he was darn good. He's got dark brown hair, and cool blue green eyes, and when he turns them on you in a piercing gaze you tend to tell him what he wants to know. Darry could have gone on to college but then things changed and he had no choice but to get a job. I think he works long and hard hours, but I don't think I have ever heard him complain. He's accepted his lot in life.
Sodapop, or Soda as he is known, Curtis, is the next of the Curtis' boys, and I've always thought he was as different from Darry as can be, but I've sort of realised lately that he's not- he might not act like it, but Soda's got a good head on his shoulders like Darry, he just doesn't have to take the responsibility that Darry does so he tends to act up, joke around more. He's shorter than Darry and slimmer since he didn't play football and never bothered building up his muscles. Unlike Darry his hair a sort of brown-gold color and he has dark brown eyes, which tend to always be dancing and laughing at something. Soda works in a garage with another member of the gang, Steve Randle, and everyone loves him. He's always up for some fun, and often you think he's drunk, but he hasn't even had a beer or anything, he loves life in general. He's also the one who seems to protect Pony from Darry. Not that Darry means to get annoyed at Pony- he just does, and Soda seems to be the peacemaker there, perhaps he does it with his joking manner, I'm not really sure?
Then there's Ponyboy Curtis, otherwise known as Pony, the youngest Curtis. I think Pony has it the hardest being the youngest of the family, and the gang, and therefore being more likely to have Darry on his back about things, such as school. But Pony's really smart and he deserves to go on to college, as Darry reminds him on countless occasions. I know Pony gets annoyed at the way Darry treats him as a kid sometimes, but I think he knows Darry's just trying to protect him, and perhaps he's overcompensating for the lack of parental supervision? Pony looks different to Darry and Soda as well- his light brown hair is almost red, and he has grey-green eyes. He's probably the closest one to me in terms of personality, since sometimes he can be pretty quiet and thoughtful. I know it's hard for Pony being the youngest in the group, and when Darry, and Steve treat him like that it makes it even harder, but he's got more guts than me (not that I'm really saying anything by that- everyone is braver than me!). I've noticed that Steve and Pony don't get along all that well, but I'm not really sure why?
Next I think I'll mention Steve Randle, Soda's best friend. Steve strikes me as an interesting person, both in looks and personality. His hair is pretty tuff- he keeps it in these complicated swirls. He's cocky, he's arrogant, and he can be a real smart arse, but when the chips are down he always sticks up for anyone in the gang- even Pony, albeit in a limited capacity there. I don't know why, but I don't seem to know Steve as well as I know some of the others. Maybe there's an aloofness there, like he doesn't want anyone to get too close. Dallas Winston, Dally, is similar, but at the same time we know pretty much there is to know about him since he doesn't have a problem telling us what he has been doing. Steve's big talent is cars, hence his job at the garage, he knows everything there is to know about them, including how to steal them, or bits of them. I have to give Steve this though- he's always nice enough to me. He never yells at me, or puts me down, in fact he's almost brotherly in the way he treats me, like I need his protection.
Since I've already briefly mentioned him, I'll talk about Dallas, or Dally, Winston next. Dallas is the hard one of the group. He's really tough, he's been in jail and has no problem with pulling a blade on anyone, or fighting or stealing. His hair is the palest blonde, and his eyes are an ice-cold blue, not only in color, but also in features. He spent three years in New York awhile back, and that was probably the catalyst for the way he behaves. I said he was aloof before, and he is, in the way that he can be incredibly cold and hard, and sometimes even scary. But at the same time I don't think he has ever raised his voice at me, and we know all there is to know about him- maybe even sometimes too much? Dally is the only one of the group who is really wild- I've seen him take on three or four socs at once and come out of it the better. We all fight, rumble, where we live. It's always us greasers against the socs, but when Dally fights, it's as though he could care less if he or someone else dies in the fight.
Last, but certainly not least, is Two-Bit Mathews. Two-Bit isn't his real name of course, his real name is Keith, but nobody calls him that, he's Two-Bit because he always has to get his say in, his two bobs worth. Interestingly Two-Bit is the eldest of the group, but he sure doesn't act it. He's pretty tall and stocky, with rusty colored hair, grey eyes and a big grin. Two-Bit thinks life is nothing more than a joke, and he loves to spend time shoplifting, and being smart to all coppers. The most interesting thing about Two-Bit in my opinion, is that he is still at school, and still a junior! He loves school and if he spent the rest of his life there I don't think he'd mind at all. He also loves blondes and fights, anything which he could laugh about. Two-Bit loves to tease everyone and since we all know him so well we don't care. Even I laugh when he teases me because I know he's doing it because he cares, not because he doesn't like me. The best thing about Two-Bit is that he always kept the gang laughing, even at times when we didn't feel like laughing.
So there you go that's us- the gang. I've just looked up from this book at the clock on my wall and realised there is no time to write any more- it's almost eleven thirty and I've been sitting here writing for quite awhile. Don't think all of my entries are going to be mini-essays, and as long as this, I just wanted to get the gang introduced before going on, since they're such an important part of my life. The last thing I need is Dad coming in here and getting annoyed at me for not being asleep. He just got laid off his latest job, so he spends his time sitting round drinking and getting mad at the whole world- including me. Dad belts me round a lot, but Mom's never stood up for me- she's too scared of him I think. Of course she doesn't really like me any better than he does, and she's not exactly afraid to show it. The thing is she does it with words, and he does it with his fists. On that cheerful note I'm going to bed.
J.C
