"Johnny's diary."

Dear diary,

Today was a pretty good day, and the fact that it's finally the weekend sure helps that. I've only had this diary for almost a week now and I have been sitting thinking about whether or not it's helping me, and I decided for it to help me then I had to tell the truth about some things. Not that I've been lying in here, I haven't, but I should write about some of the experiences which have made me the way I have. In case you haven't worked it out I am going to tell you about the episode with the socs awhile back. In a moment.

First my day: I slept in, and when I got up neither of my parents were in. They do that sometimes on weekend- just take off and then don't come back until late Sunday night, not that I complain. So I put the television on in the lounge room and listened to it while I made myself a huge breakfast. Then I showered, dressed and went over to the Curtis' place. Soda and Darry were both working (they sometimes do on weekends) and Pony was just sitting in the kitchen with a coffee debating how to spend the day. He tried to rope me into going back to the movies- he wanted to see that Paul Newman movie he'd already seen.

"Maybe Steve's right- maybe you're in love with him." I teased Pony sitting down at the table near him and stretching my legs out.

"Nah, he just looks tough, that's all." Pony explained. "So, what do you want to do?"

"I don't know, just hang I guess?" I replied.

There was the sound of someone coming into the house and a few minutes later Two-Bit burst in. "Hey kids." He greeted us.

"Kids." Pony repeated with scorn.

"So, what y'all doing today?" Two-Bit asked, lighting a cigarette.

"Nothing." Pony said with a sigh. "We can't think of anything we want to do."

"Well it so happens you're in luck." Two-Bit said with a big grin. "I've got something to do, and I'd like y'all to come with me."

"What?" Pony asked, his eyes narrowing slightly with suspicion. Unlike say Dally Two-Bit wasn't a criminal, but he was sure full of mischief.

"Come and you will see." Two-Bit said mysteriously.

Pony looked at me and I shrugged. Why not?

So we followed Two-Bit out of the house and down the road towards the mall. "Today we're going to teach some pain in the butt socs a lesson." He said.

When he said that I felt my palms begin to sweat. I wasn't so sure I liked that plan, it would be two days in a row I'd had some dealings with the socs and that would be two days too many. I don't like to think I'm a coward, but when it comes to the socs, unless we are in a big gang, I don't like to interfere with them. In my opinion things would be a lot better if we each stayed on our own. (I am getting to my explanation of why I, unlike the rest of the gang, am not so tough when it comes to socs.)

"What have they done now?" Pony asked.

"Apart from being born? They were doing wheelies and things in the road last night, couldn't bloody sleep." Two-Bit explained as we came upon the mall parking lot. Now we know that every Saturday morning the socs gather in the TGI Fridays here so we also know that their cars are going to be parked in the lot. Usually in a group so they can show off their great cars.

Two-Bit led the way over to where the socs cars were sitting. My eyes flicked over a blue mustang and I quickly looked away. Two-Bit was eyeing my thoughtfully and my eyes met his. I was waiting for the look of disgust I deserved, but instead I got a look of sympathy. "Johnnycake you want to be the lookout?" He asked, and I nodded trying not to show my eagerness.

So whilst I was lookout Two-Bit and Pony slashed as many tyres as they could, and then we hurried off to see Soda and Steve and tell them what we'd done. Soda thought it was pretty funny.

"I'd like to have been there when they all come out and see their cars." He said wistfully.

The day dwindled away and we moved from the garage to the Curtis' place, where Darry was home from work. When we told him what we'd done he shook his head. "They're going to want to get us for it." He said.

"Heck Darry they don't know who done it." Pony said. "It could have been almost anyone."

I sat silently thinking about that, and then before it got too late I decided to go home. I told them it was because I had a headache, but in reality I thought it was better to be inside before the socs went looking for whoever had done the damage to their cars, or failing that, a greaser who was out and about on his own.

So now I am sitting here in the kitchen writing in this and it is time for me to tell you about what happened to me about three and a half months ago:

My parents had been fighting pretty badly and I was worried I was going to be dragged into it so I decided to head to the Curtis' place. Soda would be on his way home, and Pony and Darry would probably be home, so I decided that I might have to spend the night there. They wouldn't mind though, they never did. On the way to the Curtis' place there is a wide, open space where we play football, have rumbles, or just hang out. I decided it would be good to practice a few football kicks with the football we kept hidden and I was just getting it when I heard a voice behind me. "Greaser." Someone said, and I felt my heart skip a beat. I turned around slowly to discover that there was a blue mustang full of socs, and worse they were getting out of the car.

I tried to be brave, and I told them where to go and then I started to run, but they were on me before I got too far. Normally in a rumble I have no problems with fighting the socs, but this was different- the odds were a lot worse. One of them, who appeared to be the leader, began to tell me all the terrible things they were going to do to me. I didn't let them see I was scared, but inside I was terrified. Nonetheless I told them what I thought of socs, and that was it. They all began to hit me then, but the worst was the leader who had rings on his hand which cut me pretty bad. In the struggle my jacket got pulled off me, and eventually they left me. I managed to crawl across the lot, hoping to make it to the Curtis' place, but before I knew it I passed out.

The next thing I knew the gang were there, the whole lot of them, and I heard Dally swearing, and felt Soda leaning close to me. "Johnny? Hey, Johnnycake."

"Soda?" I whispered.

"Yeah it's me. Don't talk. You're gonna' be okay."

I wanted to tell him what had happened, and most importantly tell him that I wasn't a coward, that there had been too many of them, and they'd threatened me, but it hurt too much and I started to cry. Soda held me then, like I was a baby and after I had managed to get my story out the gang swore revenge.

Thinking back now it's interesting to note that they all reacted in different ways. Dally was really pissed off about the whole thing, and he went and got hold of a soc, who didn't have anything to do with it, and beat him half to death for revenge. Two-Bit spent ages trying to make me, and the gang laugh. Soda acted like a big brother and he was constantly making sure I was all right. Steve was unusually silent. Darry was like a parent. Pony was the only one who seemed to be shaken up by what had happened. He was pretty pale, and he stuck close to me for awhile after it.

Anyway, that's why I'm scared of the socs. That's why I'm not like the rest of the gang.

J.C