Darry's POV
Chapter 13 (Darry's POV)
I was called to my manager's office; there was someone there to see me. They said it was important, and very urgent. Immediately, my underfed imagination gorged itself upon the possibilities of this. I first thought that maybe something happened to Soda or Pony. Nervously, I made my way back to the office. I tried to calm my nervous brain down by saying to myself that it couldn't be too bad.
The past few weeks had been pretty good, Pony and I were trying our best to get along, he was doing better in school, so I backed off a bit. But I had this nagging feeling that one last bad thing was going to happen. I believe that bad things, like good things, come in threes. Johnny and Dally dying was exactly two things. So one more HAD to be coming. My fears were confirmed.
A social worker. It was a social worker. He told me that Pony and Soda would be taken away from me. His news hit me like a blunt hard blow to the stomach. Then, after the initial shock, it hurt and also made me mad. I just stood stupidly for a moment, then scowled my toughest scowl. I told the man he would have to explain himself. I insanely realized that my tuffness or even toughness would not pay in front of this businessman. I told the man to come with me back home, where we could settle this like civilized people.
"Why are you coming for Soda and Pony now? You could have come a long time ago! Explain yourself at once."
I was steaming mad, and then was a little rude, but the man seemed so unphased by my seeming rudeness. The man just coolly explained his reasoning.
"Well, you know, we have been monitoring your home for quite some time, and, I'm sure you're aware of your youngest brother's problems in the past few months. Also, the middle one, it has come to my attention that he works and is a dropout. You could easily be in trouble for keeping this from us, not to mention that we have been seriously considering taking your brothers from you for a while."
I took this all with no easily distinguishable outer reactions, yet began to feel as if I had been told one thing and one thing only: YOU HAVE NO ONE! I pointlessly argued my point for hours. Finally, Pony barged in from school, and ran out for Soda as soon as he realized what was going on. I took this as a reason to kick this annoyance out of my house. When Pony and Soda come back, the social worker, who was by now sufficiently pissed off, stormed out. Then we sat in a shocked silence around out kitchen table while finally Pony picked up the paper left on the table, and have it to me. He asked if he could go for a bike ride, and I let him go.
Soda went angrily and loudly while I pored over papers to see if I could find some extra money for this insane case. I was actually close to tears by the time Pony came in with Cherry. I reluctantly agreed to this plan of borrowing money. But I can't believe I said 2 months. After re-looking over the papers, I found that it would really take at least a year to pay her back. Oh dear. This was not going to be good.
Chapter 13 (Darry's POV)
I was called to my manager's office; there was someone there to see me. They said it was important, and very urgent. Immediately, my underfed imagination gorged itself upon the possibilities of this. I first thought that maybe something happened to Soda or Pony. Nervously, I made my way back to the office. I tried to calm my nervous brain down by saying to myself that it couldn't be too bad.
The past few weeks had been pretty good, Pony and I were trying our best to get along, he was doing better in school, so I backed off a bit. But I had this nagging feeling that one last bad thing was going to happen. I believe that bad things, like good things, come in threes. Johnny and Dally dying was exactly two things. So one more HAD to be coming. My fears were confirmed.
A social worker. It was a social worker. He told me that Pony and Soda would be taken away from me. His news hit me like a blunt hard blow to the stomach. Then, after the initial shock, it hurt and also made me mad. I just stood stupidly for a moment, then scowled my toughest scowl. I told the man he would have to explain himself. I insanely realized that my tuffness or even toughness would not pay in front of this businessman. I told the man to come with me back home, where we could settle this like civilized people.
"Why are you coming for Soda and Pony now? You could have come a long time ago! Explain yourself at once."
I was steaming mad, and then was a little rude, but the man seemed so unphased by my seeming rudeness. The man just coolly explained his reasoning.
"Well, you know, we have been monitoring your home for quite some time, and, I'm sure you're aware of your youngest brother's problems in the past few months. Also, the middle one, it has come to my attention that he works and is a dropout. You could easily be in trouble for keeping this from us, not to mention that we have been seriously considering taking your brothers from you for a while."
I took this all with no easily distinguishable outer reactions, yet began to feel as if I had been told one thing and one thing only: YOU HAVE NO ONE! I pointlessly argued my point for hours. Finally, Pony barged in from school, and ran out for Soda as soon as he realized what was going on. I took this as a reason to kick this annoyance out of my house. When Pony and Soda come back, the social worker, who was by now sufficiently pissed off, stormed out. Then we sat in a shocked silence around out kitchen table while finally Pony picked up the paper left on the table, and have it to me. He asked if he could go for a bike ride, and I let him go.
Soda went angrily and loudly while I pored over papers to see if I could find some extra money for this insane case. I was actually close to tears by the time Pony came in with Cherry. I reluctantly agreed to this plan of borrowing money. But I can't believe I said 2 months. After re-looking over the papers, I found that it would really take at least a year to pay her back. Oh dear. This was not going to be good.