Two-Bit
So I got a call from Steve at 9:30. This is a bad thing. I have, MANY TIMES, explained that on a weekend, you do not call me before noon. I swear, if this is not important, I said to myself, I will skin Steve. But why had he told me to come to Darry's place? Usually he says "Soda's place" or "The Curtis' place" or something like that. He was never close with Darry. I couldn't believe it, but the intrigue was breaking my anger at being woken up. I went over in fifteen minutes. (That is record speed!)
"Two-Bit!" I heard Darry call for me to hurry up. I obliged, though unwillingly. "What is it?!" I said. Some of the intrigue leaked out of the situation. "I'll make it blunt. Soda and Pony have been taken by the social workers. Right now they are on their way to New Jersey." "What? Darry, when did this happen? Why do you keep things from me? Why am I always the last one to know things?" I blurted in my typical fashion. "We called you almost instantly after they were taken." Steve jumped in for Darry. I decided to tone down the wisecracking; he really looked beat. I said, "When did you first know this was going to happen? I mean, people don't just show up at your door and abduct the guys they want."
Darry said, "Yesterday. That's how much notice they give me." "Calm down Dar. Self-pity won't get you anywhere." Steve piped up with an unusually sane comment. "Very right. But can you think anything else when you've had 4 hours sleep and everything you work for is taken away?"
We were all silent for a moment. Darry never spoke like this. He mostly just was the big guy in charge, who never was frightened or upset. And he was now just hit with a blow big enough to bring him down. We felt the change, and for just a moment could feel what Darry was thinking. Then he abruptly said,
"Out! Both of you, out!" His voice was heavy with misplaced emotion. Steve and I gave each other a little nod, and vanished from the house.
So I got a call from Steve at 9:30. This is a bad thing. I have, MANY TIMES, explained that on a weekend, you do not call me before noon. I swear, if this is not important, I said to myself, I will skin Steve. But why had he told me to come to Darry's place? Usually he says "Soda's place" or "The Curtis' place" or something like that. He was never close with Darry. I couldn't believe it, but the intrigue was breaking my anger at being woken up. I went over in fifteen minutes. (That is record speed!)
"Two-Bit!" I heard Darry call for me to hurry up. I obliged, though unwillingly. "What is it?!" I said. Some of the intrigue leaked out of the situation. "I'll make it blunt. Soda and Pony have been taken by the social workers. Right now they are on their way to New Jersey." "What? Darry, when did this happen? Why do you keep things from me? Why am I always the last one to know things?" I blurted in my typical fashion. "We called you almost instantly after they were taken." Steve jumped in for Darry. I decided to tone down the wisecracking; he really looked beat. I said, "When did you first know this was going to happen? I mean, people don't just show up at your door and abduct the guys they want."
Darry said, "Yesterday. That's how much notice they give me." "Calm down Dar. Self-pity won't get you anywhere." Steve piped up with an unusually sane comment. "Very right. But can you think anything else when you've had 4 hours sleep and everything you work for is taken away?"
We were all silent for a moment. Darry never spoke like this. He mostly just was the big guy in charge, who never was frightened or upset. And he was now just hit with a blow big enough to bring him down. We felt the change, and for just a moment could feel what Darry was thinking. Then he abruptly said,
"Out! Both of you, out!" His voice was heavy with misplaced emotion. Steve and I gave each other a little nod, and vanished from the house.