So Freely - Pony
Marlena, without any further ado, started to tell me everything about her town. She spoke so freely, with no fear for saying bad things about her peers. She told me of the so-called popular crowd, who all were rich, or tried to act like they were: "The pop kids think they're all that because they all do the same thing. I am not in this group." She continued to tell me of the jocks, the athletes who don't care about their schoolwork, only getting girls. She told me of all other groups. She ended each description with "I am not in this group."
After describing about seven groups, I interrupted her with, "Are you in any of these groups?" I didn't see how it was possible to not fit in any group. How could you survive without friends to keep you from getting jumped and other stuff? She laughed. "Ponyboy, you are so silly. Of course I have a group. But we don't fit all together like pieces of society's puzzle. We are the rather dubious "others", Ponyboy. The "others" don't care about people's reactions to them. They aren't like the punks, because we are all individuals, not just conforming to anything, even mass nonconformity."
I was knocked right off my feet by her straightforward assessment of her community. "Thanks, Marlena." I said softly.
"Anytime. You want to know anything about this place, just ask. But your curiosity does have a price, you know," she said playfully. "What?" I got a little nervous. "You should tell me about your hometown. Maybe I could try and place you here. But I don't think it will be easy. Livingston is not very kind to people who are in the "others" group. Those who are my friends have a good camaraderie, but there are a sect called "loners." Don't be one, Pony. You have too much spirit. And I sense intelligence." With that line, she started pacing around me, like a lone wolf eyeing her prey. "So, will you tell?"
I was nervous. I rarely spoke out so freely about my peers. But I could show Marlena something I had with me. "Well Marlena, I have something that could satisfy your entire curiosity." I searched my bags for a couple of minutes, and then came up with something that could help me explain Tulsa. My theme project. "Would you like to read this? I wrote it, and it tells everything you'll probably ever want to know about my town." Marlena was incredibly intrigued. "You'd be surprised, my Oklahoman friend. My curiosity is scarcely satiable. I will read this. Thanks."
She left my room upon being called downstairs by her parents, and promised to be right back up. I continued unpacking, and eventually finished. I walked out of the room, and walked down a short hallway to the stairs that Marlena had descended. I heard her talking with her parents.
"Mom, he is obviously not a criminal! How could you say such a thing! No! I don't have anything to hide from him, nor anyone else. You know that. I am being exactly as trusting as I should be." "I know Marlena, dear, but you must be careful. I know that when you heard that a child needed a home that you wanted to help, but just keep yourself guarded against anything too bad."
I was so hurt. They didn't trust me. Marlena obviously did, and seemed very trusting in general, although quite dissatisfied with many "groups" of her town. I then focused on one thing. I needed to get her parents on my side. If they appear in court, they will be supporting me, not that awful social worker. But where to begin?
As I continued on this train of thought, Marlena met me on the top of the stairs. "What did they want you for, Marlena?"
"Oh, nothing, just to tell me to work on a project which I need to finish. I'd better get to work. You settle in, maybe talk to my parents a little. Try to make a good impression on them. They are such a hard audience."
She was one smooth liar. She wouldn't hurt me purposely, yet tried to help me by dropping very strong hints. Nice. Dally was the only person I knew who could do this better than her. Darry was always a mediocre liar at best, I remember. Darry. Soda. I wanted more than anything to talk to them now. I wondered how Soda was getting on. I wanted to return to Darry. I wanted to do anything but stay trapped in this alien landscape. I didn't dislike Marlena, but I was obviously unwelcome. However, I thought it best to make something of this time, and took Marlena's advice. With a deep breath, I went down the stairs to face my temporary guardians.
"Hello Tali, Robert." I started the conversation. "Well, hello Pony!" Robert exclaimed a little too excitedly. "Are you settling in alright?" "Oh, yes sir, very nicely, thank you." I knew I would take every opportunity to suck up now. I thought the "sir" was a nice touch to my sentence, and continued along the same vein. "You see, I just wanted to tell you something." I then told them of my family. How close-knit we were. How it was likely we would be summoned to speak in court. How this was basically a misunderstanding. How I needed to go back home. They nodded approvingly the entire time, and when I finished we had some idle conversation, but I realized that I couldn't measure my progress against their reactions.
They, like Marlena were concealing their true feelings. I needed to do some serious string-pulling to see where I was in terms of gaining their approval. Soon after I was done, I ran back upstairs to ask something of Marlena. "Marlena, I know you're busy, but I need you to do something for me." She nodded. "Sure. What?" I said, "Keep me updated on how far in your parent's favor I am. Okay?" She nodded gravely, understanding that I knew of their disapproval.
"It's a deal." She grinned and turned back to her desk where she was reading a small book, which looked a lot like my theme paper.
Marlena, without any further ado, started to tell me everything about her town. She spoke so freely, with no fear for saying bad things about her peers. She told me of the so-called popular crowd, who all were rich, or tried to act like they were: "The pop kids think they're all that because they all do the same thing. I am not in this group." She continued to tell me of the jocks, the athletes who don't care about their schoolwork, only getting girls. She told me of all other groups. She ended each description with "I am not in this group."
After describing about seven groups, I interrupted her with, "Are you in any of these groups?" I didn't see how it was possible to not fit in any group. How could you survive without friends to keep you from getting jumped and other stuff? She laughed. "Ponyboy, you are so silly. Of course I have a group. But we don't fit all together like pieces of society's puzzle. We are the rather dubious "others", Ponyboy. The "others" don't care about people's reactions to them. They aren't like the punks, because we are all individuals, not just conforming to anything, even mass nonconformity."
I was knocked right off my feet by her straightforward assessment of her community. "Thanks, Marlena." I said softly.
"Anytime. You want to know anything about this place, just ask. But your curiosity does have a price, you know," she said playfully. "What?" I got a little nervous. "You should tell me about your hometown. Maybe I could try and place you here. But I don't think it will be easy. Livingston is not very kind to people who are in the "others" group. Those who are my friends have a good camaraderie, but there are a sect called "loners." Don't be one, Pony. You have too much spirit. And I sense intelligence." With that line, she started pacing around me, like a lone wolf eyeing her prey. "So, will you tell?"
I was nervous. I rarely spoke out so freely about my peers. But I could show Marlena something I had with me. "Well Marlena, I have something that could satisfy your entire curiosity." I searched my bags for a couple of minutes, and then came up with something that could help me explain Tulsa. My theme project. "Would you like to read this? I wrote it, and it tells everything you'll probably ever want to know about my town." Marlena was incredibly intrigued. "You'd be surprised, my Oklahoman friend. My curiosity is scarcely satiable. I will read this. Thanks."
She left my room upon being called downstairs by her parents, and promised to be right back up. I continued unpacking, and eventually finished. I walked out of the room, and walked down a short hallway to the stairs that Marlena had descended. I heard her talking with her parents.
"Mom, he is obviously not a criminal! How could you say such a thing! No! I don't have anything to hide from him, nor anyone else. You know that. I am being exactly as trusting as I should be." "I know Marlena, dear, but you must be careful. I know that when you heard that a child needed a home that you wanted to help, but just keep yourself guarded against anything too bad."
I was so hurt. They didn't trust me. Marlena obviously did, and seemed very trusting in general, although quite dissatisfied with many "groups" of her town. I then focused on one thing. I needed to get her parents on my side. If they appear in court, they will be supporting me, not that awful social worker. But where to begin?
As I continued on this train of thought, Marlena met me on the top of the stairs. "What did they want you for, Marlena?"
"Oh, nothing, just to tell me to work on a project which I need to finish. I'd better get to work. You settle in, maybe talk to my parents a little. Try to make a good impression on them. They are such a hard audience."
She was one smooth liar. She wouldn't hurt me purposely, yet tried to help me by dropping very strong hints. Nice. Dally was the only person I knew who could do this better than her. Darry was always a mediocre liar at best, I remember. Darry. Soda. I wanted more than anything to talk to them now. I wondered how Soda was getting on. I wanted to return to Darry. I wanted to do anything but stay trapped in this alien landscape. I didn't dislike Marlena, but I was obviously unwelcome. However, I thought it best to make something of this time, and took Marlena's advice. With a deep breath, I went down the stairs to face my temporary guardians.
"Hello Tali, Robert." I started the conversation. "Well, hello Pony!" Robert exclaimed a little too excitedly. "Are you settling in alright?" "Oh, yes sir, very nicely, thank you." I knew I would take every opportunity to suck up now. I thought the "sir" was a nice touch to my sentence, and continued along the same vein. "You see, I just wanted to tell you something." I then told them of my family. How close-knit we were. How it was likely we would be summoned to speak in court. How this was basically a misunderstanding. How I needed to go back home. They nodded approvingly the entire time, and when I finished we had some idle conversation, but I realized that I couldn't measure my progress against their reactions.
They, like Marlena were concealing their true feelings. I needed to do some serious string-pulling to see where I was in terms of gaining their approval. Soon after I was done, I ran back upstairs to ask something of Marlena. "Marlena, I know you're busy, but I need you to do something for me." She nodded. "Sure. What?" I said, "Keep me updated on how far in your parent's favor I am. Okay?" She nodded gravely, understanding that I knew of their disapproval.
"It's a deal." She grinned and turned back to her desk where she was reading a small book, which looked a lot like my theme paper.