Chapter 7: Home, Sweet, Home
The next morning, Danny and I had a little chat before he went to school. He had mentioned that Houston reminded him of Johnny. I thought the same. He had Pony's features, but he acted like Johnny did after he had gotten jumped. Cathy said he was probably like that because Pony wasn't around that much when he was younger. Which is another reason Rachel got tough.
I got a plate of chocolate cake and sat down in the living room. I was at home by myself since Pony was with his agent, Soda and Cathy were at work, and the kids were at school. That made me think. I needed a job! What could I get though? I guessed that would be the topic for today.
My thoughts were interrupted by who else, but Two-Bit. He slammed through the door and made me look right up at him.
"How's it going?" he asked.
"It's cool."
Two-Bit stepped into the kitchen and then came out with two beers. He tossed one to me.
"Thanks."
He then grabbed the remote.
"You aren't gonna watch Mickey are you?"
Two-Bit shook his head.
"Naw. House of Mouse doesn't come on until the afternoon."
I smiled. He was the same old Two-Bit.
"Oh yeah!" said Two-Bit suddenly.
"Mr. Timothy Shepard's having a card gathering in a minute. He figured he would invite Poker's finest."
"You know I'm in."
I know I wasn't rusty on the game because I still played it while I was in prison. It was boring though. We couldn't play for money, and we just used it to pass time by.
Me and Two-Bit walked over to Buck Merril's old place. Two-Bit used to work at the DX, but he was too lazy. This was before Steve and Soda owned it. Two-Bit now worked at a bar. It seemed perfect for him. He didn't have to work today since someone was gonna take his place today. He would start again in a while. He told me all this on the way in his car. I was confused at one moment.
"Did Tim move or something?" I asked.
"Oh. He now lives at Merril's old place. He bought it off after Merril was sent to jail."
"He was sent off too? For what?"
"Some gambling problem. I never got much out of it."
We parked next to the building and got out. Two-Bit didn't have to knock. We just walked right on in and greeted Tim and his buddies. There weren't that many there. We sat down playing and I won the first two. During the third, we really got started on the conversations.
"That reminds me," said Curly trying to take a glance at the other person's cards.
"That guy that got arrested for attacking you. Y'all remember when Trix won that card game. He came back looking for you. I think that guy is psycho."
"Where is he now?" I asked.
"He left town most likely. I haven't seen him in a long time," said Tim Shepard.
We continued with our game. I won the next four, but Tim got lucky and won the last. I left the place with a pocket full of cash.
"I see you still got it," said Two-Bit smiling.
"You should have known I did," I said grinning.
We decided that we could run by the DX next. We walked on by and still, women were swarming over Soda. We saw a group of them leaving as we approached the station.
"Still got groupies?" I asked walking into the garage. Steve was working on a car and Soda was handing him the tools. He waved his hand from the other car as if to say 'hi'.
"Hey guys. Help yourself with a Pepsi or something."
We got a drink and I opened the coke. Man, I haven't had any of these in a long time. It was way better than that nasty water that they served us in the pen. I got used to it. But this was more refreshing. I wonder if Ponyboy still is a Pepsi-holic. I remember he would die if he didn't have a Pepsi. It always used to crack me up.
This one chick came in, she was looking at me. I knew that look. She was trying to turn me on, so I said,
"Married."
She quickly turned her attention to Soda. Soda went to the back of the station with Soda. Hope she didn't try anything on him.