Grr I hate typo's. It's fixed now.
Work was the last place I wanted to be that afternoon. I told my boss I had an illness in the family but he told me I had to work a couple hours because someone had called in sick. My mind was definitely not on the job or the usual group of girls who hung around the DX station. Steve did enough flirting for the both of us. But he didn't act the same. I know he was as torn up as the rest of us.
"Soda maybe you should go home." Steve said after I dropped the wrench for the third time. "You look beat. I'll cover for you. Maybe I can get Two Bit to come and help out."
I wanted to say yes but I was afraid I'd be fired and we couldn't afford me getting fired. Not with Pony in the hospital. "I'm okay Steve." I said sitting on a wooden crate. Now I was worried I wouldn't be able to get up.
"Hey there's that Soc Cherry." Steve called. I looked up and sure enough there was Cherry Valance, who had been a spy for us. From what Dally said later, he tried to pick Cherry up at the drive in. I wonder what she's doing on this side of town.
She walked up to me. "I heard Pony Boy's in the hospital." I nodded. "How's he doing?"
"We get to take him home tomorrow but he's still pretty sick." It was almost hard to understand why a Soc would be concerned about my brother. She just nodded. "You could go see him."
"Oh I couldn't." She said shaking her head. I didn't ask why. I knew why. Anyone could have figured out why.
"Want a Pepsi?" I asked trying to be polite.
"No thanks I better go." She said walking away. "Tell Pony I hope he feels better soon." She stopped and turned to face me. "I'm sorry about what happened. I only met Dally and Johnny once but..." she sighed. "Johnny was a nice guy." She said and walked back to her car and drove off.
"Hey Curtis!" I spun around to see the day manager, Oliver, standing there. "I'm here to take over for you so get out of here." He said with a grin.
I didn't need to be told twice as I quickly left. I had taken Darry's truck because he had taken the day off. His boss was a little more understanding then mine was. I drove to the house planning to bring Darry the shirt he asked me to and stopped.
Written on our door was the message: Die Greasers!
I hit it as hard as I could and then rested my head against the door. The Soc's never could leave things alone. I unlocked the door and walked in. Darry and I had barely been home the last couple of days so the house was a mess. There was cards, bandages, and beer cans all over the floor remnants of the night of the Rumble.
I went into Darry's room and grabbed his shirt before going to my room. The room was a mess as I had gone searching late last night for a clean work shirt. That'll be the first thing I hear when Pony sees the room. He may be absent minded but he's a whole not neater then I am.
I sat on the bed and just stared at the desk. On the desk was a letter I had started writing to Sandy. I picked it up and glanced at it. I still can't believe she cheated on me. I was willing to put that aside and marry her but she said she didn't love me enough. Enough? I was willing to marry her and she didn't love me enough? I lay my head down on the pillow remembering that breakup. It was the day after Pony Boy had run away. She came over to the DX station and said we needed to talk. I was shocked first by the fact that she was pregnant and then by the fact that it wasn't mine.
I haven't slept well for over a week. The most hours I slept was when Pony came home. Now I knew no matter how tired I was I couldn't sleep until he came home again. I just rolled over and cried. I cried for my two friends, for my girlfriend who didn't want me, for Pony who was sick, for Darry who thinks he's at fault. Pony was the one who ran. Why didn't I just keep my mouth shut when Darry was yelling at Pony? Pony was the one who fell asleep in the lot. Johnny saved Pony's life when he stabbed Bob. But look at everything now! I had wanted to blame Darry but we all did something we shouldn't have. Cost me two of my friends and could have cost me the person I love the most Pony Boy.
I got up and went to scrub the door. I wanted to erase the painful reminder that no one won.