……………………………………….California

…………………………………………1984

"Kevin!" I was outside by the pool. It was just a little pool, no diving board or nothing. I'd asked my dad if we could drain the pool so I could skateboard in it. That would be totally awesome. He said no.

"Kevin!" That was my dad yelling for me. I wouldn't be able to ignore him much longer.

"What?"

"Did you do your homework?" He stood in the doorway, the double glass doors that lead out to the pool. He was in his work uniform, the grease stained coveralls of a mechanic.

"Yeah," I said, and flipped my hair out of my eyes. He gave me that look that said, 'you're full of shit'. I sighed.

"No,"

"C'mon, get it done,"

I went inside reluctantly. I wanted to go skateboarding on the boardwalk with my friends, I wanted to go swimming, I wanted to sit here and do nothing.

Later that night most of my homework was done and I was supposed to be sleeping. But my parents were talking in the living room. Since my room was right next to the living room I could hear them perfectly.

"Soda, what is it?" My mom said, her voice soft and lilting with concern. He fiddled with something, sounded like paper.

"It's a letter from Ponyboy,"

My dad sounded upset. Ponyboy was my uncle who lived in Oklahoma. Ponyboy, that's a weird name, right? But my dad's name, his real name, was Sodapop. I guess it was my grandfather who named them those totally bizarre names. Thank God I had a normal name like Kevin.

They had another brother, too, Darrel. But he died when I was a little kid, heart attack. My grandparents died, too, before I was born. Car accident. And that is basically all I know about my dad's family. It's all shrouded in mystery. I'd only ever met Ponyboy once, when he came up to visit us like four years ago. I was ten then.

"What's wrong?" My mom said. I laid perfectly still, trying to hear everything.

"It's…he's selling the house,"

"So?" My mom said, but nice, not sarcastic.

"It's just that, I grew up there, you know? My parents…Darry…all our frinds were always there. That house was the last place I saw Dally and Johnny…" Wow. My dad sounded so sad. I'd never heard of Dally and Johnny. He didn't talk about Oklahoma much.

"But Soda, you haven't been there in 14 years, since Kevin was born. Just that once when Darry died. What does it matter if he sells it or not?"

"I know, I know. I guess I just like to think I could go back, if I wanted to,"

They were quiet. My window was open and a nice breeze came in and I could smell the flowers. Southern California, it was paradise. I always felt bad for my dad growing up in Oklahoma with all those hicks, no ocean, no swimming pools, tornadoes and shit.

"He wants me to go there, see if I want anything before he sells it,"

"Are you gonna go?" my mom said.

"Yeah. I think so, yeah. I have to see that house one more time,"

Quiet again. I remembered Ponyboy. He kinda looked like my dad but he was quiet and serious. I never quite knew what to say to him.

"Soda, you should take Kevin,"

"I don't know…"

"He's never been to Oklahoma. It would be nice for him to see where you grew up. It's his history, too,"

I could imagine my dad, the look he gets when my mom changes his mind.

"You're right. Yeah. He should go. I'll tell him in the morning,"

Next morning I was chewing on toast, my eyes still half closed despite the sun streaming through the window, shining on the pool. Morning wasn't a good time for me.

"Kevin, we're going to Oklahoma," my dad said, sipping his coffee.

"I know. Ponyboy is selling the house,"

"Eavesdropping again?" my dad said, but he wasn't mad.

"It's not eavesdropping when you two are so loud. Hey, are we leaving this morning?"

My dad laughed, shook his head.

"Good try. After school,"

I figured.

The day at school dragged. After school my friends had their skateboards, ready to go.

"Kevin, you coming?" They said.

"No, I'm going to Oklahoma with my dad,"

"Oklahoma?" they said, laughing, "what the hell is in Oklahoma?"

"I don't know. I guess nothing,"