A week later, we were all at the Curtis house. Only this time was different. Aaron and Jeff were with us for the first time. And we were all watching Soda pack what he needed for the war. He would be leaving the next morning. So, we were all crammed in the small room that Soda and Pony shared.
"I still can't believe I have to go." Soda said for the fifth time that day. "Why did I have to get drafted? I don't want to go to war."
Darry put a hand on his shoulder. "I know you don't little buddy. But unfortunately, you don't have a choice."
"I know." Soda sighed. "But I really don't understand why they have to draft people."
"I don't either. It's just the way things are." Darry replied.
"And remember, you're not alone." Aaron told Soda. "God will be with you."
"So will our parents, Johnny and Dally." Ponyboy added.
Soda closed his small suit case and sat down between Pony and me on the bed. He tried to grin but couldn't. He hadn't been able to grin all day. And the rest of us were finding it hard to grin ourselves. No one wanted Soda to leave. Even Aaron and Jeff who hadn't known him long didn't want to see him go.
"Do you have everything?" Darry asked.
"I think so." Soda mumbled.
"I have something for you." Pony said softly. He got up and went to his desk where he pulled out a package.
"Thanks, Pony." Soda said as he unwrapped it. Inside was a journal plus stationary so he could write home while he was away.
"I know you don't like writing as much as I do, but I thought it'd be useful since we won't be there. And you can write us and let us know how things are going." Pony told his brother. He leaned against Soda's shoulder and watched as Aaron also handed Soda a package.
"It's a Bible. You only recieved the gospel of John last week. But this is the whole Bible. It's not a new one. Well, new as in recently bought. It's actually one I already had but since I have one, I don't need this one. I want you to have it." Aaron said as Soda paged through the Bible.
"Thanks Aaron." Soda said softly. Then he forced a grin. "Well, this is my last night here. Let's stop being sad and have some fun! We'll have enough time for tears later."
I looked at Soda and noticed that despite his words, his own eyes had tears in them. "It won't be the same here without you."
"Sure it will." Soda replied.
"No, it won't." I insisted. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know anyone here. And who else takes the time to listen to me like you do?"
Soda just put his arm around my shoulders and sat quietly. He knew what I was getting at. Pony felt the same way. No one in the gang listened like Soda did. He always had time for you, even if he was busy. Nothing would stop him from listening to one of us talk. Not even if it was something he had heard a million times before.
"You know Chris, God listens to you, too." Aaron spoke up. He had been sitting on the floor with his back against the closet door.
Jeff nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Aaron's right. It's part of the whole searching thing. Lots of people tend to search for someone to listen to them. And even though you can't see him, God will always listen to you."
"Are you serious?" Steve asked. He had been staring out the window. Out of all of us, he was probably having the hardest time with Soda leaving. He hadn't said much all day.
"Yeah, I'm serious." Jeff said.
Steve went back to staring out the window.
Soda stood up and joined him. "Hey, I'll be back. It's not like I'm leaving forever. I'll be back home before you know it."
"Soda, I wish I could trade places with you." Steve said.
"Don't talk like that." Soda told him.
"Hey, why should you go off to war? You should stay here." Steve replied.
"Steve, I have to go. I don't like it any more than you do, but I have no choice. Just like you have no choice in staying. besides, how do you know that you won't be drafted too? You could end up going to the war,too." Soda said.
"Steve, are you thinking that you'll find what you're searching for if you go to Vietnam?" Jeff asked.
"I don't know." Steve admitted. "And I know you're going to try again to get me to make the decision and I'm still not ready."
Soda looked over at me. I knew he was wondering if the two of us had made the right choice ourselves. And if we had, why wasn't Steve willing to make the same choice. Had we found what we were searching for? Would Steve ever find what he was searching for, if it wasn't what Soda and I had found?