SE Hinton owns The Outsiders.

Dropdown

Ten-

Darry Curtis was remembering being a kid, being out in the country with his dad, and chasing grasshoppers while his father combed the prairie looking for pheasants. The grasshoppers would pop up and down in the tall grass. Sometimes it seemed like they'd been catapulted- their jumps were so wild and uncoordinated, it didn't seem possible that the creature had put any kind of thought into where it was jumping or why.

He was thinking about this as he sat in his chair and watched his brother Sodapop, and Two-Bit, and Curly Shepard bounce around the living room. Soda and Two-Bit's neverending movement was so routine that he could go for hours without it bothering him, but Curly added to the mix was wearing on him. Soda had been delighted when Tim had come in- several minutes after Two-Bit- and deposited Curly on the couch. Soda didn't particularly like Curly, but Tim's showing up and then abruptly leaving again meant there was a conflict brewing, and Soda was itching to know what it was about.

Whatever it was, Two-Bit was in on it, and he was mad about it. He'd shot Tim a look that would've turned any other guy's blood to ice, but Tim didn't even acknowledge that Two-Bit was there. Curly was mad as well; he didn't appreciate being left behind and left out of whatever shit Two-Bit and Tim had stirred up.

"Sit the hell down," Two-Bit said to Curly.

Curly was leaning on the doorframe looking out across the lawn.

"He ain't coming back for you," Two-Bit wheedled.

"Ain't coming back for you either," Curly snapped. "From the looks of things, neither is your girl."

"She ain't my girl, so don't worry about it."

"Ain't worried about. Looks to me like she's got Tim to worry over her now."

Two-Bit stood up quickly enough to make Curly jump.

"Two-Bit…" Darry said.

"What girl?" Soda asked. He figured he understood conflict over girls well enough.

Two-Bit didn't answer. He sat back down again.

Curly was happy to impart any wisdom he possessed on the subject:

"Her name's Hazel. She's a looker. Real tuff chick. I thought she was Two-Bit's girl, but I think she jumped ship."

Darry rolled his eyes. He knew Hazel, or knew of her. That was pretty much the way Two-Bit described how everyone knew her: they didn't really know her with any sort of depth, they just saw her around. Two-Bit, it seemed, had seen more of her than some people. For his part, Darry knew her to see her, agreed that she was worth a second look, but didn't trust any girl who would tolerate Two-Bit for any period of time. Either she was was plain vacuous or willfully ignorant. That she would float back and forth between Two-Bit and Tim implied that she was a little crazy.

"She's got coke on her," Soda offered.

"What?" Darry said. This added a new and exciting element of his long list of things to worry about.

"Don't she, Two-Bit? You said…"

Two-Bit glared at Sodapop.

"I know what I said. I don't need you to remind me, or be telling the whole round world."

Darry lay his newspaper down. He said to Two-Bit, "You ever done it?"

"Yep," was all Two-Bit said. He stared straight ahead and avoided Darry's eyes.

"You got any on you?"

"Nope, it was hers."

"You ever bring it here, you ever bring her here, you ever give him any…" He nodded towards Soda. "I'll bust your fool head open, ya hear?"

"Loud and clear."

"I like her," Curly said to no one.

"I don't fuckin' care what you think," Two-Bit told him. "No one cares what you think. If Tim did, he wouldn't have left you here."

Darry could tell that wounded Curly. He said, "Two-Bit…" again, and hoped they'd all just shut up. No such luck.

"Do you know where they're going, Little Shepard?" Two-Bit asked.

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because if you don't, I'm going to toss you out into the yard and clean your clock."

"Yeah, and then Tim'll…"

"Stop," Darry said. He stood up, and the rest of them became still. "Two-Bit, kitchen. Curly, don't you make a move."

Darry went to the kitchen without looking back to see if Two-Bit was following. When he turned around, sure enough Two-Bit was there. Darry leaned back against the refrigerator. Two-Bit hopped up and sat on the counter, like maybe the conversation they were about to have wasn't all that serious.

"Once," he said. "I did it once, and I didn't like it. It was hers."

"I think we covered that already. I want to know what the hell else is going on. Why am I sitting on Curly Shepard? How long has Tim been out of McAlester- eight whole hours? Should I be expecting the cops on my doorstep wanting to know where he's at?"

Two-Bit shook his head.

"No idea. You know of a guy who fixes shit at the track? Billy Simon? Tim and Hazel both have something going with him. I don't know what the deal is, but it seems to have gone sour. They both seemed to feel that I didn't need to be involved further, and you know how Tim is about Curly."

Darry nodded. How Tim was about Curly was one of the very few reasons he tolerated Tim at all. They understood each other on the subject of younger siblings.

"Is Tim holding?"

"Dope or heat?"

"Sounds like the girl holds onto the dope for the both of you."

"He's got a gun."

Darry rolled his eyes.

"So, whatever he's up to, he's headed back down south. It ain't going to end well, in any case. Exactly how long am I supposed to be holding on to his little brother?"

Two-Bit shrugged.

"I'd cut him loose right now if it was up to me."

"I know you would, and it ain't. If I called the cops, and sent them to this Simon guy's house, who's going to go down? All of them, or is Simon the real catch?"

"Couldn't tell you," Two-Bit said, shaking his head. "You put a lot more faith in the cops than I ever would. Tim's on parole and he's got a gun, so he'd be done for. Haze...Jesus, I'd like to say I knew, but I don't. She's holding, but I never knew her to have enough on her to add up to more than misdemeanor jail time."

Darry hmmm'ed.

"Well, maybe when it all comes tumbling down, I can stick her with Curly. Does she strike you as the maternal type?"

"Not in the least," Two-Bit said.

Tim held Hazel's hand until they reached the mouth of the alley. He figured it gave the appearance to anyone watching that they were just a couple of kids out for a stroll.

"You go in and out," he told her. "You do it fast, and don't make a noise."

"I know how to open a freezer, Tim."

"If you hear him or see him, you get the hell out of there, and leave him to me."

"It'll take less than five minutes. In five minutes, meet me back at the car."

Tim wasn't used to anyone else giving the directives, least of all a girl. He let go of her hand and pinched her waist to let her know he thought she was being cute. She caught his meaning, and it didn't go down well.

"All's I need is the ring," she said. "Why don't you hold my purse?"

"The one with the cocaine in it? I'd love to."

Tim took Hazel's purse and set it down next to a telephone pole. Hazel whispered, "Goddamnit…" under her breath. She left him standing, with a little smirk on his face, at the edge of the alley.

Tim walked towards the Simon house. When he reached it, he hopped the fence and crouched down in the shadow just out of reach of the light that poured from the dining room window. Billy was sitting at the table, and he was talking to someone. Tim crept closer to see who was in the kitchen.

Eleanor Simon stood at her kitchen sink. Tim shook his head. Never trust the Bible-beaters. They all talk a good game, but it's all at their convenience. Church night is whatever night they want to be church night.

Billy said something to Eleanor and she put her dishrag down. She turned and headed towards the breezeway. Tim cursed under his breath. This is where it all went to hell he figured- when he went and did something for the girl that he wasn't sure she'd do for him. He sprinted towards the back door, waited until he heard Eleanor, and then knocked.

Eleanor opened the door. She frowned at him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Got out this morning. Heard Billy wanted a word."

"What are you doing in my backyard?"

"I'm on parole, ma'am. Thought maybe it wouldn't look good for Billy if anyone saw me from the street."

"Ain't you a courteous thing?" She said, and stepped aside to let him in. She yelled past him, "Bill, one of those Shepard boys is here."

Tim snorted. She would have to tip Billy off, give him time to grab some sort of weapon and meet Tim at the ready.

Then she said to Tim, "I'll be right back. Do you want a beer, son? I was going to grab one from the garage."

"Didn't know you imbibed," Tim said. "What with your religion and all."

"I don't, but my husband does. I figure- at some point- his business with the Almighty is his and his alone."

Tim nodded.

"Mine, too, I guess," he said. "No, thank you, ma'am. I won't be staying long."

Eleanor, again, headed towards the door to the garage. Tim hoped that Hazel had heard her announce Tim's arrival to Billy, or maybe that Hazel was already in and out. He checked that the gun was hidden beneath his jacket, and went into Simon's kitchen.