Johnni Again
I was woken up when my brother pushed me out of my bed at eight o' clock the next morning.
"What the h...", I start but I catch myself. I'm not aiming to get grounded, and the first thing he'd do would be to tell Dad.
"Dad wants you!", Dallas told me, "Said to get your butt out there!"
I groan into my pillow but get up and go into the kitchen.
"Good Morning, Johnni!", Mom smiles at me as I come in.
I sit at the table without saying a word. Dad sighs, "Are you going to give everyone the cold shoulder all day?"
I ignore him, I wasn't in the mood to talk to anybody today. I was ticked and wanted to show it.
"Well, there are some tapes in the living room the living room that may interest you!", he smiles.
I eat my breakfast still not having said a word to him and go into the living room.
There were four tapes. One was New Year's 1969, Pony's Birthday 1969 , For Johnni, and Johnni's 1st birthday.
I start with the New Years.
"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3,2, 1! Happy New Year!", Everyone called.
My dad and my father took over the shot.
"Come on Soda turn the camera off!", My dad said.
"No way Pony!", my uncle's young voice laughed off-camera, "This is too much fun!"
My father, a skinny slotchy boy of about 15 or 16, stands talking to an obviously pregnant girl of about the same age. My mother.
My father covers the lens of the camera as it comes near him.
"Cut it out Soda!", my father says. His soft, quiet voice was almost inaudible over my uncle laughing.
"Come on Johnny! let me get a shot of the bun in the oven!", Soda laughs.
"Not today!", my mother smiles painfully.
"Turn the fucking camera off!", my dad orders.
The tape was over. I popped in the next one.
"Happy Birthday, Pony!", my uncle Darry already old at 20 in the video says, "Now blow at the candles!"
My dad does so. According to the candles he is 14 .
"Yay!", Everyone cheers.
As my Uncle Darry passes out the cake. Soda settles on my parents. I'm there, maybe 5 months old.
"And here's the new baby!", Soda laughs.
"Seriously, Soda!", my mother says, "You see her everyday!"
"Wave hi, Johnni!", my father laughs raising my arm up in wave.
My mother gives him the evil eye. They must have been talking about something important before the camera turned on them.
I put in the next tape the one labeled for me.
My father is the a hospital room.
"Just hold the camera, will ya Dal!", my father snaps at the cameraperson.
It's obvious to anyone who sees his condition he isn't doing well. He is covered with a blanket so only his upper body is visible. Even that is burned almost to the point I barely recongize him.
"Johnni, my little girl, guess this is goodbye. Sorry to have dragged you and your mom into this mess. I love you girls. Listen I know by the time you see this you'll be old enough you're wishing I was there. But there will be someone who can be me. I didn't have a good life and I have a feeling yours will be better without me in it", he barely manages.
"Quit your talking like that!", the cameraman snaps, "Listen, I gotta get to the fight. I'll be back by later!"
I'm fighting back tears.
"Your father was hopeless before they even tried saving him!", my dad says. I didn't know he was in the room.
"Why was he in the hospital?", I ask breaking my silent treatment.
"Saved some kids from a fire in building we'd been hiding in!", he sighs.
"Why were you hiding?", I asked.
"Why do you ask so many questions?", Dad raises his eyebrows.
I raise mine back at him.
"Come in the kitchen your mom's gonna talk to you.", Dad laughed.
Uncle Soda bursts through the door, "Hello!"
"Hey, Uncle Soda!", I call.
"Hey, Johnni!", he laughs, "How ya doing?"
"Good! What brings you by?", I ask.
"Well, your mom and dad were wanting to get your little brother out of the house and your Aunt Kristen and figured he could come play with Stevie for a little while. And I have Kim this weekend so I'll bring her by when I drop him back off.", he grins.
Stevie and Kim were our cousins. Stevie was 8 or so and Kim was a year younger than me. Kim was my best friend, we were more like sisters than cousins. But she lived with her mom, so I only get to see her when Uncle Soda has her.
"Cool!", I say.
Dallas and Uncle Soda leave. Mom pulls out a scrapbook of old newspaper clippings. I look at the first one. There were pictures under the heading: Juvenile Deliquents Turn Hero
Ponyboy Curtis, age 14
Johnny Cade, age 16
Dallas Winston, age 17
Johnny Cade, wanted for murder in Tulsa, was found as a hero in Windrixville. After stabbing to death 18 year old.
Me: My finals are soon so I will be posting after my winter break!