Tues. Sept. 27, 1966
For one year I had been living with my Uncle Danny. Within that year I graduated high school (the same high school I always attended, which then I graduated with Steve) and got a job at the Newspaper Company (I had no intentions of going to college). I wasn't totally over Sodapop; I don't think I ever will be, though. I met a new guy, his name is Andrew Grayson. He was a great guy. We had been dating a month after I got there. One day he took me to the movies. This was one of Andrew's favorite movies. Honestly it was kinda stupid, but I didn't tell him.
Since the movie bored me to death, my mind started thinking about other things. Of course, the only thing I could think of was Soda. Why the heck did I leave to begin with? Was I really gonna let Sandy scare me away? Soda promised he didn't love her anymore. I couldn't stay here any longer just thinking that I could lose him. I had to tell Andrew.
"Andrew, I can't stay here anymore." I said with regrets.
"Where are you gonna go?" He asked.
"I just have to go home." I whimpered.
"Okay, then I'll drive you home." He wasn't getting it.
"No, Andrew, I mean home, Tulsa home." I answered. "I don't belong here."
"Well, fine, go back home." He wasn't happy.
I didn't regret my decision to leave at all. I didn't even worry about Andrew. I knew I had to grow up and learn to deal with Sandy. She would come back because she thought Soda would let her.
When I got home, I went to hug Casey. Then Cherry came in and we hugged too. I called Ponyboy to tell him the good news. He came over with Darry and Soda within five minutes.
"Oh, Pony. I missed you so much." I cried.
"Why'd you leave?" Pony asked.
"I don't know. I'm just glad I'm back." I started to cry. I went to Soda next.
"I'm so sorry I didn't believe you." I started bawling.
"It's alright; I'm just glad you're home." He responded in tears.
"Darry, Two-Bit, hey, oh, and Steve." I hugged them too, not even caring how Steve and Two-Bit figured out I was home.
"I can't believe you actually left us." Darry complained.
"I'm sorry. I thought I wasn't happy. But honestly you guys make me happy." I said.
Since I was back, Darry took us all out to eat. We decided to eat at our favorite pizza parlor: Polly's Pizza Place. We all shared two large pizzas. Two-Bit and Steve ate most of it. We talked about what went on while I was in a different part of Oklahoma. Soda seemed to be getting jealous whenever I spoke about Andrew. I reassured Soda, though, that I was over Andrew and that he is all in my past.
I drove Cherry and Casey with me back home. I felt bad for breaking up with Andrew so I decided to check up on him.
Typhani: Hey, how are you doing?
Andrew: Fine but why did we break up?
Typhani: Well it's hard to explain. I just needed time to realize what I really need.
Andrew: So you don't even wait to see how you feel the next day!
Typhani: I've been friends with them for such a long time.
Andrew: Then why did you come here?
Typhani: I needed space, time to think and I thought my boyfriend cheated on me.
Andrew: And now you love the guy who cheated on you?
Typhani: He didn't.
Andrew: But you just said he did!
Typhani: See, this is why I don't think we're right for each other: you don't understand me the way Soda does.
Andrew: You're ex-boyfriend is a drink?
Typhani: It's his name, okay?
Andrew: I'm sorry.
Typhani: Well… I gotta go.
Andrew: I'll see you around then.
Typhani: Yeah, see ya around.
I hung up. I walked over to Cherry and Casey. They were watching TV and reading magazines. I sat on the couch beside them. It was long night and I was feeling real tired, so I went to bed.
I don't know what time it was but I felt a draft of cold air and then I was gripping my blanket to my face and then there was like a heater pressed up against my body. I opened my eyes and turned to face the body heater. It was Soda. I was happy to see him.
"I need to set some things straight." Soda said. "I'll start by saying I'm sorry. But I didn't kiss her. She kissed me first."
"I know. That's why I came back." I accepted his apology. "But did you like it?"
"Did I like what?"
"The kiss, did you enjoy the kiss, because you held her like you used to."
"I can honestly say I did. And for a split second I thought I loved her again." I could tell that he felt guilty and I sighed.
"Then you did cheat on me." I said.
"You'll never understand." Soda started to leave but I grabbed his arm before he got too far.
"I do understand but it's this feeling inside that makes me want to push you away and make me leave, that's the feeling I had and that's why I left. Soda, I love you." I explained. I brought him closer to me and kissed him.
"Sodapop Curtis and Typhani Taylor!" Darry shouted and we separated.
"Darry." I said, surprised to see him. "What are you doing here?"
"I couldn't find Soda at home so I figured he was here and then I come and find him attached to you!" Darry was really mad. "Let's go, Soda!"
"What? You can't keep telling me what to do, Darry!" Soda yelled back. They walked out yelling at each other. The five-minute mark came and Soda came running in.
"Then I'm staying here with… with Typhani and you ain't gonna do nothin' 'bout it!" Soda screamed.
"Fine. Do what you want because you can take care of yourself!" Darry shouted. Darry stormed out.
"Soda, what's going on?" I asked worried.
"Can I stay here until things cool down?" Soda asked thinking hard.
"Yeah, sure. Anytime." I responded confused. Soda had explained. Darry had a real bad problem with public displays of affection. It really bothered him. I guess he might be jealous or something. So, Darry yelled at him every time Soda kissed me. Whatever.
Tues. Oct. 4, 1966
Soda had been here for about a week. With him being here, us girls kinda took advantage of him. He made us breakfast and treated us to lunch and then we were kinda on our own for dinner. Casey and I laid around all day and Soda kinda just took over the cleaning and did things for us. He was okay with it for awhile but then his attitude totally changed.
"What'd you make for breakfast?" I asked one morning when I woke up late.
"What? Why is it me that always has to make you breakfast?" Soda complained.
"I don't know, you've just been making us breakfast for the past week." I sat down on the couch.
"No! I'm not your butler! If you are gonna continue to treat me like this, then I'm gonna just leave!" Soda screamed, and then walked out. "I need a ride home." Soda said five seconds later.
"I'll take you." I said sadly. Soda only asked for a ride because Greasers just don't walk home alone. I understood that.
The car ride to his house was silent. I tried to say something but Soda interrupted and said, "I don't want to hear it. I'm through dating you." Soda yelled.
My eyes widen. Soda just broke up with me! "Well fine, then you can walk home!" I demanded. This was the first time I had ever really yelled at Soda. I turned around and drove back in tears. When I got home Pony called.
Pony: What's going on with Soda?
Typhani: While he was at my house we took advantage of him and he got mad. Then I took him home and we fought and I made him walk home.
Pony: You made him walk home?
Typhani: Well, I don't know.
Pony: Got to go. Soda's coming.
He hung up immediately.
Wed. Oct. 5, 1966
Since I didn't have Soda to hang out with, I decided to hang out with Casey and Cherry. I joined them on a shopping trip. I don't like shopping. That's why I didn't hang out with them much. We took the bus home and then we took a shortcut. They said they always went that way. I noticed movement of shadows on the building closest to me. It looked to me like people fighting. I found myself moving toward the fight. I hid behind a garbage can. I figured out that the "jumpee" was Two-Bit. He looked like he was having trouble fighting back because there were two people on him. I ran to the nearest pay phone and reported the fight. This was mainly for Two-Bit, so he wouldn't get too hurt.
The police told me that they would be there as soon as they could. I ran back to the scene. I went behind the same trash can. When the police arrived, I came out from behind the trash can. They arrested the two people that jumped Two-Bit, who, passed out. They took him to the hospital and I rode in the ambulance with him.
At the hospital they wouldn't let me go in to see Two-Bit. So I went out to find a pay phone and I called Darry. He sounded pretty upset to hear that Two-Bit was in the hospital. Darry and Two-Bit were pretty close even if it didn't show. Darry, his brothers, and Steve showed up at the hospital within ten minutes.
We spent the whole night there waiting for the okay to go in. Once he woke up we could see him but he was still dosing off every once and a while.
Thurs. Oct. 6, 1966
After having breakfast early this morning, we got back in time to see Two-Bit. He was gonna be okay. He had a minor concussion but he could go home in two days. We argued with the doctor about visiting hours and eventually he gave in and let us stay with him.
"It's good to see you guys." Two-Bit said. "So what happened?"
"You were getting beat up by two guys and I called the cops. You passed out after a hard punch to the face." I answered.
"Man, I can't believe I lost a fight." He sighed.
"Yeah, I know, it's not like you." Soda commented. Two-Bit laughed.
"I need you guys to leave. Keith needs his rest." The nurse said. We looked at her funny for a moment, trying to identify "Keith" but then we remembered that it was Two-Bit's real name. We haven't called him that in years.
An hour later he woke up and I was there with Darry.
"Hey buddy." Darry said.
"Hey guys!" Two-Bit cheered.
"How you feeling?" I asked.
"I'm fine, nothing too serious but I sprained my fighting arm." Two-Bit was always concerned about the condition of his "fighting arm," that would be his right arm. He was always ready for a fight.
We stayed and talked to him for some time before he got tired. He wasn't supposed to sleep for more than two hours just in case something might happen to him while he was sleeping, so the nurse woke him up every two hours. Darry took off work just to see Two-Bit. They were really close.