Chapter 6:

The next day was a Thursday. Soda went off to work, and Johnny actually went to school! I pretended to be sick, and Darry knew I wasn't really, so that I could stay home and talk to Darry about the adoption situation. When both Johnny and Soda were gone, Darry called me out into the living room. " Ponyboy, you know this is not going to be easy right?" he asked

"Yeah, I know." I said weakly, I didn't want to think of the possibility of not getting Johnny.

" OK, then you and I are going to try to get things organized today. OK?"

" That'd wonderful."

It was 5:30 A.M at that time. Darry and I got dressed in our absolute best clothes. He was in a black tux, I hadn't seen Darry in a tux in I don't know how long, with Dad's silk black tie around his neck. He had shaven the stubble on his face he was 100% clean cut. His brown hair was slicked back, not with grease of course. He wouldn't put that in his hair because, besides hating it, it wouldn't look professional. Darry had to look as professional as possible, first impressions can make or break an adoption case. I knew that from experience when Darry was getting Soda and I.

I too, had to dress efficiently. I don't know why, I'm not adopting Johnny, Darry is. But anyway, I'm not really the party type of guy. I don't have dress cloths and all that stuff like Darry does. So I just wore a nice pair of jeans that weren't dirty or fringed. I put on a nice black T-shirt and tucked it into my pants. I then put on one of Soda's nice jackets. It wasn't leather or jean like every other jacket in our house. But it looked nice, and that was what I was going for. It was a black cotton jacket, and when I put it on I was surprised with the fabric, I hadn't worn a jacket that wasn't leather or jean in a long time. Then I shaved the little stubble that I had and I had to wash all the grease out of my hair and comb it back. Darry and I both took showers and ate chocolate cake for breakfast. We also brushed our teeth and got the house ready, just in case anyone had to see it for an inspection or something like that. I mad Johnny and mine's, and Darry's beds. We put Soda's bedding on our beds, because if an adoption person were to come to our house and see that we didn't have proper bedding for everyone that would be an automatic NO!

At 9:30 Darry and I left, we decided that eventually Johnny's mother and father would have to know, whether they cared or not, that we were trying to get custody of their son. So we decided better sooner than later. We walked to Johnny's house, a few houses down from ours, and knocked on the door. answered the door; of course he had no idea who either Darry or I were. "What do you want?" He screamed. Darry sensed that I was scared because he motioned me to get behind him, I did, and he started talking.

" Hello, , my names Darrel Curtis. This is my brother, Ponyboy Curtis. Darry pushed me forward a bit. Then he continued speaking. " We've come to your house to address you about your son, Johnathan."

"Yeah, the little brat's mine."

"First Sir, do not refer to him as a brat. He is an extremely nice, sweet, caring sixteen-year-old boy. Anybody would be proud to call him his or her son.

"I wish we could get rid of him." His Dad mumbled.

"Well then Sir, I have good news for you. Darry said

"What's that?"

" Ponyboy and I are good friends of your son. You see, our parents died a little under a year ago, and I have legal guardianship of Ponyboy, and our other brother Soda. Well, we…" Darry stuttered for a minute, I guess trying to think of something to say. That doesn't surprise me though, what are you suppose to say when you're telling someone you're taking their kid.

" We were wondering, if you'd grant us the blessing of adopting Johnny." Is what finally came out of his mouth. The man scratched his head, then called his wife out.

"Sue these two men want to adopt Johnny, what do you say, can they?" He had evident excitement in his voice.

" YES! Get the stupid brat out of our hair. "she slurred, then left.

"There's your answer boys. Do what you want Sue and I could care less what you do with him." He shut the door, and Darry and I started off toward the courthouse.

"Thank you, Darry." I said

" No problem, yeah I see what you say now, Ponyboy. We have to save Johnny. He can't stay there."

The two of us walked off, neither of us had much to say. Johnny's Mom and Dad appalled us, they didn't even care that we were taking him from them. I was right he'd be so much better off with Darry, Soda, and I.