"Hey Steve, come and take a look at this." Soda yelled to his friend at the
DX were him and Steve worked. "I can't figure it. Dumb car just won't
start." Steve hopped on over and looked at all the mechanics in the front
hood. "Steve watcha think Sandy's doing right now?" Soda asked as his
mechanical genius friend busily worked on the old banged up car.
"You still got that girl on your mind, Sodapop? Steve looked up.
"Yeah." Soda said.
"Listen Soda, with your looks you could have any broad you want. Why can't you just go out and find another girl?"
Soda looked kind of hurt. "It aint like that Steve. It just aint like that." Soda said desperately.
Steve looked back up at his friend. "I know." Steve said understandingly. "I know." They didn't say anything else for a while. Steve couldn't think of anything else to say that would comfort Soda. "Hey, would Darry have even let you get married at sixteen?" Steve said breaking the uneasy silence.
"Seventeen." Soda corrected him.
"Ok fine, would Darry have even let you go off and get married at seventeen?" Steve rephrased his question.
"I dunno." Soda said. " I guess not just yet, but still…"
His friend nodded. "Don't worry buddy. Everything's gonna be all right. I know it."
Soda wasn't convinced but he smiled at his friend half heartedly. "Thanks Steve."
***
Loud music and the sound of a car halt to a stop was heard outside of the Curtis house. Pony pulled back the shades and looked out the window to see Two-Bit jumping out of his car and coming up to the doorway. He came walking in a few seconds later. "It sure is quiet." Two-Bit said. "Were are Steve and Soda. They're usually making a ruckus."
"They went out for a bit when they got back from the DX. Darry's still at work." Pony explained.
Two-Bit nodded and walked into the kitchen, wondering if there was any beer left in the fridge or if he had drank it all. He found a couple and opened one gulping it down. "Hey you wanna go catch a movie or something?" Two-Bit asked.
"I can't." Pony grumbled miserably.
"Why?" Two-Bit asked.
"Grounded." Pony said.
"Gosh that big brother of yours sure keeps you under his thumb." Two- Bit joked.
"Yah, you're laughing." Pony said. You ought to try and live in my shoes for one day."
Two-Bit smiled. "Great we'll switch places. I'll be you and you be me. First I gotta teach you how to cock one eyebrow though."
"That'll be a laugh." Pony said sarcastically.
"Gosh kid you aint no fun today. You're all gloomy and miserable looking."
"That's probably because I am gloomy and miserable." Ponyboy snapped and felt sorry afterwards.
Two- Bit stopped joking and looked at Pony seriously wondering what was the matter. "Honestly Kid, what really is bothering you?"
"I dunno." Pony murmured. "I'm just tried I guess. I'll be ok."
"Well, when are Steve and Soda coming home? It's to quiet around this place."
"I'm not sure." Pony said. "I'm gonna go lie down, Two- Bit. Wake me up when it's time for dinner."
"Sure thing kid." Two-Bit said flipping the TV on and turning to Mickey Mouse.
Pony slouched of to his room and fell down on the bed falling asleep just a few minutes after.
***
"All right what else do I need?" Darry thought walking down aisle three at his local super market at 5:00 p.m. after he'd left work. He sighed regretting not making a list and tried to get a visual of the refrigerator in his head so he might remember what wasn't in there. "Eggs." He thought suddenly. "We're all out of eggs."
As he continued shopping he worried about Pony's behavior. The idea of his little brother carrying a blade didn't thrill him. "Pony doesn't even like any kind of violent stuff." Darry thought. The more Darry thought about Ponyboy and the Socs swinging knives at each other the more it worried him and he wanted to make sure he allowed some time out of his busy day to have that talk with his brother. He'd already yelled and grounded him. "What else am I gonna do with the kid?" Darry asked himself silently and then let out a deep sigh trying to relieve some of his stress. He'd finally gotten everything he needed, checked out, and drove home quickly.
Darry arrived home at 6:00 p.m. He found Soda, Steve, and Two-Bit playing poker in the living room. "Hey Darry." Soda greeted. "How was work?"
"Same as always" Darry replied. "Long and tiring." Darry set the groceries down on the kitchen counter and began to put them away. "Where's Pony?" he shouted from the kitchen realizing he hadn't seen him when he walked in.
"He's been in his room sleeping for the last hour and a half" Two-Bit told him.
"Sleeping?" Darry asked surprised. "What for?"
"How should I know Darry? Maybe he's just tired."
Darry went back to the groceries. "What do ya'll want for dinner, chicken, meatloaf, or pasta?" Chicken was the three younger boys reply. Darry turned the oven on.
"I win yet again." Two-Bit announced. "Cough up the change."
"There aint no way that you just beat me five times in a row. What cards are you hiding up your sleeve?" Steve said.
"Stevie, you are one sore loser." Two-Bit said.
"I am not a sore loser. You're a cheater." Soda sat back amused and watched the two go back and forth at each other for a while.
"Shut up! You're both driving me out of my mind." Darry said. They quieted down a bit.
"Deal the cards." Soda said.
Darry walked in to get Pony up because dinner was almost ready. He walked in quietly to see Ponyboy laid curled up on the bed sleeping peacefully. Darry walked over and felt Pony's forehead with the back of his hand hoping that he wasn't sick. He didn't have a fever to Darry's relief.
Ponyboy slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Darry. "Hey, little buddy."
"Hi Darry." Pony yawned. He remembered that talk Darry wanted to have with him and hoped that wasn't why he'd been woken up.
"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes if you get hungry."
"Ok." Pony said closing his eyes again. Darry watched Pony drift slowly back to sleep. "He's fine." Darry told himself. "Maybe I do worry to much."
"Sodapop, did you know that Pony's been carrying a blade?" Darry asked his second to youngest brother as he came back into the living room. He had already began doubting that he worried to much. Soda shook his head focusing hard on his playing cards.
"It's good for protection." Two-Bit noted.
"I don't like it." Darry said. "I don't like it all."
Two-Bit didn't say anything. He new what Darry meant. Pony had never thought to carry a weapon before. Why did he want to carry one now? Steve acted uninterested but listened to the whole conversation.
"Well he'd never use it anyways." Two-Bit said. Soda looked at Darry as if to tell him he knew what he was thinking. Two-Bit and Steve didn't know about Pony being out that night with Tim. Darry then wondered if Pony had used the knife. He hadn't asked him that and wished he had. Immediately Darry's worries returned to him as he pictured his youngest brother who usually acted sweet and harmless, ripping a knife out and threatening someone with it. Even worse trying to injure someone with it. That's not what concerned Darry the most though. They lived in a dangerous neighborhood and like Darry had said before he didn't want either Pony or Soda to get hurt. Pony would if he continued to cause trouble. Darry'd loose his cool if he found out he'd gone out slashing tires again and if Tim had anything to do with it Darry'd break that guys neck. Someone might find out It was Pony and come after him. Everybody wanted revenge. How come the only way things could ever be settled was with a fight and how come Ponyboy seemed to be looking to start one?
"It's Shepard." Darry concluded silently. "Putting thoughts into Pony's head, giving him bad ideas, and getting him into trouble." Soon Darry's worries just turned into anger. Not towards Pony but towards Tim and the society they lived in. His brothers didn't need this recklessness. The three boys had lost their parents and two friends in just a year. They had lost four people that they loved very much.
Darry, well… Darry was an adult. Things were different with him. "Soda and Pony." He thought. "They're just kids." They were growing up learning to hate the world. They're growing up learning how to act like mindless fighting robots with nothing on the inside but a cold stone heart and a need to hate. But that wasn't what his brothers were. That's not how they wanted to be. He didn't want them to be reckless, dangerous, so called hoods who haunted the streets with their presence and were a nuisance to all society.
He wasn't worried about Soda as much but lately it seemed that Pony had been trying to act tough and feelingless. Why did everything have to be so hard? Why did people have to get hurt and die? "It's turning my brother into something that he's not. But, what is it? It is the sadness, the crushed dreams, the frightening experiences, the people that seemed to be so awful…
Soda's words interrupted Darry's thoughts. "Is dinner ready yet?"
"Yeah," Darry replied coming out of his daze and placing the two chickens on the kitchen table. Everyone dropped their cards and came running in. Dinner was mostly silent. Everybody ate a big meal and afterwards continued playing poker and watching TV until late that night.
Darry sat and read the paper as he often does and occasionally joined in the conversation. He wondered what was the matter when the clock struck ten and as far as he knew Ponyboy was still in bed. Darry got up and walked down the hall. He found Pony still in his room but awake and writing furiously in a small notebook.
"Kid, you all right?"
Pony put down his pen and looked over at Darry smiling slightly. "Yah, I'm ok. Why?"
"Well, you've been in here all afternoon." Darry said. "Want me to bring you some dinner of something?"
Pony thought for a moment. "Ok." He said. "I am kind of hungry." Darry was relieved. Something would have definitely been wrong if Ponyboy had lost his appetite.
He went and warmed up some leftovers in the oven for a few minutes and brought them to Ponyboy who was writing again. Darry became more curious about what in the world he was scribbling down but he didn't ask. He just set the dinner down on the small dresser next to Pony and Soda's bed. "You sure that you're all right?" Darry asked him again. Ponyboy nodded so Darry left and went back to the living room.
"You still got that girl on your mind, Sodapop? Steve looked up.
"Yeah." Soda said.
"Listen Soda, with your looks you could have any broad you want. Why can't you just go out and find another girl?"
Soda looked kind of hurt. "It aint like that Steve. It just aint like that." Soda said desperately.
Steve looked back up at his friend. "I know." Steve said understandingly. "I know." They didn't say anything else for a while. Steve couldn't think of anything else to say that would comfort Soda. "Hey, would Darry have even let you get married at sixteen?" Steve said breaking the uneasy silence.
"Seventeen." Soda corrected him.
"Ok fine, would Darry have even let you go off and get married at seventeen?" Steve rephrased his question.
"I dunno." Soda said. " I guess not just yet, but still…"
His friend nodded. "Don't worry buddy. Everything's gonna be all right. I know it."
Soda wasn't convinced but he smiled at his friend half heartedly. "Thanks Steve."
***
Loud music and the sound of a car halt to a stop was heard outside of the Curtis house. Pony pulled back the shades and looked out the window to see Two-Bit jumping out of his car and coming up to the doorway. He came walking in a few seconds later. "It sure is quiet." Two-Bit said. "Were are Steve and Soda. They're usually making a ruckus."
"They went out for a bit when they got back from the DX. Darry's still at work." Pony explained.
Two-Bit nodded and walked into the kitchen, wondering if there was any beer left in the fridge or if he had drank it all. He found a couple and opened one gulping it down. "Hey you wanna go catch a movie or something?" Two-Bit asked.
"I can't." Pony grumbled miserably.
"Why?" Two-Bit asked.
"Grounded." Pony said.
"Gosh that big brother of yours sure keeps you under his thumb." Two- Bit joked.
"Yah, you're laughing." Pony said. You ought to try and live in my shoes for one day."
Two-Bit smiled. "Great we'll switch places. I'll be you and you be me. First I gotta teach you how to cock one eyebrow though."
"That'll be a laugh." Pony said sarcastically.
"Gosh kid you aint no fun today. You're all gloomy and miserable looking."
"That's probably because I am gloomy and miserable." Ponyboy snapped and felt sorry afterwards.
Two- Bit stopped joking and looked at Pony seriously wondering what was the matter. "Honestly Kid, what really is bothering you?"
"I dunno." Pony murmured. "I'm just tried I guess. I'll be ok."
"Well, when are Steve and Soda coming home? It's to quiet around this place."
"I'm not sure." Pony said. "I'm gonna go lie down, Two- Bit. Wake me up when it's time for dinner."
"Sure thing kid." Two-Bit said flipping the TV on and turning to Mickey Mouse.
Pony slouched of to his room and fell down on the bed falling asleep just a few minutes after.
***
"All right what else do I need?" Darry thought walking down aisle three at his local super market at 5:00 p.m. after he'd left work. He sighed regretting not making a list and tried to get a visual of the refrigerator in his head so he might remember what wasn't in there. "Eggs." He thought suddenly. "We're all out of eggs."
As he continued shopping he worried about Pony's behavior. The idea of his little brother carrying a blade didn't thrill him. "Pony doesn't even like any kind of violent stuff." Darry thought. The more Darry thought about Ponyboy and the Socs swinging knives at each other the more it worried him and he wanted to make sure he allowed some time out of his busy day to have that talk with his brother. He'd already yelled and grounded him. "What else am I gonna do with the kid?" Darry asked himself silently and then let out a deep sigh trying to relieve some of his stress. He'd finally gotten everything he needed, checked out, and drove home quickly.
Darry arrived home at 6:00 p.m. He found Soda, Steve, and Two-Bit playing poker in the living room. "Hey Darry." Soda greeted. "How was work?"
"Same as always" Darry replied. "Long and tiring." Darry set the groceries down on the kitchen counter and began to put them away. "Where's Pony?" he shouted from the kitchen realizing he hadn't seen him when he walked in.
"He's been in his room sleeping for the last hour and a half" Two-Bit told him.
"Sleeping?" Darry asked surprised. "What for?"
"How should I know Darry? Maybe he's just tired."
Darry went back to the groceries. "What do ya'll want for dinner, chicken, meatloaf, or pasta?" Chicken was the three younger boys reply. Darry turned the oven on.
"I win yet again." Two-Bit announced. "Cough up the change."
"There aint no way that you just beat me five times in a row. What cards are you hiding up your sleeve?" Steve said.
"Stevie, you are one sore loser." Two-Bit said.
"I am not a sore loser. You're a cheater." Soda sat back amused and watched the two go back and forth at each other for a while.
"Shut up! You're both driving me out of my mind." Darry said. They quieted down a bit.
"Deal the cards." Soda said.
Darry walked in to get Pony up because dinner was almost ready. He walked in quietly to see Ponyboy laid curled up on the bed sleeping peacefully. Darry walked over and felt Pony's forehead with the back of his hand hoping that he wasn't sick. He didn't have a fever to Darry's relief.
Ponyboy slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Darry. "Hey, little buddy."
"Hi Darry." Pony yawned. He remembered that talk Darry wanted to have with him and hoped that wasn't why he'd been woken up.
"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes if you get hungry."
"Ok." Pony said closing his eyes again. Darry watched Pony drift slowly back to sleep. "He's fine." Darry told himself. "Maybe I do worry to much."
"Sodapop, did you know that Pony's been carrying a blade?" Darry asked his second to youngest brother as he came back into the living room. He had already began doubting that he worried to much. Soda shook his head focusing hard on his playing cards.
"It's good for protection." Two-Bit noted.
"I don't like it." Darry said. "I don't like it all."
Two-Bit didn't say anything. He new what Darry meant. Pony had never thought to carry a weapon before. Why did he want to carry one now? Steve acted uninterested but listened to the whole conversation.
"Well he'd never use it anyways." Two-Bit said. Soda looked at Darry as if to tell him he knew what he was thinking. Two-Bit and Steve didn't know about Pony being out that night with Tim. Darry then wondered if Pony had used the knife. He hadn't asked him that and wished he had. Immediately Darry's worries returned to him as he pictured his youngest brother who usually acted sweet and harmless, ripping a knife out and threatening someone with it. Even worse trying to injure someone with it. That's not what concerned Darry the most though. They lived in a dangerous neighborhood and like Darry had said before he didn't want either Pony or Soda to get hurt. Pony would if he continued to cause trouble. Darry'd loose his cool if he found out he'd gone out slashing tires again and if Tim had anything to do with it Darry'd break that guys neck. Someone might find out It was Pony and come after him. Everybody wanted revenge. How come the only way things could ever be settled was with a fight and how come Ponyboy seemed to be looking to start one?
"It's Shepard." Darry concluded silently. "Putting thoughts into Pony's head, giving him bad ideas, and getting him into trouble." Soon Darry's worries just turned into anger. Not towards Pony but towards Tim and the society they lived in. His brothers didn't need this recklessness. The three boys had lost their parents and two friends in just a year. They had lost four people that they loved very much.
Darry, well… Darry was an adult. Things were different with him. "Soda and Pony." He thought. "They're just kids." They were growing up learning to hate the world. They're growing up learning how to act like mindless fighting robots with nothing on the inside but a cold stone heart and a need to hate. But that wasn't what his brothers were. That's not how they wanted to be. He didn't want them to be reckless, dangerous, so called hoods who haunted the streets with their presence and were a nuisance to all society.
He wasn't worried about Soda as much but lately it seemed that Pony had been trying to act tough and feelingless. Why did everything have to be so hard? Why did people have to get hurt and die? "It's turning my brother into something that he's not. But, what is it? It is the sadness, the crushed dreams, the frightening experiences, the people that seemed to be so awful…
Soda's words interrupted Darry's thoughts. "Is dinner ready yet?"
"Yeah," Darry replied coming out of his daze and placing the two chickens on the kitchen table. Everyone dropped their cards and came running in. Dinner was mostly silent. Everybody ate a big meal and afterwards continued playing poker and watching TV until late that night.
Darry sat and read the paper as he often does and occasionally joined in the conversation. He wondered what was the matter when the clock struck ten and as far as he knew Ponyboy was still in bed. Darry got up and walked down the hall. He found Pony still in his room but awake and writing furiously in a small notebook.
"Kid, you all right?"
Pony put down his pen and looked over at Darry smiling slightly. "Yah, I'm ok. Why?"
"Well, you've been in here all afternoon." Darry said. "Want me to bring you some dinner of something?"
Pony thought for a moment. "Ok." He said. "I am kind of hungry." Darry was relieved. Something would have definitely been wrong if Ponyboy had lost his appetite.
He went and warmed up some leftovers in the oven for a few minutes and brought them to Ponyboy who was writing again. Darry became more curious about what in the world he was scribbling down but he didn't ask. He just set the dinner down on the small dresser next to Pony and Soda's bed. "You sure that you're all right?" Darry asked him again. Ponyboy nodded so Darry left and went back to the living room.
