Chapter 23

Darry was so lost and he couldn't really remember where he had been, and he didn't really know where he was going, but he did know one thing and that was he wasn't ready to return back to the house just yet. As he was sitting an idling at a stop light he looked up ahead and noticed the neon sign in the window of the run down establishment and decided that was where he was heading. When the light turned green he accelerated and turned his right blinker on and pulled into a half full parking lot. For a Friday night, Darry expected the place to be a little busier. He sat in the parking lot thinking if he was sure he wanted to do this. After hitting the steering wheel a few times, he took the keys out of the ignition and slammed the driver's door shut. He sauntered over to the rickety building. Inside he could hear some love song by Patsy Cline blaring from the jukebox. The minute Darry opened the door he was overcome by cigarette smoke and the smell of beer and liquor, but it didn't stop him none. He held his head high and slipped pass people and nodded to some that he recognized but had he eyes focused on bar straight ahead. There were a few empty seats towards the end, closest to the wall, perfect, he thought, out of sight out of mind. Darry slumped down onto the wobbly bar stool. He slowly tapped his fingers on the bar waiting for the bartender to notice him and serve him just what he needed to feed his soul at the moment. The bartender was talking to some boys at the far end of the bar, plant workers Darry presumed spending their weekly earning. When the bartender caught noticed of Darry tapping his fingers he moved down and wiped off some peanut crumbs that were in front of Darry. "Well, well, what do we have hear? Darrel Curtis. The all good and mighty Darrel Curtis stepping foot inside of my establishment, I'm honor, shocked, but honored to say the least. Now I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be asking how I can help you, or ask what I have done to deserve your presence here tonight. I believe I haven't seen you around since the night after your brother Sodapop got trashed with the Randall kid. If I remember correctly you came barreling in here accusing me of serving your underage brother alcohol in front of all my paying patrons. I also remember you threaten my life. What was it again? Oh, yeah, if I ever served another Curtis brother that was under age alcohol again that you'll kick my ass from here to Houston."

"Is my money not good here?" Darry snapped back.

"Of course it is, Darry, you know that. But I do believe that you are a Curtis that's under age, are you not?"

"Are you asking for my id?" Darry sputtered getting ready to get up off the bar stool.

"Sit your ass back down Curtis! What will it be?"

"Captain's and Coke, on the rocks." Darry ordered.

"Whoa. Something big must be bothering you, if you're ordering the hard stuff."

"Nah, just need something to clear the head is all."

"Hate to argue with you Darry, but too much of this stuff isn't going to clear your head. Ask your brother, he'll tell ya. He was drinking this shit the night he came in here with Randall and Winston."

"Just give me the Captain's and Coke, Buck." Buck spun around to reach for the a glass and scooped some ice in, then grabbed for the Captain Morgan's, after filling it over half way he brought it over to the soda fountain and splashed some coke into the glass. That'll teach him, Buck grinned.

"Here you go. Are ya starting a tab?" Buck asked leaning against the back of the bar.

"I'll let you know." Darry answered while swirling around the drink.

"Just let me know when you want another one." Buck let out a chuckle and shuffled back to the boys from the plant. Darry sat their swirling the hard liquor when a firm slap came to his back. This startled Darry and he spun around spilling some of the drink on his hand.

"Jesus, Darry you're just as jumpy as that dark hair kid that hangs out with Pony."

"Yeah, well, I wasn't expecting to see anyone I knew here tonight."

An evil chuckle came out of the greaser and he replied, "I'm just as shock to see you here, but honestly Darry, you can't say that you're surprised to see me here."

"No, Tim, it's just I thought you were in the slammer still." Darry said wiping the drink off of his hand with a napkin.

"Got off for good behavior. What are you drinking? The hard shit? Since when do you drink that stuff? Hey Buck, give me the usually! I thought you despised this place? What's brought you in here on a Friday night? Keeping an eye on that crazy brother of yours?"

"No, it's not Sodapop for once." Darry said letting a smile spread across his lips.

"Can't be Ponyboy, he's too good of a kid to have to worry about. I wished that he could be more of an influence for Curly. Did you hear he was back in the reformatory again? Stupid kid, slashing tires. When will he ever learn?"

"No, it's not Ponyboy, and trust me he's not as good of a kid as he used to be either. I've had my fair share of troubles with that one in the last couple of weeks to last me years." Darry took a swig of the drink and felt the burn as it slid down his throat. "Damn Buck, what did you do put more rum in this than Coke?"

"Hey I figured if Darrel Curtis was here in my place he needed something that was gonna work." Buck smiled his toothless grin. Darry just shook his head.

"Then what is it Man? If it isn't any of the boys, is the state still hounding your ass?" Tim slurped his beer while spinning around on the barstool to watch some girls that had just started dancing.

"When isn't the state hounding my ass?" Darry noticed that Tim had turned around, so Darry swung around and took notice of the same girls that were dancing.

"Pretty sweet things huh?" Tim asked tapping Darry's arm.

"Maybe your type, but not mine. Jesus, there probably not any older than Sodapop or Curly for that matter. They shouldn't even be in here. Trashy if you ask me." Darry turned back around and tapped the bar to get Bucks attention. He raised his glass in the air and Buck took it from him and raised an eyebrow. "Less Captain's this time." Darry informed Buck. Buck brought the drink back and Darry started to nurse this one a little more than the first one. Darry and Tim small talked back and forth until Darry finished off his second Captain's and Coke.

"Another one boys?" Buck asked.

"Just water for me, thanks Buck." Darry informed Buck.

"Wimp." Tim joked with Darry. "I'll take another Bud." Buck grabbed a Budweiser from the cooler and a glass of water for Darry. He came back and placed them down in front of the boys. Darry picked his glass up and took a gulp of the cold water and placed it back on the bar top.

"So Darry, we've been sitting here almost an hour now, you've down two Cap's and Cokes, and still haven't told me what brings you here. We've established that it isn't the boys, or the state, or your job." Tim paused to take another drink then slammed it down on the bar and let out a laugh, "Oh, shit, it's a girl. You're in here drowning your sorrows over a girl. Let me just inform you that they ain't worth the time or the money you're spending to drown them." Tim continued to watch some girls flirting with some hoods that were playing pool. Just at that time a little scuffle start happening which drew both Tim's and Darry's attention. It was old man Carson trying to drag his daughter out. Darry and Tim watch intently. It wasn't until old man Carson slapped his daughter across the face and starting hollering obscenities at her that made Darry cringe some.

"Look at you strolling around this joint looking like a slut! You boys should be ashamed of yourself; this girl here's only thirteen years old. If I find out anyone of you touched her." Before old man Carson could deliver anymore threats he was quickly being escorted out the door by Buck and some of his buddies.

"I think Angela hangs out with that kid. I best be having a talk with her. If I get wind of her ever prancing around in here like that, I swear." Since the drama had stopped Tim and Darry turned back around on their stools.

"What would you do if that was your sister?" Tim asked Darry. Darry sat very quietly and thought about the possibility and it made him shiver.

"That's never gonna be Sara, so I don't have to worry about it."

Tim started laughing, "Yeah, that's what I said about Angie and now look at her. Its wishful thinking there, Darry." But then Tim added, "But you might be right about Sara. She just doesn't seem like the type. She's too sweet and innocent. Plus she worships the ground you and Sodapop walk on, so she wouldn't ever step foot in this place. She knows better."

"Yeah right, sweet and innocent. Those days are over." Darry mumbled.

"Ah, so that's it, I would of never thought that Sara would drive you to drink. The boys, yes, but never in a million years would I guessed it would of been the little squirt. Are you now just realizing that raising kids might be more than you're cut out for?"

Darry thought about Tim's question before answering. "No, I knew how hard it would be to raise kids; I just didn't realize how hard it would be to raise a 6 year old girl. A girl, it's just so different than the boys."

"Oh, I hear you there. I wished that my Ma would of just had all boys… that Angie is just a handful for both me and my Ma. I hate when she does something and my Ma asks me to handle it. I can't handle her the same as I do with Curly. I just smack Curly and then it's over with." Seeing Tim had open the door he thought why not enter?

"Have you ever hit Angie?" Darry eyed Tim with seriousness all over his face.

"Define hit? If we're talking closed fist, then never. Don't think there hasn't been times I've thought about it, but my Ma did teach me some important things, and hitting a girl closed fist is one I keep dear to my heart. Now slapped, well that's another story, a few times I guess."

"That's not what I was really talking about." Tim sat there for a second taking in what Darry had just said and then be burst into a belly aching laugh, while Darry just sat there watching him roll off the bar stool with laughter.

"Holy shit, Curtis! You've got to be kidding me. You're talking about spanking. You're in here drinking because you spanked the kid? You need to get over yourself. I've spanked Curly and Angie so many times. Belt and all, and I never once let it get to me like you're letting it get you. Oh, man that was a good one."

"Shut it, Tim. It's not like that with them. I've never land a hand on Sara or Pony before. Soda and I have gotten into a few scuffles where some light punches were thrown, but that's different. Jesus, I don't even know if my parents even ever laid a hand on them. I don't remember. But she just starting going ballistic because I wouldn't let go to the racer, which then made me snap. If Sodapop hadn't stepped in I literally think I that I could of blistered her ass. I was that pissed at her."

"She'll get over it. I mean I've taken the belt to Curly, I don't know how many times, and"

"And look where he is, reformatory school!" Darry finished his sentence for him.

"No, he's there because he doesn't know how not to get caught. He's there because he's stupid. Not because I blistered his ass. Hell, maybe if I would of done it more, then he wouldn't be there. You're just teaching her who's boss that's all. She needs to learn it sooner than later. I mean you're stuck with that one for a lot longer than Sodapop or Ponyboy."

"You think I don't know that? She's already told me that she hates me. And she can hold a grudge like there's no tomorrow. Life at home just got a little more complicated."

Tim leaned over and placed his hand on Darry's shoulder. "Darry, she's 6. She'll forget about in a few days. Angie and Curly always did, and Sara has a better head on her shoulder than either one of mine put together. She'll get over, they all do. Hell, you did didn't you?" Darry had a little smirk on his face remembering times his father had to discipline him. If he remembered correctly one time was because of Tim. They got caught stealing hubcaps. Boy, Darry will never forget that whoopin. "Go home, Darry. This ain't no place for you. It's still early; you might even be able to catch her before she hits the sack." Darry never thought that when he walked in here tonight that he would be taking advice from Tim Shepard, of all people and about this topic in particular.

"Buck, I'll pay up now." Buck walked over and smiled at Darry.

"Leaving so soon Curtis? Did ya have your fill of us for the night?"

"What do I owe you Buck?"

"4 dollars." Darry dug out his wallet and tossed a five on the counter. "Keep the change." Darry said getting up from the barstool.

"Hey, it was nice running into you, Darry. Let me know how it goes with the little squirt."

"Yeah, nice talking to ya Tim. I'll see ya around. Try staying outta trouble for a while." Darry took a look up at clock above the bar and it was quarter past eight. He might still be able to catch Sara before she goes to bed. He rushed out the door and practically ran across the parking lot towards the truck. He flung open the door and jumped in. He jammed the key into the ignition and threw the truck into first gear and tore out of the parking lot and headed it towards home.