Dream to Reality

The Next Day Part 3

Pony's POV

There was a heavy silence. Then Darry said,"We'd better get on to work,Pepsi-Cola". Darry rarely called Soda by Dad's pet nickname for him,but he did because he knew how miserable Sodapop was about Sandy. "I hate to leave you here by yourself Ponyboy and Johnny," Darry said slowly. "Maybe I ought to take the day off". "I've stayed by my lonesome before. You can't afford a day off" I said. "Yeah,but you just got back and I really ought to stay...." "I'll baby-sit them," Two-Bit said interrupting Darry. Two-Bit was ducking as I took a swing at him. "I haven't got anything else to do" said Two-Bit. "Why don't you get a job? Ever consider working for a living?" Steve asked. "Work?" Two-Bit was aghast. "And ruin my rep? I wouldn't be babysitting the kids here if I knew of some good day-nursery open on Saturdays". I pulled his chair over backward and jumped on him,but he had me down in a second. I was kind of short on wind. I've got to cut out smoking or I won't make track next year. "Holler uncle" said Two-Bit. "Nope" I said struggling,but I didn't have my usual strength. Darry was pulling on his jacket. "You two do up the dishes. You can go to the movies if you want to before you go see Dally and Jasmine" said Darry. He paused for a second,watching Two-Bit squash the heck out of me. "Two-But,lay off. You smoke more than a pack today and I'll skin you. Understood?" Darry asked. "Yeah",I said getting to mt feet. "You carry more than one bundle of roofing at a time today and me and Soda will skin you. Understood?" I said. He grinned one of is rare grins. "Yeah. See y'all this afternoon" said Darry. "Bye" I said. I heard our Ford's vvrrrooooom and thought:Soda is driving. And they left. "....anyway,I was walking around downtown and started to take this short cut through an ally"_Two-Bit was telling me about one of his many exploits while we did the dishes. I mean,while I was doing the dishes. He was sitting on the cabinet,sharping that black-handled switchblade he was so proud of_"....and I ran into three guys. I says 'Howdy' and they just look at each other. Then one says 'We would jump you but since you're as slick as us we figure you don't have nothing worth taking" I said "Buddy, that's the truth" and went on. Moral: What's the safest thing to be when one is met by a gang of social outcasts in an ally?" Two-Bit asked. "A judo expert?" I suggested. "No,another social outcast!" Two-Bit yelped,and nearly fell off the cabinet from laughing so hard. I had to grin,too. He saw things straight and made them into something funny. "We're gonna clean up the house. The reporters or police or somebody might come by,and anyway,it's time for those guys from the state to come by and check up on us" I said. "This house ain't messy. You oughtta see my house" said Two-Bit. "I have. And if you had the sense of a billy goat you'd try to help around your place instead of bumming around" I said. "Shoot,kid,if I ever did that my mom would die of shock" said Two-Bit. I liked Two-Bit's mother. She had the same good humor and easygoing ways that he did. She wasn't lazy like him,but she let him get away with murder. When we had finished,I put on Dally's brown leather jacket_the back was burned black_and we started for Tenth Street. Johnny was coming alone with us to. "I would drive us," Two-Bit said as we walked up the street trying to thumb a ride,"but the brakes are out on my car. Almost killed me and Kathy the other night" Two-Bit said. He flipped the collar of his black leather jacket up to the serve as a windbreak while he lit a cigarette. "You oughtta see Kathy's brother. Now there's a hood. He's so greasy he glides when he walks. He goes to the barber for an oil change,not a haircut" said Two-Bit. We stopped at the Tasty Freeze to buy Cokes and rest up,and the blue Mustang that had been trailing us for eight blocks pulled in. I almost decided to run,and Two-Bit must have guessed this,for he shook his head ever so sightly and tossed me a cigarette. As I lit up,the Socs who had jumped me and Johnny at the park hopped out of the Mustang. I recognize Randy Anderson, Marcia's boyfriend,and the tall guy that had almost drowned me. I hated them. Two-Bit put an elbow on my shoulder and I leaned against me, dragging on his cigarette. I looked at Johnny and he just stood there in shock. "You know the rules. No jazz before the rumble" Two-Bit said to the Socs. "We know," Randy said. He looked at me. "Come here. I want to talk to you". I glanced at Two-Bit. He shrugged. I followed Randy over to his car. We sat there in his car for a second, silent. Golly,that was the tuffets car I've ever been in. "I read about you in the paper",Randy said finally. "How come?" "I don't know. Maybe I felt like playing hero" I said. "I wouldn't have. I would have let those kids burn to death" said Randy. "You might not have. You might have done the same thing" I said. Randy pulled out a cigarette and pressed in the car lighter. "I don't know. I don't know anymore. I would never have believed a greaser could pull something like that" said Randy. "Greaser didn't have anything to do with it. My buddy over there wouldn't have done it. Maybe you would have done the same thing,maybe a friend of yours wouldn't have. It's the individual" I said. "I'm not going to show at the rumble tonight",Randy said slowly. I took a good look at him. He was seventeen or so,but he was already old. Like Dally was old. Cherry had said her friends were too cool to feel anything,and yet she could remember watching sunsets. Randy was supposed too cool to feel anything,and yet there was pain in his eyes.

Hey guys! I hope you liked this chapter. Guess am going to be making a part 4. I hope there isn't going to have to be a part 5 to this chapter. Anyways,have a good day. Stay Gold