The Outsiders spanking

Lost and Found

It was spring cleaning day in the Curtis house, the boys' least favorite day of the year. Except Darry. It was Darry's favorite. The first time he instituted it, he'd been met with nothing but complaints. They'd tried anything from 'the house ain't that dirty' to 'I don' even live here,' but Darry'd told them that anyone who ate his food and slept on his couch could also clean his house once in a while. He may have also suggested that he'd give them some help getting started if they didn't do as they were told. They all knew well and good that they didn't want Darry's brand of help.

"Jesus Christ, don't let Darry see that," Darry heard Two-Bit say from the garage. He rubbed his hand over his face, wondering if he should even bother investigating whatever contraband they were trying to hide. What could it be now? He'd just confiscated Soda and Steve's fireworks last week and Two-Bit's spud gun the week before.

"Don't let Darry see what?" He asked, catching the two boys off guard.

"Uh, how good of a job we're doing," Pony said, clearly hiding something behind his back, "We wanted it to be a surprise."

"Uh huh," Darry said, unconvinced, "Whatcha got there?"

Pony sighed before handing over the once familiar object. Darry couldn't help but laugh.

"Soda, come out here for a second," Darry called, still grinning.

"Yeah, Dar--What the hell?" Soda asked, coming out with Steve, as usual, in tow.

"Is that...the paddle?" Steve asked, "I thought that thing was gone forever?"

"Me and Soda stole it when we were kids and Einstein here forgot where he hid it," Darry said, remembering how much they hated the thing when they were younger.

The paddle itself wasn't very big. It was one of those toy paddles that had a string and ball attached to it, but the ball had long since fallen off. It had been around as long as Darry could remember. When they were little, it was just a threat that kept them out of any big trouble. All their parents had to say was, "do I need to paddle your bottom?" and they'd be stopping and apologizing right away. By junior high, they all became a little more brazen, Sodapop especially. It seemed like every other week Soda was getting his tail lit up for some idiotic stunt he'd pulled. Darry had also gotten it his fair share, but Ponyboy, to his knowledge, had only been paddled once before it went missing.

"Wait, how do you know about the paddle?" Pony asked Steve.

"You really think your Pop never whupped me and Soda with it?" Steve asked, looking at Pony like he was stupid.

"Cool it," Darry said to Steve, before turning to Soda, "Would've been nice if you'd remembered where you hid it back then. Could've saved me some trouble with Dad."

"What'd'ya mean?" Soda asked.

"Remember that time I got busted for sneaking out to meet Stacey Thomas at the park? It was probably a few weeks after we stole the thing. Dad was gonna paddle me for it but when he went to go get it, he couldn't find it. I managed to convince him that it was only me who stole it and lost it. Dad whipped me instead and I'll tell you, little buddy, that hurt a lot more than a paddling."

"Why didn't you rat me out?" Soda asked, looking bashful all of a sudden.

"Eh, that's what big brothers are for. No sense for you to get in trouble when I was already getting it. And you were only like thirteen. I was seventeen and shoulda known better. "

"Thanks, Dar," Soda said with a grin.

"Now that I'm in charge, though, maybe I should get you back for that," Darry joked, "Make an example out of you so that the paddle doesn't go mysteriously missing again."