The Outsiders: Before My Time Sequel | Sodapop

Meet Grandpa K

Before Dally and I went back inside the house, I made him promise not to mention this twist of fate to anyone else. I didn't want him to know in the first place, and I was certain not to ever let Johnny find out.

Dally agreed that Johnny shouldn't know. He's too sensitive as it is, and if he found out that he was inches from death he might never get over it. I'm sure this will forever be in the back of Dally's mind too, so hopefully he is a little more careful with himself from now on.

Dally opened the door for me and I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket when I was walking into the living room. I took a look at the caller ID and saw, "Grandpa K".

Grandpa K is my maternal grandfather. He likes to call me often, just to talk or ask to get lunch together. I try to visit him as much as possible, I have a lot of fond memories growing up with him. He's my favorite relative.

"Why is it buzzing?" Darry asked with his eyes intent on my phone.

"It's vibrating, I'm getting a phone call," I answered.

"From who?" Johnny asked.

"It's my grandpa."

"Grandpa K?" Jenni asked.

"Yep." I pressed the green answer button and brought the phone up to my ear.

"I still don't understand how that rectangle works," Darry muttered.

"Hey, Grandpa K, what's up?" I asked. All the boys stared at me intently, no sound filled the house.

"Hey there, darlin', Donald threw up under these here cabinets and it's far too heavy for me to move by my lonesome. I'm moving about as slow as molasses these days. Do you wanna come over and help me move it?" He asked. He had a rough gravelly voice that made him sound tuff. He was a smoker for decades, so that was probably the cause.

"Um..." I looked over at the guys.

"I'll put you in my will," he quipped. He was a real jokester, and liked to say funny one-liners and do funny things to make us laugh as kids.

One year, at Thanksgiving, the table couldn't handle all the food on it so it collapsed. All the food slid to the floor. He grabbed the pie, and a spoon, took a seat and began eating. When we were all looking at him in confusion and a bit of disgust, he wisecracked, "it's not like any of y'all were going to eat it."

I laughed, "all right. How heavy is this cabinet?"

"Heavy enough to need at least two people. Maybe three," he answered.

"I have a few friends over, should I bring couple of them to help?"

"Yes!"

"Okay, when you want us?"

"Now. Football is on."

"Be there soon." I hung up. "Okay," I directed my attention towards the guys. "My grandpa needs two more people to come and help move his furniture. His cat threw up under it. Superman, and Two-Bit, let's go."

I'm not saying my grandfather is a hoarder, but if he's asking someone to move his furniture that is a cabinet full of stuff, I'm going to need the two strongest guys I know. That's why I picked Two and Darry. Darry has the biggest muscles and Two usually likes to throw things around anyway.

"What about me?" Steve asked. He jumped up and kissed his muscles that he calls his 'guns'.

"Sorry, Steve, but I needed real men for the job." I smirked to stop myself from snickering.

I ran out the door after laughing at his facial expression. Darry and Two followed, jumping into in my car. Darry took the passenger seat and Two took the back, and we made our way to my grandpa's house. It was on the other side of town, where it's not as nice. The city doesn't really care about it. I remember it was the "Greaser" side of town in the 60's. I guess I really was a Soc.