Heart Breaker

Chapter 25

"...anyway, I was walking around dowtown and started to take this short cut through an alley"--- Two-Bit was telling Pony and I about one of his many exploits while Two-Bit and Ponyboy did the dishes. More like Ponyboy did the dishes. Two-Bit was sitting on the cabinet, sharpening that black handled switchblade he was so proud if---"...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 slick as us we fugger you don't have nothin' worth takin'.' I says 'Buddy, that's the truth' and went right on, Moral: What's the safest thing to be when one is met by a gang of social outcasts in an alley?"

"A judo expert?" Ponyboy suggest.

"No, another social outcast!" Two-Bit yelped, and nearly fell off the cabinet from laughing so hard. Ponyboy and I had to grin, too. He saw things straight and made them into something funny.

"We're gonna clean up the house," Ponyboy said. "The reporters or police or somebody might come by, and anyways, it's time for those guys from the state to come by and check up on us."

"This house ain't messy. You oughtta see my house." Two-Bit said.

"I have. And if you had the sense of a billy goat you's try to help around your place instead of bumming around." Ponyboy said.

"Shoot, kid, if I ever did that my mom would die of shock." Two-Bit said.

When we finished cleaning up, Ponyboy pulled on Dally's brown leather jacket--- the back was burned black--- and we started for Tenth Street.

"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" He flipped the collar of his black leather jacket up to 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 anoil change, not a haircut."

I laughed. 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. Ponyboy was almost going to run, but Two-Bit must have guess this, he shook his head ever so slightly and tossed Ponyboy a cigarette. As Ponyboy lit up, the Socs who had jumped Johnny and Pony at the park hopped out of the Mustang. I recognuzed Randy Adderson, Marcia's boyfriend. I hated them. It was their fault Bob was dead; their fault Johnny was dying; their fault Soda and Pony might fet put in a boys' home. I hated them as bitterly and as contemptuosly as Dally Winston hated.

Two-Bit put an elbow on Pony's shoulder and leaned against him, fragging on his cigarette. "You know the rules. No jazz before the rumble," he said to the Socs.

"We know," Randy said. He looked at Ponyboy. "Come here. I want to talk to you."

Pony glanced and Two-Bit and me. We shrugged. Ponyboy follewed Randy over to his car. They sat in the car for a few minute before getting out. Pony walked back over to us and Randy honked for his friends to come and get into the car.

"What'd he want?" I asked. "What'd Mr. Super-Soc have to say?"

"He ain't a Soc," Ponyboy said, "he's just a guy. He just wanted to talk."

"You want to see a movie before we go see Johnny and Dallas?" Two-Bit asked Ponyboy.

"Nope," Ponyboy said, lighting up another weed.