𝙿𝚘𝚗𝚢𝚋𝚘𝚢 𝙼𝚒𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚎𝚕 𝙲𝚞𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚜
♫ - "Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles
"You guys are giving me too many names, just pick a few and stick to em."
Steve raise his hand and declared his opinion. "I think we ought to stick with Crazy little redhead, firecracker, and Lil red."
Soda jumped from his seat and fell back down a second after. "Leprechaun!" He cheered.
Two-Bit rapidly rattled his head from side to side. "Where?!"
Dallas scoffed at him "No you bonehead, he's saying we should call her Leprechaun."
"That ain't fair! I have multiple idiotic nicknames and you guys have none." Georgia wined.
Sodapop was still cheery from coming up with that name. He was all giddy. "That ain't true," he giggled, "We all have nicknames. Steve is Stevie, Dal is Dally, Johnny is Johnnycakes, Two is Two-Bitch, Darry is superman-"
"Superdope." Steve corrected.
Soda nodded "Yeah, Superdope. I'm Sodie-pop and Pony is Ponebone."
Georgias hand struck her knee. "Ponebone?!" She exclaimed, trying not to laugh. Most of the guys were laughing, except me of course. I didn't like that nickname.
"Yep" Sodapop giggled childly, "We gave it to him be-"
"Dinner!" Darry interrupted Soda from the kitchen and boy was I glad. I sat up immediately and rushed to sit down at the table.
Eventually everyone filed in and all eight seats were filled. The actual table set only came with four chairs, but we had to add a few to fit everyone. The original four seats were a light brown, woody color which were now yellow-ish with age, while the extra chairs that we collected from junk sales were different colors. One was dark brown, one painted green, and one a dirty white color. Dal's seat was actually a metal bar stool he picked up from Buck's, a local bar and horse ranch where he rented a room.
Darry loaded our plates with mashed potatoes, green beans, pulled pork, and gravy. Georgia chuckled before digging in "Ponebone." She muttered. The gang joined in on the laughter.
"Alright y'all, it ain't that funny." I said flatly.
Steve laughing mockingly at me, raising both eyebrows and giving a smug grin. "Well it's true! You're one boney kid." Leave it to good old Steve to bring up my insecurities. I'm kind of small for fifteen but I have a good build. I would prefer if I had more muscle. Most greasers don't have real tuff builds or anything either. We're mostly lean and kind of panther-looking in a slouchy way. Steve wasn't a real muscular guy like Darry, though he wishes he was. He was being mean, per usual.
"Since when?" Georgia protested. She was giving Steve a look of judgement and disgust. She too seemed upset about his comment. Her sticking up for me and thinking I wasn't boney made me feel better about myself.
Sodapop placed a hand on my shoulder."Yeah Steve, he's not boney it's just a funny nickname."
"It's not funny" I corrected him.
"Well I think it's cute." Georgia sure knew how to make a guy blush. "Steves just self projecting."
"I'm what?"
"You're self projecting." She repeated. "It means you're insecure and are taking it out on Pony."
Steve rolled his eyes and folded his arms over his chest. "I ain't insecure."
Georgia moved her hand down the table and rested it by his seat. "Oh it's alright Steve, being insecure is normal for a young pubescent boy like yourself. Don't be ashamed of it." Steve whipped his head forward and quipped something that couldn't be heard over the gang's laughter. He joined in on the laugher a minute later after taking a moment to mentally fix his damaged ego.
Soda was mixing his gravy and mashed potatoes together. "There's an open spot at the DX if you're looking for a new job, Georgie."
Her eyes opened wide and Georgia quickly swallowed her food. "Seriously?!"
"Yep. Im sure Jay's could use a replacement." Steve smirked.
She ignored Steve's comment. "Of course I want it. When can I start?"
"Well," Sodapop started, "you need to write on some paperwork before you're actually an employee." He dragged out the "e" sound and stuffed his mouth full of gravy mashed potatoes.
"Do you think I'll get hired?"
The side of Dallas's mouth fell opened and he stabbed at the food on his plate. "If they hired Steve then they'll probably make you the manager."
Steve shot Dallas a look but said nothing.
"How much do you get paid?" Georgia questioned.
Soda shoveled another scoop of potato's in his mouth. "A solid dolar twenty-five every hour."
"Really? A dollar twenty-five? How come the whole town isn't dying to work there." Georgia gasped, shocked.
Steve answered, "Cause most of the folks who go are greasers."
"And greasers don't work." Two-Bit added jokingly.
I laughed, "I guess that's why you're bumming around here a day instead of working."
Two-Bit tried grabbing at me from across the table. Darry grabbed his arm and shoved it back at him, so I was left unharmed.
"That's way better than my job I have now."
Johnny shuffled in his seat. "Was is that bad?"
"Mhm. It's a real sketchy place."
"I've been there. Seen a lot of kids smoking grass 'round the back." Dally acknowledged. I'm surprised he wasn't one of them.
Georgia shrugged. "Yeah, it's a little rough. The pay wasn't that great. Only six cents an hour."
Darry furrowed his eyebrows, "That ain't even minimum wage."
Georgia sighed, "Yeah I know." She laughed, though it wasn't funny. I don't mean that in a rude way, it just wasn't a joke. People laugh when they're nervous or feel awkward. I reckon Georgia was neither. I read once that people will laugh to deflect getting deep into their emotions or to hide what they feel. I think it's called emotion regulation or something. I read it in a phycology book once.
Georgia placed her hands on her knees.
"Anyway, the dinner was really good. Thank you Darry."
"Real good." Dal agreed.
Georgia continued. "Sorry I couldn't finnish it all." Almost immediately, Steve's head snapped to eye Georgia's plate
"I'll take that of your hands." He giddied like a little boy.
"Nuh-uh, Steve. I'm her brother so I earn her food."
Much to Two-Bits dismay, Steve had already snatched Georgia's plate and started eating her leftovers. Darry gave a disapproving look at both of the boys. "Don't worry bout it Georgia. These fools will eat anything you can't. I gave ya too much anyway, too used to these pigs eating so much."
Two-Bit cocked a brow. "Maybe it's cause you're always feeding us so much, Dar."
"Ya, you're right." said Darry. "Next time y'all can starve."
Darry usually don't joke like that. Most of the time he'll grumble a remark when the gang clowns around and pokes jokes at him, but he usually doesn't join in like that. I was still thinking about it while Georgia and I were sitting in my room that night. I didn't have to explain much since I had already told her so much about Darry and how cold he is.
"Well it is June, maybe he's melting."
We were both sitting indian-style on my bed and facing each other. I leaned my back and rested my head on my bed pillow. Georgia moved so she was resting on the wall that my bed was pressed up against.
I shook my head and laughed, "Maybe. I just wish he had melted a while sooner."
"Sometimes it's good to be a block of ice."
"What'd you mean?"
She closed her eyes. "You ask that a lot."
"You make me say it a lot."
Georgia took a moment to think and I was eager to listen. "I think Darry and I are somewhat similar. I used to be really sweet. I know I'm still nice, but I don't let, because the strength of your love today is the depth of your wound tomorrow." Her eyes found mine and I looked away hurriedly because if you want to know the truth, I was starting to catch feelings. for her. Her words captivated me. When she spoke I felt like her words belonged in a book of poem.
"I think you're pretty sweet from what I can tell."
"Yeah well that's because you're probably the only person I've ever told how I felt. Truthfully, at least."
That made me proud. "You should be a poet. You talk like a book."
Georgia laid down next to me and my heart quickened. "I'm not a very good writer. You are though, aren't you?"
"How'd you know?"
"Sodapop told me." Of course he did. Sodapop can never keep his mouth shut about nothing. "Maybe you can write for me. I'll just have to tell you everything."
"Sounds like a plan."
The door slowly opened and Darry's big head stuck in the room. "Ya'll awake?"
"Mhm."
"Well I just wanted to let Georgia know that you can stay over if ya want. Two's already passed out and I don't want you walking alone at midnight." Midnight? How long had we been talking for?
"Alright, thank you Darry."
He left the room and shut the door quietly. He was acting like we were already asleep and he didn't want to wake us up. I looked at the girl beside me. I'd never had a girl in my room before.
"Do you want me to sleep on the ground?"
Georgia waved me off "Oh no, you're good. Unless you want to." She said. I didn't. "Don't worry about me I've shared a bed with a boy before."
"When?"
"When I was thirteen I used to have a boyfriend and he would stay over sometimes."
I felt my stomach get hot and empty. Im jealous, I thought. Why am this jealous?
Georgia continued, "Man, was he rude. So full of himself and always thought he was better than me. I was actually relived when I saw him with another girl. He wouldn't have let me leave him if I hadn't seen. It gave me a good reason."
Two-Bit had told us about what happened between his sister and her boyfriend a while back. It made me angrier now that I knew Georgia. I wasn't jealous anymore, I was frustrated. "You had a reason. Cheating is the worst thing somebody could do. Making someone think they're loved and then showing them that it was some trick." It made me think of Sodapop getting cheated on by his girl Sandy. He was torn apart, wouldn't leave his room for days.
"That's the thing, he never made me think I was loved. I'm glad that it happened" Georgia said. I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to say. "Damn, that got deep." She giggled. I laughed along with her. It's funny how comfortable we were with each other. Talking with her made time fly and soon enough we had both started yawning.
"Alright Ponebone, stay on your side." Georgia said, rolling over. I pulled a quilted blanket over the both of us and I turned the other way. Before drifting off I absentmindedly spoke, "If I was your boyfriend, I'd spoil you with love."
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
I felt the sun poke at my eyes through the window shades. Squeezing them shut, I turned my head to face the other way.
"You awake?" I felt Georgia's hand on my back. Only then did I realized I was laying on her. I picked my head off her stomach and stared at her in horror. God, was I embarrassed. Her chest rose and fell as she giggled. "It's alright. But, I did tell you to stay on your side."
I beamed a smile and sheepishly laughed "I tried."
The front door slammed open and we could heard Steve and Dallas causing a ruckus.
"Where's our crazy little redhead?" They harmonized.
Georgia groaned. "Why the fuck are they yelling?"
"God only knows." I grumbled, and rested my head back to its original resting place on Georgias stomach.
"Woo-We!" Two-Bit had joined Steve and Dal in the noise making and burst into the room. "C'mon you two, it's fourth of July!" Two-bit's excitement distracted him from noticing Georgia and I's sleeping position.
"What's so grand about the fourth of July?"
Steve rushed in the room. "Darry made a cake, remember?"
"That's what you're exited for?" Georgia said flatly.
He hurried over to the bed and dragged her out from under me. "C'mon Georgie, show me where you hid it."
"I'm not telling you till it's time to eat. We hid it for a reason." She said after Steve spun her around a few. He placed her down rather quickly and ran to the kitchen. "Is it in the kitchen?" He yelled behind him, "Tell me, am I getting warmer or colder."
Georgia followed after him "I'm not telling you a thing, Steve."
This behavior continued on for the rest of the morning and well into the afternoon. Johnny arrived at 5:00 which was when Darry started grilling outside.
"Do you think I can fit this entire baseball in my mouth?"
Georgia pulled the ball from Sodapop's hand. "I don't know Soda but I don't want to see you try." We were sitting at the old picnic bench that had sat in out backyard for years. Darry and Dad made it when he was young.
"I bet I can." Two-Bit said, flipping away his cigarette butt. "I can fit my whole fist in my mouth, watch." His fist was slapped away seconds before it reached his mouth.
"What is it with you boys and putting things in your mouth? Remember the tennis ball incident?" Georgias lips curved into a smile as she sternly reprimanded Two-Bit.
Johnny sat up straight. "I don't!" He said eagerly, ready to listen.
Two chuckled. "Y'all wouldn't believe it."
"I bet we will." Darry hollered from the back porch.
"He stuck a tennis ball in his mouth like a dog and got it stuck."
Two-But rested his elbows on the wooden surface. "You're making' it sound easy."
"Did ya get it out?" Sodapop asked indefinitely serous.
Dallas looked at him, scoffing, "What'd you think, shit-brain, is it still in there?"
"Well I don't know Dallas, that's was I'm tryin to figure out!"
Soda was smart but he didn't word that question the way he meant it. He probably meant to ask how they got it out. People think he's dumb cause of the way he talks, but he's smart, he knows things that I don't and can do things that I can't—he set up the fireworks after dinner that Two-Bit stole before coming over, which is something I couldn't do. Darry let me light them though, and once they set fire I ran as fast as I could over to where the gang was sitting in the backyard.
I slid right next to Johnny and Georgia just in time to watch the first one go off. It was red and white and pretty small but the next one made up for it—it was one of those sparkler fireworks that make it look like gold stars are raining from the sky. Every time one would go off and make a loud noise, Dal, Two, Steve, and Soda would "oooo" and "aah" like they were little kids. Steve and Soda got bored pretty quick and went inside way before everyone else. Once all the fireworks went off, Darry and Two-Bit went back inside with Steve and Soda, while Dallas, Georgia, Johnny and I stayed outside. Dally and Johnny were wrapped up in their own conversation while me and Georgia were busy staring at the starry sky. She laid back on the grass and closed her eyes.
"Tired?" I asked.
She sighed, "Yep."
I stretched out and used Georgias legs as a pillow. "I hope you hang with us more."
"I plan on it, Ponebone."
"You're never gonna give that up, are you Georgia?"
"I don't plan on it, Ponebone."
· ┈┈┈┈┈┈ · ✧ · ┈┈┈┈┈┈ ·
Johnny and I laid on my bed after he rest of the gang had gone home. We were both pretty tired from the holiday. After all the fireworks were done and everyone had went back into the house, we all played Candy Land and Cluedo and Mouse Trap. It was real fun and we all got a laugh when Sodapop lost Candy Land and sulked on the couch. Everyone went home by the end of the nap by except Johnny. He planned on staying here instead of the lot.
Johnny "Sodapop was sure funny tonight, huh?"
"Yeah." I smiled. "Remember the other week when he lost Monopoly? And he blamed it on Steve for laundering money?" Johnny nodded and laughed lowly.
Me and Johnny reminisced of funny memories until the tunes on the radio stole my attention. I hadn't caught the guy's name who sang it, but the lyrics made me feel. I can't explain the feeling of yearning and passion I got the first time I heard it.
Georgia, Georgia
The whole day through
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind
I said-a Georgia
Oh, Georgia
A song of you
Comes as sweet and clear
As moonlight through the pines
Other arms reach out to me
Other eyes smile tenderly
Still in peaceful dreams I see
The road leads back to you
I said Georgia
Oh Georgia, no piece I find
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind
My heart felt like a cinder block in my chest. Never once has a song made me feel the way I felt right then. I've heard loads of sad songs that make me cry, and this one gave me the same feeling in my stomach. Except I wasn't sad and about to cry, I was hopeful and happy.
All I could think about was the lyrics. I related to what the guy was saying. I could not get Georgia off my mind.
Johnny nudged me gently on the shoulder. "You're thinkin' bout Georgie, aren't ya." There was a teasing tone in his voice that made me wanna deny it, but I just couldn't. I didn't want to admit it but I think my small liking towards Georgia was turning into something more.
"Yeah." I admitted. I didn't see any point in lying to Johnny—he could tell when I was telling the truth or trying to hide something— and I also I didn't really want to hide it, at least from Johnny. I mean, why should I have? He wasn't gonna tease me like the rest of the gang, and it felt nice admitting something that I was trying to deny myself. "Did you catch the name of who sang it?"
"Uh.. I think it was Ron, or Ray, or something short like that."
I sat up quickly and turned to face him. "Ray Charles?" I questioned.
"Yeah, yeah, that was it." Johnny gave me a questioning look. "Why?"
I turned away and looked out the window, smiling slightly. The moon was only half way lit and poked out from behind a maple tree that stood in a neighbors backyard. "That's Georgia's favorite." I sighed.
Johnny silently chuckled and I gave him a curious glance in return. "Ponyboy," He started "you're real gone." Johnny was smiling like a chessy.
"You don't have to tell me, Johnny." I smiled to myself knowingly. "I already know."