Come Down From Your Fences

Chapter 4

The smoke from Ponyboy's cigarette hung in the cool autumn air as he sat alone on the steps of his front porch. The sun was setting, blanketing the rundown neighborhood in a rich, warm glow. Golden, he thought with a wistful smile.

He wondered if Cherry Valance was watching the sunset tonight from her side of town. Even though they had only ever spoken a few times, he missed her. True to her word, she ignored him at school whenever they passed each other in the halls. It felt like a bandage being ripped from a raw wound every time she met his eyes and then looked away quickly.

He didn't know what to think. On one hand, he knew it took a lot of guts for her to testify at his trial and stick up for him. She'd risked ruining her reputation and losing her friends to keep him from going to juvie hall and being separated from his brothers. Cherry didn't owe him anything, while he owed her everything.

On the other hand, she had talked about her frustration at how unfair things were. How things were rough all over. Well, Ponyboy thought, if we're so alike, why can't we be friends? Words lose meaning if you don't back them up with actions. Things won't change if no one takes a chance.

It didn't make any sense. He asked Soda about it one night. He just shook his head, mumbled the word "Women" and patted him on the head.

The red of the fading sunlight was deepening to a rich purple as Ponyboy's thoughts turned to Dally. He didn't know if he had a window to watch the sunset. Probably - he was pretty sure they had windows in prison. But whether or not Dallas Winston ever even noticed a sunset was another question entirely. Ponyboy doubted it.

Sodapop and Steve came barreling up the steps, nearly trampling Ponyboy in the process. "Hey! Watch it, you herd of elephants."

"Whatcha up to, kid?" Soda asked as he flopped down next to him.

"Aw, he's just sittin' here daydreamin' like always. Useless, if you ask me," Steve said as he walked into the house, the screen door slamming behind him. Ponyboy looked over his shoulder at Steve's departing back and narrowed his eyes.

Soda playfully punched him in the arm. "Don't pay him no mind. I caught him staring at the floor today and I doubt he was thinking about cars. He would never admit it, but Steve has his useless moments just like the rest of us."

"Well, if you say so." Pony said with a laugh

"Everything okay?" Soda asked. The question had become a daily routine - it was Soda's way of finding out about Johnny. He asked the same way everyday and everyday Ponyboy gave the same answer, "No change."

Soda sighed and threw his arm around his younger brother's shoulders. They sat like that as the sun finished setting and the sky grew dark and the air grew cold. Darry soon called them in for dinner. Together, they walked inside - hopeful that tomorrow would bring a different answer, certain that it wouldn't.