Golden Greaser

- 26 -

    Tonight was the rumble.

   "Thirty minutes, boys!" I yelled into the commotion.

   "Hey, I'm runnin' this joint!" Darry yelled back, combin' his shiny hair. "Ain't no need for you addin' on..."

   "Whatever, sarge." I rolled my eyes. "Ya'll might wanna start gettin' ya' heads screwed on straight."

   "I don't think you understand the idea of a rumble." Two-Bit scoffed, playfully. "The only use of ya' brains is when ya' get socked upside the head..."

   "And that ain't no fun." Soda chimed in.

   "Only when you're doin' it to somebody else!" Steve howled animalistically. "That's the fun part."

   Ponyboy sat down beside me. They had all got spiffied up for the rumble, adding extra grease to their hair and they had eaten two roast chickens. Darry had put on the tightest muscle shirt I had ever seen...

    Oh, and did I mention they were hyper enough to walk on the ceiling?

   "I don't know if you ought to be in this rumble, Ponyboy." Darry said, slowly.

   "Why not? I've always come through before, ain't I?"

   Darry cracked a proud grin. "Yeah, you fight good for a kid your size. But you were in good shape before. You've lost weight and you ain't lookin' too good. You're tensed up too much."

   "Aw, shoot." Soda drawled. "We all get tense before a rumble. Let 'em fight. Just skin. No weapons, no danger."

   Darry gave a considerate gaze.

   "I'll be okay." Ponyboy pleaded. "I'll get a hold on a little one, alright?'

   "Well, Johnny ain't gonna be there this time..." Darry scratched his head. "Neither will Dallas or Curly Shepard, and we're gonna need every man we can get..."

   "What happened to Shepard?" Ponyboy spoke my thoughts.

   "In the cooler." Steve called. "Reformatory, I think is what Tim said."

   I rolled my eyes. Shepard's outfit was always gettin' into trouble.

  "C'mon..." Ponyboy stood up. "Lemme fight, Darry."

   "Yeah..." I agged on. "It's a skin rumble, ain't it? It'd be a different story if there'd be chains or blades, but from I understand there ain't gonna be any of that, right?"

   Darry gave in. "Alright, but if you get in a jam you holler', and I'll come and get ya' out."

   "I'll be okay." Ponyboy said. "How come you never worry about Soda so much?"

   "Man, this is one kid brother I ain't got to worry about." Darry spun Soda into a headlock. "This kiddo can use his head."

   Soda dodged Darry's swing and ran around the living room.

   I checked the clock hangin' above the kitchen entry. 6:50.

   The rumble was set for seven, and it just ain't proper etiquette to show up late to the party.

   "Ten minutes!" I yelled over their shouts of excitement.

   Darry turned at the sound of my voice, picking me up by the waist and spinning me around the room in a celebratory fashion.

   "Get outta here." I laughed as he sat me down.

   Two-Bit came out from the kitchen, holdin' his trademark beercan.