The Outsiders: Before My Time Part III

Rodeo Days

July 16, 1965

Classes ended and summer started. Oklahoma summers have always been brutal, especially without air conditioning. It's hotter than hell, and muggy. We often found ourselves laying down in the living room with every door and window open with ice cubes melting on our faces and bare backs while sucking down on fruity popsicles.

Two-Bit found himself having to repeat his junior year... again. I think this was his second time. He didn't seem upset about it in the slightest. He might have summer school, but I don't think he's planning on attending. He would be graduated and done with school by now if he cared in the slightest, then he wouldn't have to worry about it. Why doesn't he just drop out if he hates it?

Johnny, Dad, and Dally are all high school drop outs. This really surprised me, because my father has a high school diploma in 2038. I don't know if he ends up going back to school at some point, but as of now he has no plans to return to school. If I ever dropped out, both of my parents would have my head.

While some of the guys were working during the summer, I learned that Dally rides horses. He's a horse jockey, but also likes to ride them in rodeos. Pony told me that it's the only thing he does honestly, because he can't cheat. There was an afternoon where no one was working or busy, so Dally invited us all to the rodeo he was in.

The venue was rather small. It was dry and hot, with dirt getting kicked up in the thick air from the horses running and bucking around. We sat up in the stands near a little chute where the cowboys would wait on their horses before they entered the ring. The sun was beating down on us because there was no shade, and we were all fanning ourselves with pamphlets we got at the gate. Two-Bit and Steve were panting like dogs, while I could see sweat forming around Darry's hairline.

Mom stared intently at the arena while they were setting up the barrels. I couldn't tell what she was thinking about, maybe that she'd rather be anywhere but here just like the rest of us. Dad taught me how to properly grease my hair about a month ago, so I've been doing it everyday but today it feels like it's just dripping down my back. I pulled my dark shirt from my chest and pumped it up and down to get some airflow on my chest and face. I had cut the sleeves off of it which helps a lot with feeling cooler.

I know I was excited to watch Dally participate in the bronc riding. I wanted to know if he was any good at it or not, because sometimes I think he needs some humbling. Dally constantly gloats about his riding. He said he does it bareback, which sounds insane to me but Dally is a bit of a wild card.

While we waited, Darry gave Steve a few bucks so he could get us all some peanuts and popcorn for the afternoon. While he was gone, the barrel racers started. The first one that went was a young girl with bright red hair that was obnoxiously big under her white cowgirl hat.

"Here comes Sherri Valance on a horse called Biscuit!" Her introduction came through every speaker at the venue followed by some upbeat old-school country music that echoed slightly around the ring.

I noticed Mom lean over to Dad and ask in a small voice, "how do you win this?"

"See them barrels?" Dad pointed at the three barrels that were on each end of the arena. When Mom nodded, he continued, "the horse has to run as fast as they can and circle around them there barrels and get back to the start. Fastest horse wins."

"Oh, okay," she said softly. "Thank you."

"That's Cherry," Ponyboy said in a low voice.

Ponyboy almost didn't come to the rodeo today. A couple days ago, Dad made dinner and Ponyboy got food poisoning from it. He was sick all day yesterday, but he was feeling better this morning. He said that he probably will never eat any of Dad's cooking again.