Reader Request: Pony and Soda Argue, Pony Calls Soda for Help
“I don’t understand why I gotta take this intro level class, Soda. It’s driving me crazy.”
“Why? What’s the problem?” Soda asks.
“It ain’t a problem exactly, it’s just…when we’re talking, it’s fine to say things however you want. But why are people writing words like ‘ain’t’ in their papers at this level? Some of ‘em are even planning to be English majors,” Ponyboy complains.
“Maybe they didn’t get taught things the same as you,” Soda suggests.
“I don’t know how they could not know some of these things they’re messing up if they’ve ever read a single book. Glory’s sake. I ain’t trying to be mean or nothing, but a lot of the mistakes I’m seeing when we trade papers and stuff are so dumb,” Ponyboy says. Soda actually recoils at the word dumb…a remnant from too many times hearing it back before he dropped out. Ponyboy is oblivious to it over the phone, though, and he keeps right on talking. He listens kind of half-heartedly as Pony talks about the paper they just worked on, and a book he’s been reading, and then he flips back to reading each others’ essays. “And I swear, Soda, the guy I was working with couldn’t spell nothing to save his life. It was work just reading his essay.”
“Sounds real frustrating,” Soda says, trying to think about how to change the subject. “Oh! Pones you shoulda seen this Mustang we got to work on yesterday. She was a real beaut, man.”
“Bet Steve was thrilled.”
“Oh for sure, he kept talking about how tuff it was. This guy that was driving it, though, he didn’t know nothing about cars. Brought it in making this thunking sound, and he coulda most likely just tightened a few bolts and been done with her. She was fun to work on, though.”
“Yeah. You happy at college, Pones?”
“I mean, generally. There’s some things I really like about it.”
“Well, I feel like there’s lots of people here who like looking at sunsets and talking about books and movies and philosophy and all kinds of things.” Soda knows that these are things Ponyboy hasn’t really connected with people on too often, so he’s happy for him…even if there’s a little bit of something else. “I mean, you were always real great with listening me to talking about books and things, but I know it just wasn’t your cup of tea or whatever. And it’s different, having people actually talking back and forth with me about those kinds of things.”
“Yeah…that makes sense.” Soda ain’t trying to pick on his brother, really he’s not. He’s real proud of him. But something about what he’s saying just makes Soda feel lousy.
“Oh! And you wouldn’t believe what the professor said to this guy –“ he laughs. “I don’t know if he was tired or what, or if he really didn’t know better, but he kept using the wrong form of the word “right”…in his essay on writing. Jesus, I’d’ve crawled into a hole or something if I had to hear the professor rip on me like that in front of everybody.”
“You think that’s funny?” Soda blurts out before he can think twice.
“I mean, kinda. He kept saying r-i-g-h-t instead of w-r-i-t-e on an essay on WRITING.”
“Just because you’re smart, Pony, don’t mean you got to be a jackass to people who ain’t,” Soda says harshly. He’s getting worked up, but all he can think about is how many times he was embarrassed to the point of being near tears back in school.
“Why are you calling me a jackass?” Ponyboy asks irritably. “Scuse me for telling you how things are going here. Didn’t realize I needed to be careful ‘bout what I said to my own brother.”
“You’re never careful about what you say, to me or to Darry,” Soda points out.
“That ain’t fair, and you know it. What crawled up your ass, man?”
“Maybe I just don’t like hearing my brother acting like a pernicious dick.”
“I think you mean pretentious,” Ponyboy interjects.
“See?!?!” Soda exclaims. “Sorry you had to go all the way to college to find anybody smart enough to be worth talking to.”
“That ain’t what I said. You’re putting words in my mouth.”
“But not the right words, I guess,” Soda mutters.
“You know what? I know you don’t get it, but school is stressful. I don’t need to be calling just to fight.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t get it. Too dumb, right?” Soda says bitterly. “And if you don’t need to be calling, you can do whatever other things you’d rather be doing with your smart buddies up there.”
Soda can’t believe his brother hung up on him. He’s furious. But also…he’s upset. Hearing Pony talk like that, about people that are probably smarter than Soda? Acting like you can’t have an ounce a brains and be messing up the kinds of things Soda would surely be doing. Damn, it hurts.
Soda goes back into his room and lays down in the bed he used to share with Pony, staring at the ceiling. If the ceiling gets a little blurry for awhile, that’s his own damn business.
Soda is frustrated with his brother, he’s hurt and upset, and it puts him in a sour mood for the rest of the week. Pony don’t call every day or nothing, usually, but this is also the longest he and Pony have been at odds for a long time. Soda’s not sure they’ve ever been in a fight this long.
He’s a little surprised when, the next day, Darry calls him to the phone to talk to Pony.
“He probably don’t want to talk to me,” Soda mutters.
Darry covers the phone. “He asked for you, Pepsi. I know y’all got into it a little,” he says quietly. “But he don’t sound good. I think he’s been crying.”
Soda takes the phone apprehensively. “Yeah?”
“Soda?” his brother’s voice sounds broken.
“What’s wrong?” he asks immediately, and Ponyboy just sobs in response. He tries to get some words out, but Soda can’t make any of ‘em out. “Calm down, honey. I can’t understand you when you’re this worked up,” he says as gently as he can. If anything, Ponyboy sounds like he’s sobbing harder. “Are you in your dorm?” Soda asks.
“Yeah-“ Ponyboy chokes out.
“I’ll be there in 45 minutes, honey.”
“I’ll be there in 45 minutes,” he says firmly. “I’m leaving right now, and you know I think speed limits are more suggestions. You gonna be okay that long?”
“Yeah.” He snuffles, soundling like he’s choking a little.”
“See you soon.” Soda hangs up.
“You need me to come?” Darry asks anxiously.
“Naw, don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll bring him back with me if I need to. I know you got work. Can you get Two to drive you though so I can take the truck?”
“You got it.” Darry pulls Soda into a quick hug, and then Soda is out the door.
The drive is about the longest 45 minutes of Soda’s life. He can’t quit worrying. He might even make it in close to 40 minutes.
He remembers the way from when they moved Pony in, so he heads straight there. He charms somebody into letting him in the outer door, and then he heads to Pony’s room. He knocks.
His brother opens the door, looking red-eyed and disheveled, and generally miserable.
“Honey, what’s going on?” Soda says.
“I messed everything up, Soda,” he cries, and throws his arms around him. Soda hugs him back just as tightly. “I got mixed up on deadlines, and I didn’t leave myself near enough time, and I’m gonna fail and lose my scholarship.” He stutters out through sobs. “And I let you and Darry down and I’m so sorry.”
“And I wasn’t trying to be mean. I miss you so much Soda, and I’m homesick all the time, and I hate the fact that every time I talk to anybody I gotta try to sound smart so they don’t think I’m just a hood, and I even miss Darry ragging on me,” Pony says, bawling through it enough that it’s hard for Soda to even make out everything. “I’m gonna fail and get kicked out, and y’all are gonna hate me and I won’t be able to come home.”
“Baby, you’re working yourself up,” Soda murmurs. “Pone, there ain’t any reason in the world you couldn’t come back home. Me and Darry love you more than anything.”
“But you both worked so hard to get me to college, and I’m fucking everything up.”
“No.” Soda rubs his hand up and down Pony’s back. “Honey, you always manage to pull things off and get done, but even if you don’t there ain’t anything you could ever do to make us not want you back home. We love you so much. And we ain’t just proud of you being in school. We’re proud of who you are as a person, Pones. That ain’t never gonna change.”
Ponyboy starts to settle a little, and he wipes roughly at his face. “But what if-“
“No matter what, you’re gonna be okay. Because we got each other, always. Nothing’s ever gonna change that, Ponykid.” Soda ruffles his hair gently. “And no fight’s ever bonna make me stop loving you, either. So just get that outta your head.”
“I didn’t mean-“ he cuts himself off with a sob.
“I know,” Soda mumurs. “I know.”
“Oh my God,” Ponyboy mutters. “I can’t believe I made you drive all the way up here just to give me a damn hug.”
Soda laughs good-naturedly. “Honey, I would come up to give you a hug anytime. I love you so much. And Darry does, too.”
“I might have overreacted.”
“Well, I’m used to that, too,” Soda teases.
“You wanna stay awhile?” Pony asks uncomfortably.
“It’s up to you, Pones. If you’re okay, and you got stuff you gotta do, I can go. But I don’t mind staying, neither.”
Ponyboy hesitates. “You think maybe we could have dinner before you head back home?”
Soda smiles at him. “That sounds real nice.”
He gets a genuine smile back.
