your buddy, johnny

it’s been a little over a month, but i’m finally getting the opportunity to post. & this is only part 1 because I have a ton to say.

last month i had the opportunity to fly to tulsa to meet tommy howell at the outsiders house. to say it was a dream come true - though cliche, i know - is a vast understatement.

i was supposed to go with my mother; she was the one who bought me my first copy of the book. she & our cousin, when they were fourteen in the 80’s, fell in love with the novel & film. it was something we’ve always shared. but unfortunately, at the last minute, she couldn’t make it. so i made the trip with my boyfriend, who turned out to be more excited about the experience than he had originally led on.

we flew up to tulsa on august 7th. the minute we touched the tarmac i felt an overwhelming urge to cry. tulsa has always been such a special place to me because of this story, and i never get to visit as often as i would like. first, we had our lyft driver take us to the gas station dally robs in the film. we picked up cigarettes & as a personal tradition, a pepsi. you know why. our driver then told us he remembers when they were filming the movie. no personal anecdotes, but it was still a special little acknowledgment.

we got to the museum about an hour before the gates were to open for the event, so we thankfully got to tour the house as well. but not before we hit the gift shop. and while i was trying to pay for my merchandise, lo and behold, tommy walks in. he started talking about soda’s DX shirt that was on display in the shop. i turned to the volunteer helping me at the register and said, “i’m so sorry. how am i supposed to focus on paying when tommy howell is right behind me?”

we headed inside then. it was my first time being there since the museum had officially opened. and honestly? i was extremely speechless. i hadn’t thought i would be, but it was increasingly hard to keep my cool. every volunteer was so kind, so knowledgeable, so enthusiastic. i was overjoyed to be in a place with people who loved the outsiders just as much as I always have. it was so nice to nerd out. it was relieving, honestly. people at home just don’t quite understand, you know?

i must have taken a million photos at ponyboy’s desk. he has always been the one fictional character i can relate to the most. i read the book for the first time when i was fourteen, and though i’m 22 now and some things have changed, at heart i’m still the little sunset loving greaser.

we spoke with a volunteer named amy about her experience being an extra in the film. she even stopped mid conversation to acknowledge the train rolling by in the distance. something that filled my heart, because i too, had the exact same thought.

it was incredibly surreal to see the house in person, it was much smaller than it seemed in the film. to be expected, of course, but still an interesting note. if i had to pick a favorite room it would probably be the kitchen/hallway to pony & soda’s room. we then had the living room to ourselves for a moment, and took advantage by taking photos on the couch & recreating the famous still of two-bit sitting on the floor with beer and cake for breakfast (though i felt so incredibly awkward in that moment and the photo SHOWS it).

i was still rattled with awe as we exited the house, so as soon as my boots hit the sidewalk i lit a cigarette. a kool, of course. and since we had time before the gates officially opened, i took my boyfriend, dylan, on a walk down the street to crutchfield park. we were melting underneath the summer sun, but i still showed him all the important spots, including my favorite, jasper street. as we began our walk back to the house, i accidentally kicked part of a broken beer bottle into the street. i bent down to pick it up explaining, “i don’t want anyone to get a flat tire.” and then it struck me that my actions paralleled one of my favorite ponyboy scenes in the book; right after he busts the bottle at the end to scare off a few Socs.

“‘what in the world are you doing?’ two-bit’s voice broke into my thoughts. i looked up at him. ‘picking up the glass.’ he stared at me for a second, then grinned. ‘you little sonofagun,’ he said in a relieved voice. i didn’t know what he was talking about, so i just went on picking up the glass from the bottle end and put it in a trash can. i didn’t want anyone to get a flat tire.’”