one thing i think pony and dallas share is that the library is a safe haven for them both. pony finds comfort in the books and stories, and in a quiet place where he can let his mind wander and a place where the outside violence won't ever come in. similarly, dallas found refuge in the libraries of new york as a kid. spending stretches of time on the streets to escape a violent father, the library was a place he could go that let him stay for hours. in the rain, in the snow, in the dead of winter, it was a place he could go. he'd pull down a book and pretend to read so that they wouldn't kick him out, but eventually he really did start reading for real. sometimes he sees ponyboy reading a book that he's already read and he likes to make ponyboy mad at him by spoiling the ending lol