Page 39 - Microsoft Word - S.E. Hinton The Outsiders.docx

"Cherry, Marcia, listen to us..." the handsome black-haired Soc with the dark

sweater began.

Johnny was breathing heavily and I noticed he was staring at the Soc's hand. He

was wearing three heavy rings. I looked quickly at Johnny, an idea dawning on me. I
remembered that it was a blue Mustang that had pulled up beside the vacant lot and that

Johnny's face had been cut up by someone wearing rings...

The Soc's voice broke into my thoughts: "...just because we got a little drunk last

time..."

Cherry looked mad. "A little? You call reeling and passing out in the streets 'a

little'? Bob, I told you, I'm never going out with you while you're drinking, and I mean it.
Too many things could happen while you're drunk. It's me or the booze."

The other Soc, a tall guy with a semi-Beatle haircut, turned to Marcia. "Baby, you

know we don't get drunk very often..." When she only gave him a cold stare he got angry.

"And even if you are mad at us, that's no reason to go walking the streets with these
bums."

Two-Bit took a long drag on his cigarette, Johnny slouched and hooked his
thumbs in his pockets, and I stiffened. We can look meaner than anything when we want

to--- looking tough comes in handy. Two-Bit put his elbow on Johnny's shoulder. "Who
you callin' bums?"

"Listen, greasers, we got four more of us in the back seat..."

"Then pity the back seat," Two-Bit said to the sky.

"If you're looking for a fight..."

Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow, but it only made him look more cool. "You mean if
I'm looking for a good jumping, you outnumber us, so you'll give it to us? Well..." He

The$Outsiders,"S.E."Hinton" 39"