s. e. hinton

the outsiders

Isaac: Reading this book again now, well, after, you know, all that's happened is like weird somehow. You know?

Taylor: I think I . . . Yeah . . . like it's part of our scrapbook somehow. And now, just like our own album pictures, it's different, somehow, changed. I really see what it must have been like for Mrs. Inhofe, uh, back then, she was S.E. Hinton, to share her story. It's a personal thing you like to do, then all of a sudden you watch it, become, this thing (makes exploding sound while pantomiming an bomb going off with his hands).

Zac: Like those pictures of us jumping on the bed in Jarrod's book.

Isaac: Thank God no one sneaked in that one of us which involves, let's just say, us and a few pairs of really buff speedos. Oh wait, Taylor's ended up on the internet. Bummer, dude.

Taylor: Hey, an update to our official webpage couldn't hurt. What do you say, Zac? Fire up the scanner!

Zac: (yelling) Stop the presses!

Isaac: That's actually frightening, but hey, that's the nature of the internet, right, Tay? (Taylor roll his eyes.) Anyway, The Outsiders? It's weird knowing that Mrs. Inhofe, Nick's mom, was also, like 16, when her book was published. Like when I first heard "Mmmbop" on the radio. It's like I can't separate artists and their work any more. (Pause) I mean it's like always seeing where the fake beard is attached on Santa or being able to picture where the cameraperson is standing when you look at a picture. It's not bad, really, it's just being able to see more, somehow. You know?

Taylor: You see how a story or your music reveals something deep, then the stuff that comes after, I mean, when people start to notice and begin to want to see that much of you and more, you, have to . . . I don't know . . . hide?

Isaac: Doesn't' S.E. actually stand for "Susan Eloise" but the publishers thought the story would be more believable if people didn't know a girl had written it?

Zac: People want to come along and say, "Oh, you're wacky. You're that Riddlin Boy. You're on ProZac or something" - like they know everything about you. When what they see, is only really, what they want to see.

Taylor: I keep forgetting, Zac, are you the goofyfunny one or the goofystupid one?

(Zac pretends to laugh really hard, then stops sarcastically looking at Taylor.)

Isaac: That's so unfunny.

Taylor: That's because I'm the unfunny one. But back to what Zac was saying, when if people would, uh, grasp what you were trying to do, they would see it as much deeper than that.

Isaac: Exactly, exactly. I mean, I'm sure some people want to say, "Oh, S.E. Hinton writes that teen stuff. If you liked 'West Side Story', check out The Outsiders." Like, they're supposed to be another brand of the same cereal or something.

Zac: Wasn't "The Outsiders" on t.v. last week? It had that guy from "My Cousin Vinny" in it.

Isaac: (moaning) And that guy that was on Saturday Night Live dancing with Chris Farley.

Zac: Who was that person who was Sodapop? Taylor should've been him.

Taylor: Don't you see me as more of a Ponyboy type? Que no, mi hermano?

Zac: Hey, I'm Ponyboy in this story. He's the youngest one. You're the middle one, Tay.

Isaac: I agree with Zac. And I quote (clears his throat dramatically and fold opens the book several times before reading), "Soda's movie-star kind of handsome, the kind that people stop on the street to watch go by . . . "

(Taylor groaning and holding his ears, mumbling.)

Isaac: (continuing, louder) He's not as tall as Darryl - (cuts in to make his own comment) that's his older, wiser brother for those just joining us - and he's a little slimmer, but he has finely drawn sensitive face that somehow . . .

(Taylor smiles very quickly to himself in a self-amused way, then throws his paperback at Isaac.)

Zac: Don't worry girls, you can read the rest in that book that is quickly becoming a national bestseller, Totally Taylor. (Taylor lunges for Zac, as Zac picks up Taylor's book to beam his brother with it in self-defense.)

Taylor: If Zac's Ponyboy, hmmm, doesn't that mean he gets his hair tragically chopped off somewhere in the book?

Zac: Hey, what are you saying?

Taylor: Oh nothing. (Begins to hit the table like it's a pair of bongo drums, "Shave and a haircut.")

Isaac: (Finishes with "Two Bits." Then in an exaggerated voice.) Tay, you wouldn't! You couldn't!

Taylor: Oh, I wouldn't. But Mackie? If he were to get a hold of a pair of scissors while a person was, (louder) I don't know, sleeping? Well, you can never quite predict these things (voice trails off).

Zac: That's a joke, right? (Louder) Right, guys? Guys?!

Isaac: (Looks at Taylor. Fake coughs) So, we were talking about characters in the book, The Outsiders. How we are like or NOT like the Curtises. So, Zac, from what person or point-of-view is the story told.

Zac: Eh, from Ponyboy's? Who bites his fingernails, just like people we know.

Taylor: Yeah, first person.

Isaac: "Yearbook" is from first-person too, but not from Ponyboy's perspective.

Zac: Wait, are you saying you wrote "Yearbook" after reading this book, Ike?

Isaac: Well, let's just say that Taylor and I always wondered how the other Soc's besides Cherry and Randy reacted to Johnny's death. How did everyone explain what happened to him?

Zac: So "Sometimes I wonder, maybe we're to blame" is about a younger Soc who might not have read all the newspaper stories about Johnny, but might have heard the rumors about what happened?

Taylor: Ike, I guess we're going to have to kill him now. He knows. (Shakes his head and grimaces, sucks his teeth in.) Sorry, buddy.

Isaac: Maybe, we could think of a way to keep him around. We still need a drummer for that band we do. hmmmm . . . (snaps his fingers) Got it, Middleman! Change Zoe's diaper the next time Mom calls one of us to help her.

Taylor: Genius. And we never had this conversation, comprende?

Zac: You guys are crazy, if you think . . .

Isaac: Think twice, Trundle Boy, before trying to double-cross the people who have to watch where they land when they jump out of bed in the morning.

Taylor: It could get ugly. Real messy. All evidence would indicate a freak accident, of course. Yowch! (Isaac shivers dramatically)

Zac: Remember what happened to Ponyboy when his brothers started messing with him? Try explaining that to Mom and Dad. You guys would be so dead.

Taylor: Hey, there's something I noticed about character here. Remember how Mom is always like, saying stuff about noticing people's names and initials?

Isaac: Oh yeah.

Taylor: Did you notice that Johnny's initials are J.C.?

Zac: Yeah?

Taylor: Well, that could stand for Jesus Christ. I mean, Ponyboy telling the story of how Johnny died meant that his death saved other people's lives. Like Johnny tells Ponyboy in his letter (He reads from book.): "You still have a lot of time to make yourself be what you want. There's still lots of good in the world."

Isaac: Whoa, that's intense, Tay.

(Zac nods quietly.) Zac: umm hmm

Zac: Did anyone notice that their mom kind of sounds like a certain mom we know?

Isaac: You mean how she bakes chocolate cakes and keeps Dally from getting into a lot of trouble? Mom has a hard time doing that, except for when RuPaul asked us to be on his, er, her - Tay? (Looks at Taylor. He shrugs his shoulders and covers his mouth to hide a grin.) show.

Zac: Ponyboy says that, "My mother was golden and beautiful . . ." I mean,, but their parents are dead though.

Taylor: Their family definitely was close before, you know, their parents were killed.

Isaac: Did you notice that our album name is in this book?

Zac: Oh yeah. Don't tell me our album name came from this book now? Especially since I should know about "Man from Milwaukee."

Taylor: Did you guys realize that the name of that boat thingy at the MTV movie awards was called "The Titanic"?

Isaac: I can't believe you're bringing up that show. Is there an (louder) echo in the building? -ding . . . -ding . . .

Taylor: (Laughing) I know, "I'm your secret shame." What I mean is that, you remember the poem in the book that ends, "Nothing gold can stay"?

Isaac: I think I'm getting what you're saying. Go on though.

Taylor: Well, I wonder if that was MTV's subtle way of letting us know that they think we're like gold, in a way. We're young and everything's new, but they think we're headed for an iceberg.

Zac: (Begins to imitate rapper) "Sometimes I get the feelin' that starts to make me wonder, why you want to take us under. Why you want to take us under . . ."

Isaac: Like we've said all along, in 10 years if no one is coming to hear us play or wanting to buy an album, we'll just be in Tulsa, makin' music, just like we've always been.

Taylor: No doubt.

Zac: "No diggity. No doubt. We out! We out!" (Waving his hands in the air hip-hop fashion.)

(Mrs. Hanson comes in.) Mrs. H: Are you ready to have me call Mrs. Inhofe for an interview with the author?

Isaac: Were we supposed to write some questions for her to answer?

Mrs. H: Where were you guys when we talked about this?

Zac: (with a sneaky smile) We said that Mrs. Curtis reminds us of you, "golden and beautiful."

Mrs. H: Yes, Zac, you still have to write a three-page book report (goes over to give him a quick squeeze from behind). Since we have a family friend as a famous author, why not take advantage of it? Okay, let's see, why don't you three each come up with at least 20 questions. Then, we'll decide which ones are the best and invite her over. By the way, she invited you guys over to ride horses with Nick sometime too.

Taylor: Mom, were you a Soc or a Greaser?

Mrs. H: Let's ask your father that when he gets home. But you guys know where your Grandpa and Grandma used to live and take a guess. It's the individual that matters though, right? Ponyboy explains it all. Okay, who's going to help me with dinner tonight?

Isaac: As long as Zac isn't making his famous Mac and Cheese.

Taylor: Yeah, flavored with "floor herbs" and a little hair for seasoning.

Zac: Hey, I tried to wash it all off after it fell on the floor. You guys didn't seem to mind, until I told you!

Mrs. H: Remind me to put some things in the freezer for you, the next time I have a baby.

(All three): NEXT TIME?!