Throwback Thursday: The Outsiders

I first saw The Outsiders when I was 10 or 11 and promptly fell head-over-heels in love with Ponyboy Curtis.  My friends and I argued for months over which of us would get to marry him.  To this day, it is still one of my all time favorite movies.

Imagine my joy when I then discovered that it was based on the book by S.E. Hinton.  I took it out of the library over and over and over.  And then to learn that it was written by a seventeen-year-old girl.  It was one of the first moments I realized that I could be a writer.

I was enthralled with the life that Pony lived with his brothers and friends.  I hated the Socs every bit as much as the greasers did.  Except, of course, Cherry Valance - the Soc cheerleader with a soft spot for Dallas Winston.

First lines can make or break a novel, and this one is fantastic: "When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home."  When my niece Allison told me she had started reading The Outsiders in English class, I quoted that line to her.  She double-checked me, but I knew I was right.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching her read it for the first time.  I was jealous of that opportunity.  I would love to be able to read it for the first time again.  Her response to the book was very similar to mine.  When they watched the movie in class, she said she understood why I used to have a crush on Ponyboy.

It's been years since my last reading of The Outsiders, but I'm feeling like I may need to reread it soon.  It has a permanent place on my shelf of favorites.  And I still cry when Johnny tells Pony to "Stay Gold."


Aside from this blog, I've been doing more writing. I'm currently working on a short story about a clown. If I finish it by Sunday, I'm submitting it to magazine for a clown related anthology. With the number of creepy clown dreams I've had in my life, I'm fairly certain I can get something finished to submit.

On a more personal note, I've also recently written a "Why We Walk" piece about Lena's journey with PHACE syndrome and the great things that Boston Children's Hospital has done for her. It will be on the tables at the comedy fundraiser this Saturday night. (Tickets are still available if you're interested.)