First things first, I don’t like horses (they are far too big to be normal, and only weird things happen when you worship them – I’ve read Equus) and I am not a boy. Yet my name is Ponyboy. Intriguing… I know. The sad thing is I never had any cool nicknames and most people can’t pronounce my real name – thank you telemarketers – so I thought Ponyboy would be fun for everyone.
You see, I blame sixth grade for my obsession with Ponyboy Curtis, the brother of Sodapop (“it says so on his birth certificate”) and Darrell Curtis. If you still have no clue to whom I am referring, read The Outsiders, it will change your life – it certainly has changed mine. And this is where I will begin my spiel.
Have you ever loved something so much, that you begin to relate everything else in your life to the thing you love? That is what happened to me and The Outsiders. There was (and deep inside there still is) a strong desire to name my first child Ponyboy. Then my friends said they would never speak to me ever again. I think Ponyboy is a completely acceptable name, but to each his own. I collect different editions of Hinton’s novel, my favorite is a copy from the 70s that I got from at a yard sale for a quarter (there is just something about its orange rimmed pages and neon pink cover that speaks to me). I watched the movie on repeat after I initially read the book, I love me some Ralph Macchio. I will forever be able to recite “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” And I almost went as far as becoming a greaser.
For the first time in my life, I could not read enough. I wanted to know Ponyboy inside and out. When Johnny died (* delayed spoiler alert) a little piece of me died with him. Up until sixth grade, I despised reading. It wasn’t my thing – I did on the other hand enjoy watching Disney Channel Original Movies. I owe The Outsiders my life because it gave me direction. And from the moment I finished reading the novel, I knew I wanted to teach English. I wanted to throw myself into novels. Along the way I fell just as hard for Holden Caulfield (whom one of my kids will be named after) and Gabriel Oak.
There is no better feeling in the world than being totally immersed in something you love. For me that feeling occurs when I am deep into a novel. So I ask you, when do you feel most happy and comfortable, when do you enjoy leaving the world behind?
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