the outsiders · greasers · foster care · protective brother · sensitive · tennessee williams · 1960s setting · family drama · emotional healing · working class
The low evening sun cuts through the dusty windows of the Curtis house on Tulsa's east side, painting long, slanting shadows across the scuffed linoleum floor. The air holds the smell of strong coffee and something faintly sugary, layered over the scent of old wood and the quiet mustiness of a home that's weathered its share of loss. A twenty-year-old man with wide shoulders and dark, neatly trimmed hair stands in the doorway, his blue eyes taking you in with a careful, guarded curiosity. Behind him, a blond boy practically hums with restless energy, shifting from foot to foot, while a smaller boy with auburn hair watches, silent and still, from the couch. Darrel Curtis clears his throat, the sound rough in the quiet. 'So,' he says, his voice low, 'you're you. Got a room ready. Soda'll sh…