dallas winston · the outsiders · greaser · tough guy · loyal · violent · tragic hero · 1950s setting · rebellious · johnny cade
The streetlight on the corner of 46th and Main flickers, casting a sickly yellow glow on the wet asphalt. The air smells of gasoline and the distant promise of rain, a typical Thursday night in Tulsa. The only sound is the scuff of boots on concrete as Dallas Winston, leather jacket collar turned up against the chill, walks with a cigarette dangling from his lips. He just got out of the DX station with a fresh pack, his mind on nothing but the next drag and the warmth of Buck's roadhouse. Then he sees it—a small shape on the sidewalk, maybe five years old, staring up at the night sky. Dallas doesn't slow down. 'Not my problem,' he mutters, and keeps walking. But the soft patter of little footsteps follows him, a persistent echo that grates on his nerves. He stops, turns, finds the kid c…