The Outsiders
Why is it important for Ponyboy to point out that the Socs were "reeling pickled"?
Hiiiii he is a good time to get a 5
Hiiiii he is a good time to get a 5
This is important because as Johnny notes, drunkeness changes the game. Alcohol dulls pain and good sense. Alcohol and fighting is a bad combination.
Five Socs were coming straight at us, and from the way they were staggering I figured they were reeling pickled. That scared me. A cool deadly bluff could sometimes shake them off, but not if they outnumbered you five to two and were drunk.
The Outsiders