A few days after Johnny and Dally's funerals, Ponyboy went to the cemetary to pay his respects.
They had separate funerals? Didn't they both have like 6 friends each? Including each other? And I'm pretty sure it was a big thing that neither of their families cared about them. Also, could the Curtises afford 2 separate funerals? Could they even afford 1?
His friends graves are right on the side a few feet away from a bench where a woman sat weeping. She had long blonde hair, black pants, and a brown leather jacket. She sobbed as she held a photograph against her heart. Being the nice person he is, Ponyboy sits down next to her and pats her back. She looks at him with sad blue eyes. "Are you okay?" He asks kindly.
Why would you go up to a random stranger in a graveyard and pat them on the back? Also, does no one else come to the graveyard to cry over loved ones? What is it that would make this lady stand out? Answer: literally fucking nothing.

"how can I be okay?" The woman cried, tears streaming down her face. "My son killed himself a-and and a-a-an-a h-h-he -e " she broke down crying. She held onto the photograph like her life depended on it.
So she's just chill with some random guy coming up to her to ask if she's okay in the middle of a graveyard? She doesn't want peace or to be alone right now?

"It's gonna be alright." Ponyboy reassures her, hugging her tight. "I saw two very good friends die right before me in one night." A tear traced his cheek. "And I couldn't do anything to stop it."
It's not a competition, Pony. Also, hugging random strangers. In case you haven't picked up on this: that is creepy. He does not know this woman, she does not know him. She did not ask for a hug. She did not ask to be touched.

she he pat him on the back.

"Is that your son?" Ponyboy asks pointing to the photograph.

the woman looks at it and nods painfully. "But it's old. Very old." She says shakily.

Pony leans in to look at the picture. It was of a small boy, no older than six, wearing a red sweater and jeans. He had light hair and blue eyes that looked vaguely familiar. The boy smiled hapily as he held onto a fishing line with a small fish on the end. It looked like they were in the woods camping or something.
Of course he's "vaguely familiar". God forbid this random lady not be connected to your own story. Also, in case you didn't pick up on it, the picture is baby CC's way of trying to give Dally a happy childhood, when not having a happy childhood is kinda an important to Dally's character.

"What's his name?" Pony asks.

the woman has a very far away look in her blue eyes. "D-D-Da-" she clutches the photo to her heart again and wails, "WHY?" She shakes her fist at the sky and curses.
This whole interaction just feels cliche and cheesy.

"Dallas?" Pony guessed.
Because there are no other boy names that start with "Da" than that of your recently deceased friend. Absolutely none.

the woman looked at him and blinks confusedly. "H-h-h-ho-ho-how d-did you know?"  She stammers, tears still pouring from her eyes.
That's what I said!

"Because, Im one of his friends." He replies. He can see the resemblance between this woman and Dally. She looks at Ponyboy for a moment before hugging him.
Even if he managed to guess the name, how the fuck does he know it's the same person? And she doesn't question it?

"w-what about you? What's your name?" She asks.

"Ponyboy."

he reached into his pocket Aand pulls out a small strip of brown leather. he'd gong it from Dally's jacket. He'd cut off a peice so he could always remember. He held the leather out to Dally's mother. "This was his. I think you should have it." He says.
Pretty sure you'd never forget a traumatic event like that.

she gently took the leather, rubbed it against her cheek, and kissed it.

"Thank you." She said.

"I gotta go." He says. "my condolences."