I have a brief story to tell of a day which I always remember and cherish during which I found out something very important about myself and my values in life. It happened when I was coming home from high school on my fisherman friends boat (we had to take a bus, then take a boat and then walk to get home). I was also a fisherman's son who also had worked on the fishing boat of my dad. But whereas my friend was in the general non-university program, I was in the university entrance program so I had aspirations for higher education. As we approached the float of my friend's house, I put down my briefcase with all my homework and jumped down onto the float with a line to help tie it up. Then when I looked up, my friend handed me my briefcase. This felt so good, that I was not forgetting my humble background and not acting superior but being what I was- a fisherman's son basically and primarily and secondarily a potential university student and that my friend appreciated my action.
I’m guessing that’s “stay gold ponyboy” , which is a play on the phrase “nothing gold can stay”. Johnny is trying to tell pony to stay true to himself and be good.
