was really hungry after not eating for a few days, so i started to think
about the best way to get some food. i could flirt with the greasy nasty
apple vendor, a man in his late thirtys i would guess, but every fiber in my
body-besides my stomach-were screaming no, so i did things the way i do when
i don't feel like seducing people, i got violent. ok don't go thinking
david and goliath, fight to the death type stuff, i'm talking innocent
violence, if such a term exists. I spotted my prey, and prepared for
action, i walked up to a little girl aroung 5 or 6,the real hoity toity
type, curled hair, frilly dress the works, the type to make a real fuss at
every dead bug, and spider web. she was looking at her shiny presumably new
white shoes as she walked towards her mother, i moved to her side and
tripped her with the toe of my boot watching in amusement as she went, arms
flailing, lungs screaming, into a puddle of mud. serves her right i thought
as i snuck back to the front of the apple cart, i watched as the vendor
turned to see what had happened just as i had planned and quickly took a big
green apple off the cart, casually backing away from the cart, almost
getting trampled by the brats outraged mother, i watched the nasty vendor
trying to pick up the mother with his lame lines i stood there waiting for
it, and when i heard the slap i knew the show was over, i smiled to myself
throwing the apple up in the air in catching it, success was wonderful. i
did that a lot, stealing i mean, filching a little here and a little there,
didn't care much for the bug stuff-it was the people who were greedy that
got thrown in jail. sure i had some amount of money that i kept hidden from
my money mooching family, but why pay when you don't have to?
i guess i should introduce myself before i continue on with my life story,
my name is melody spring, the one with the hair,i was often called since
there are so many kids in my family names could not be remembered. I had
jet black hair that that curled at the bottom which was in the middle of my
back some place, i guess you could call me pretty, i have a pale complexion
and huge green eyes, but what i'm really known for is the fact that I,
melody anne-marie spring age 16, was a pathological liar. what? you ask
sweet innocent looking me a liar and a theif, well look deeper cause not
only am i a liar but a traitor and slut too. You see i had an affair not
to long ago with my best friends boyfriend, nothing serious, in fact nothing
more then a fling, but she still went buck nutty on me, i was trying to feel
guilty, but lets face it, friends come and friends go.
Any way back to my journey down the road, i threw the core of my apple
carelessly into an alley having finished it sometime ago, "what the?!" some
one yelled, i continued on, i heard someone running behind me, my hit and
run victim i guessed, he ran in front of me blocking my path, i fixed him
with an icey stare, and stood there arms crossed waiting "you'se gotta woik
on yer aim" he said pointing to the side of his head that was already
turning black and blue. "yeah sure" i said stepping around him and
continuing to walk. he stood there dumb founded for a minuete before he ran
to catch up with me again "well i guess i can forgive you this one time" he
said "i'm Dutchy" i looked at him "melody" i said shortly, i didn't really
want to be making small talk to anyone even if this boy was cute. "you in a
hurry to get somewhere...melody?" he asked flashing me a charming grin, he
really was adorable, not my type but cute never the less. i decided to play
off it, let the kid buy me lunch then leave and so replied a bit more nicely
" yeah, i'm really hungry i'm looking for a place to eat" "the apple wasn't
enough?" ahh a wise ass i thought. "neah, and it tasted like shit, so you
gonna tell me where i can get some food or what?" "yeah sure" he said
Tibby's i figured, this boy was obviously a newsie, and all newsies from
manhatten ate there. "i'll bring you to a charming little place called
Tibby's" amazing isn't it?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
when we got to Tibby's Dutchy pushed open the door, letting me go in first.
i looked around at the tables that were crowded with boys, all newsies,
dressed in mis matched clothes, that we're either too big or too small. we
found room at a table for 4 that was already past it's maximum occupancy by
one, but we sat there never the less, elbow to elbow with other kids, all
eating and talking, smelling of smoke and a hard days work. "hey doll
face" someone said "who are you?" i looked at the kid, a short italian with
a smoking cigar sitting next to him well he ate "melody" i replied "not much
of a talker is she dutchy?" he asked. great another smart alex, just my
luck "did it ever occur to you that i just don't have anything to say?"
"no, it didn't" he said un daunted '"i'm racetrack higgins" "charmed" i
said spitting in my hand and holding it out to him, i'd seen one of my
little brothers do that. Racetrack looked surprised and kind of flustered
when the other kids at the table started to laugh at him, but then spit in
his own hand and shook mine. "so who are these other fine gentlemen?" i
asked looking around the table at the kids who we're watching me with
intrest "well you just met race, next to him is blink, mush, itey, and jack"
they all said hi, as there name was mentioned then went back to eating
their meals and talking, about things i would have been shocked to hear if i
wasn't me. "hey dutchy what happened to your head?" a kid with brown curly
hair asked, mush i think. "melodys what happened" he said "i need to work
on my aim" I confirmed. lunch passed and sure enough dutchy did foot the
bill. i wondered why i wasn't happy about this, I'd just gotten free food,
but something inside me told me that it wasn't right. never before in my
life did i ever have a conscience, so why I was feeling one now confuesed
me, and in all reality kind of pissed me off. I left tibby's with dutchy watching me go, i knew he knew what i had done,
and i knew i'd hurt him, both physically and mentally, i seemed to be good
at that, i wandered into central park and sat down on a bench that faced a
pond, and for the first time i thought about why i did what i did. i didn't
come up with an answer, i figured i never would, and it was getting dark
"shit" i mumbled my dad was going to kill me, the bastard was a drunk fool,
and would not be happy if he knew i spent the day messing up peoples minds
instead of looking for work, but if he thought i was going to slave away in
a factory all day just so he could get his booze he was dead wrong, he could
screw himself for all i cared. i walked towards my house in the bronx,
slowly, i was already going to get it, might as well enjoy fresh air well i
could, i pulled out a cigerette, a habit i didn't especially care for, but
ticked my parents off, which was enough to make me continue to do it, lit it
and stared off the side of the brooklyn bridge, "you lost?" i jumped a
little at the sound of someone behind me then turned around, to find myself
face to face with a boy a few inches taller then me, his eyes penetrated
through mine as he stood there waiting for me to answer. "no, i'm not lost,
i just don't feel like going home" "whatever" the boy said obviously not
wanting my life story. i finished my cigerette and pulled out another one
"your parents know you smoke?" he asked "yup" "do they mind", "yup" "and
you do it anyway" he said smiling slightly "thats right" he laughed "your
my type of girl" he said nodding approvingly. "well thats nice to know and
all, but i gotta be going" i said, "can't you even tell me your name" he
asked as though i should have thought of that, hell he's the one who started
the converstaion. "melody" it was an all around conversation ender tone
that i used but he kept talking anyway, like it would be a crime not to want
to talk to him "i'm spot, the leader of the brooklyn newsies, i was one of
the leaders of the strike last year" he boasted. i counted my blessings,
two wise asses and a mr. high and mighty. great i thought sarcastically.
"well spot, it's great knowing that your so great and all, but i really need
to go" i walked away before he could hit on me, or worse yet, start talking
again. yeah this kid was cute too, and for some reason seemed like me, in a
way, but i had to think about myself too, not that thats ever been a
problem. anyway i got home without meeting anyone else i thought i could
easily fall in love with, and walked in the front gate, one of my little
brothers johnny who for some odd reason idolized me came running out the
door "melody!" he cried "daddy's mad again" big surprise i thought. "why
aren't you in bed yet?" i asked "cause i want to make sure daddy doesn't
hurt you" he said looking at me with the same green eyes as me. green eyes
are the spring family trade mark, "don't call him daddy" i said "and go to
bed, no ones gonna hurt me" if i cared at all for any of my siblings it was
johnny
he ran inside and i finished my cigerette tossing it on the ground, then
climbed the steps and into the living room where frank, my dad, was
waiting. he was drunk as usual, and came at me staggering like a fool,
"melody? is that you?" my mom asked "yeah mom" i said watching frank pick
his way across the living room to get to me. even 6 feet way, i could smell
the liquor on him. my mom, who was pretty in a limp-rag doll kind of way
came into the living room from the kitchen wiping her hands with a towel.
"oh honey i was worried..." she as cut off by frank who had finally made it
to me, "you find a job yet girl?" "no" it was then that his fist met my
eye. it wasn't the first time, lets just say the two are well aquainted. i
didn't move, didn't cry out, just stood there waiting for him to be done,
and to pass out on the couch, he slapped me a few times then grabbed me by
my hair so close to his face i thought i'd suficate to death form the smell,
and breathed into my face "find work you useless whore, or i'll find work
for you" well i may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer but i was
pretty sure i knew what kind of work he ment. he let go of me and staggered
over to the door, more then likly on his way to the bar. "Oh, melody" my
mother started. i looked at her, the dishtowel, was tightly wrapped
together form my her nervous fingers. 'let me put some ice on that" "mom,
i'm fine" i said shortly, then walked down the hall to the room where johnny
slept with my three other brothers. he was still awake "i heard what
happpened melody, i thought you said he wouldn't hurt you" he whispered. i
looked at the kid, poor thing was so nieve, i felt badly for him, he was a
10 year old boy trying to protect his older sister who didn't want to be
helped. "johnny, i'm fine, he barely touched me, now go to sleep, you've got
school tomorrow" he fell asleep in seconds, i took his thin blanket and put
it around him, it was cold in our house even in july. i walked out of the
room and down to the room i shared with my younger sisters jamie, and
stacey. they were sleeping soundly, we had a good agreement going on, i
didn't care about them and in turn they didnt care about me. i walked to my
bed and threw myself on it, sleeping in my clothes.
i woke up the next morning early, way before, frank even woke from his
drunken state and headed out, no where in particular, just walking aimlessly
again. i somehow found myself in manhatten and just hoped my inner self
hadn't broughten me here on a guilt trip about dutchy. my face was
throbbing, it looked really bad too, but what did i care. i was wandering
around the distribution office looking for something to do when i heard
someone call my name. i turned around and saw dutchy standing a few feet
away. he walked towards me "hey how's it going..." he saw my face and i
think he knew how it was going. "what the hell happend to you?" he asked,
"you didn't peg yourself with an apple this time did you" "haha" i said
dryly "actually you know how you said i had to work on my aim? well i
apparently have to work on my mobile skills cause i ran into a door" it was
a pretty obvious lie, and dutchy knew it, but he didn't say anything, and i
was glad, i didn't like people asking about my personal life, i didn't need
anyones sympathy, and i sure as hell didn't need there help.
*********************************************************************
"So what are you doing today?" he asked i couldn't beleive it, i used and
abused the kid and he was still talking to me like nothing happened.
"nothing in particualr" i said nonchelontly, no use letting him see my
surprise. "i gotta find myself some work, so i thought i'd walk around a
little see what was available to a poor uneducated girl" he looked at me,
well not me more like my face and said "you plan on someone hiring you when
you look like you just got run over by a carraige?" "thanks" i said
sarcastically "and yes i do plan on having someone hire me...hopefully"
"well good luck" he said smiling slightly, probably thinking that i was
about to get what was coming to me. well i'd show him. or so i thought,
cause by noon my feet were killing me and i still didn't have a job. i
wandered down the street dragging my feet not paying attention to where i
was going when who should i run into but dutchy, literally. his papers went
flying along with him intyo the street, and i stood there on the sidewalk
wondering what the kid had done to deserve such a curse as me. i helpt him
up and and wached as he brushed himself off "why aren't i surprised that you
were behind this?" he asked i shrugged and picked up some of his papers
for him, it was the least i could do, i handed them to him, mumbled a quick
sorry and kept walking. he grabbed my arm to stop me and i winced slightly
cause of the pressure he had applied to a bruise on my arm, "any luck
finding a job?" he asked once he had my attention "does it look like i've
had much luck?" i asked sarcastically "well i hate to tell you but i told
you so" "well isn't that nice?" i spat out starting to walk away again
"what happened to your face really?" he asked "none of your damn buisness"
"really?" he asked "you've thrown fruit at me, run me over, been mean and
bitter, i think i deserve some sort of explination" "well i don't" i said,
despite the fact that what he had said was true. "common would you just
tell me, i mean maybe i could help" "why the hell would you want to help
me?" "because" he said in a low voice "for some odd reason i care abut you,
and i know you need help" "well i don't need help from anyone thank you
very much" i said breaking out into a run all the way back to my house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
i heard his last words the intire way "one day you'll have to admit it,
admit it, admit it" damn him, i threw open the door to my house and walked
quickly to my room, kicking jamie and stacey out "hey!!" they yelled as the
door slamed behind me. i threw myself on my bed with the strange sensation
i was going to cry, which was stupid since i hadn't cried in lord knows how
long. so i sat there, for hours staring blankly at the wall, doing nothing.
i heard Frank come home, i heard the door slam, i heard the angry words,
the slap as he hit my mother, the angry, heavy foot steps coming down the
hall, the door slam open, and finally the cracking sound as he hit me on the
side of the head with a beer bottle, and then there was nothing.
i woke up hours later much to my surprise and to my horror, why couldn't i
just die already, anything to get me out of this hell. i could barely move,
my head was swollen and sticky from blood, i had a big cut going form my
shoulder to my elbow, bruises everywhere that i could feel rather then see.
my hair had blood in it too, it was matted and gross and i wondered how i'd
survived what frank had done to me. i tried to stand only to collapse back
on the bed, but i got up again anyway, grabbed my bad and crawled slowly and
painfully to my dresser, i took the only clothes i had and stole all the
money in there, both jamie and staceys life savings that they hid from frank
as well. they could live without it, frank never touched a hair on their
heads, he never hit any of the other kids, except johnny once when he'd
stuck up for me. i crept out the door looking around me to see if anyone
was watching, everyone was gone, who knows where, who cared? i left my
house, hopefully for the last time and made my way in the pouring rain to
the manhatten newsboys lodging house, stopping every few feet to rest. i
bit my lip trying to ignore the pain, but only succeeded in making that
split open too. i crawled up the fire escape, wet and slick from the sudden
down pour, and knocked on the window hoping a certin newsie would see me.
he did. dutchy opened the window, i watched as his face changed with his
emotions, shocked to see me, to horror. i was trembiling from head to toe as
i whispered three words. "i need help"
he came outside picked me up like a mother picks up her baby, carried me in
through the window and sat me down on what i guessed was his bed. i moaned
once then passed out. when i woke up next sunlight was streaming in threw
the window and dutchy was sitting next to me. "melody, your awake" he said,
releif evident on his face "yeah nothing much can keep me down" i mumbled.
"what happened, did you get jumped?" he asked "no" i whispered closing my
eyes, trying to get away from the pain "Frank did it" "who's frank?" he
asked soothingly "my so called father" anger crossed his face and then
quickly vanished "how long have i been asleep?" i asked "6 days, the doctor
came,and said you might not make it, you had penumonia" "am i better now?"
"i hope so" he answered. he got up "i'm going to go get the doctor to check
on you" "wait..." i cried " you said you cared about me, why?" "cause i
knew you needed help" and he left the room.
I'm better now, just turned 17. turns out that day my family moved leaving
me for dead, johnny ran away though, found me at the lodging house where i
lived and told me everything. I'm working at a hall now for a lady called
medda, serving drinks and such. i'm also going out with the afore mentoned
spot conlon, turns out he isn't a jerk, just a cute guy with a big ego, but
thats cool, he's got confidence, we get along real well except for our
occasional arguments cause we're both so damn head strong. i'm really close
to spot, but never in my life have i been so close to anyone as i am with
Dutchy. he's my best friend, someone i can trust my life with. i mean he
gave me my life, he saved me so many ways,i don't think he even knows. my
life did a complete 180, i went from being a miserable bitter person to
being someone with an honorable reputation and friends, my brother being one
of them. sometimes i think back, and wonder what ever happened to my
mom,and frank (well frank could rot in hell for all i cared) but each day
that passes by a little bit of melody spring seeps out and alittle bit of
raven (my new name) seeps in. and i think i speak for both johnny and me
when i say, i'm glad.