Jack.
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: the Lord is gracious
Yeah, right. In the best of situations, my nights are spent at the newsboys lodging house, while my mornings are spent running around rambunctiously with my boys, trying to evade the Delancey brothers. And you call the Lord GRACIOUS? I don't think so.
Although I live in Manhattan – the wonderful city that it is – my dream has always been to go to Santa Fe, where I could live freely, without the hassle of headlines.
I've got a girlfriend. Her name is Sarah, also known as my best friend Davey's sister. I love everything about her. The way she smiles, her golden brown hair, the way she talks to me when I'm ticked off about something. We've been together for six months now. I really hope it lasts.
Because of my being a newsie, I have to work hard to pay for food, lodging, etc. But I wish it wasn't like that. I wish my life would run smoothly, with barely any problems. Like that old lump of a man, Pulitzer.
Oh yeah! Pulitzer's wonderful! Pulitzer's swell! He has a perfect life, even after the strike. Sure, we tried to bring him down, and some say we did. And yet, he's still sitting up in that big, fancy building, flicking the dust off his finger, while we work our asses off. And what do we get? Nothing. Call it what you want, but it sure as hell ain't a victory.
But I really shouldn't be complaining. At least my life is interesting – you never know what's gonna happen. Every morning I force myself to ask: Where do I want to sleep tonight? Out on the dirty streets, where I'm likely to be mugged or get into a fight with some stiff? Or in a comfortable bunk bed? That is, if you can call a bunk bed comfortable. And the answer to my question? Well this is the exact point where I realize how hard I'm going to have to work in order to rest easy tonight. That's my motivation. That's what keeps my chin up. I have the option of running around the city like a rebellious teenager, and yet I choose to make a living for myself. I choose to be responsible.
But I can't let those kinds of things stop me. I won't. Believe it or not, I love my life. I love the adventure, I love hanging out with twenty other boys before I go to bed. Those boys are like my own personal fan club. And I don't mean that in a "They love me because I'm a legend" way, I mean it in a "They love me because we stick together like glue" way. Honestly, I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have the newsies by my side. Probably dead. That, or stuck in the refuge for the rest of my life. It's a depressing thought, but realistic. The guys keep me in check, keep my spirits up, keep me from killing myself. No joke. Sometimes things can be so frustrating, I feel like the world might be a better place if I didn't exist to screw it up.
As for now, I've decided to push through the hard times, and glide through the easy. I know that my life is unfair, but for the most part I love living it, and wouldn't trade it for anything. Not a million bucks, not new clothes, and now that I think about it, not even a free ride to Santa Fe. It may be sunny, but it's not mine. I couldn't ever force myself to leave all this. It really is a fine life – carrying the banner through it all.
AN: You likey? Don't hold it in. You know what I'm talking about…