For the Battery Park Lodging House Contest "A Day in the Life"
Bandit, Lucky, and Cecilia belong to me. Indigo is Shoe's and Skeleton is Holiday's

Dear Cecilia

By Morning Glory

It was a chilly spring morning as I rolled out of bed. I had already been up for quiet some time now; and the sky that had started out a steely gray was now a cyan. The warm sun spilled across the dirty floorboards of the boy's bunkroom at the Battery Park Lodging House. This was the place that I now called home. I had been wondering long enough, I had been in trouble for far too long. As my feet hit the floor with a thud this morning I felt extremely lucky to be here, to have a place I was able to call home. I had settled down here for the last four weeks, making something of myself that someone could be proud of for once.

I knew the day ahead of me would be a long one, but I had no choice. If I was going to pull my life together and start this second chance I had been given off right, I was going to have to work hard. I wasn't going to mess this up chance up. I had been given the opportunity to live with a family, to have a real father and mother, but I messed that up. I ran away when I was young. Young and stupid, not that I got any smarter as the years went on. Up until recently I had never made the best choices in life, leaving many things to regret. I had ended up with a rough crowd, a gang, which I am not proud of. I watched the people I cared for die. Why did people have to die? I was once told it was because it made life worth living. I never understood that. I didn't understand why she had to die at such a young age. I did everything in my power after that to protect the remaining family I had left behind when I runaway years ago. My dear little sister Cecilia, I had taken her out of my life completely. I never mentioned her to any one when I was asked who my family had been, where I had come from, and the people I knew. I had learned that would only lead to their demise.

I could now hear the steps of the housemaster, Mr. Henderson, padding gently against the creaky stairs. I knew it would be moments before the busy hustle began the fight for the sinks and the first clean towel in reach. I hung my suspenders from my waist, pulling on a white button up shirt over my shoulders, so I'd have it when I was ready to button it properly. Making it to the washroom first insured I would be the first out of the lodging house.

I ran my hands under the cool water, splashing it up on my face giving that a quick rub. Running my hand across my chin I figured I could skip shaving this morning. I had a busy day ahead of me and no time to waste. Slipping on the suspenders now I button my shirt half way up leaving my undershirt exposed. I grabbed a dingy gray cabby hat pulling it over my dirty blond tresses. Shoving through the mass of boys heading towards the washroom now, I squeezed out, hitting the stairs and out to the pavement. I ran quickly to the distribution center. I had beat most of the newsies there with my quick sprint, the doors were already opened and the line of four would take no time to get through.

"Seventy-five papers." I placed my money down sliding it under the rod iron bars. My papers where thrust under the same bars at me by one of the Delancy Brothers. I wasn't going to let them ruin my day. I nodded my head, "Thanks." I replied kindly to their rude attitudes.

Jumping down off the loading docks, I tucked all but one paper under my arm I scanned the headlines. They were decent. I perused the paper, finding the clincher headline, I called out: "Extry, Extry! Man Attempts to Hang Woman; Shoots Self!!!" A woman with a horrified look on her face urged her husband to buy a paper from me. After that sale I walked down the street a bit more. It went on like that for hours, the one headline was the bait, and I was the fisherman reeling them in. Finally, I was done; it was a good feeling not to be carrying around any more papers.

It was now noon , which meant a short lunch break before I moved on to my next job. Solo and Blade, two guys I had run with when we were in the gang, worked down at the docks. On odd days I would often go down there and help with the monotonous job of unloading and stacking cargo crates that came off the tall ships in the harbor.

I sauntered into Tibby's, where I was greeted by several of the Duane Street boys. They were crowded around one small table, a deck of old cards were being shuffled by a small girl, I recognized her as Magic. I had to admit she was pretty crafty with a deck of cards and a bandanna. My eyes shifted over a bit to a boy who was six years older, it was her older brother Dash. I watched as Dash protectively sat next to his sister, guarding her from the harms of the world. A small smile crossed my lips as I sunk down into a booth, I couldn't wait until I would be able to see Cecilia again. I closed my eyes picturing my sister as she was when I left her. I couldn't imagine what she looked like now, all grown up; not seven anymore

The waiter came over bringing me out of my daydream, "Ham and cheese sandwich." I ordered hoping it wouldn't take to long. I watched the people pass outside dressed in their fancy clothes. I thought about what if I had just stayed where I was when the Rosebella's had taken us from the orphanage, maybe I would have been one of those guys on the street with the fancy clothes escorting a delicate girl to her destination. I heard the glass plate connect with wooden table, "That was quick." I commented as the waiter turned to go serve the next table.

After gulped down my lunch with lightning speed I headed off to the docks. The sun was high in the sky now, causing the temperature to rise and the sweat to pour down my face and neck. I tugged off my grey cabby hat and tucked it into the back pocket of my pants. I was greeted whole heartedly by Solo and Blade, who were already unloading creates from the gigantic ship. The next few hours seemed to zip by. I found myself lost in thoughts about my sister several times. I had sent Cecilia a letter a few days ago.

Dear Cecilia,

I don't know where to begin. I know I haven't been around and I haven't been the best brother. I did it to protect you from things I am not to proud of. I would like a chance to explain myself to you. To get to know you, be the brother that I haven't been, to make you proud of me. I don't expect you to forgive me now or ever, but I would like a chance to see you once more.

Your loving brother,

Michael Silver

I felt a quick tug at my arm as a stack of crates tumbled crashing hard down into the docks, "Better get your head out of the u-ni-tsi-la." The Native American boy patted my shoulder before walking off.

"Thanks Solo." I was lucky to have such friends looking out for me. Soon after our boss reprimanded us for letting the crates fall to docks like that, it was time to go. I could feel the pinching pain in my cheeks from smiling; I have never smiled so much in my life. The feeling of anxiety, good anxiety don't get my wrong, was flipping around in my stomach. It was five o'clock now and the work bell sounded. I had to make it back to the lodging house to clean up and then get to the Harbor Side, a fancy restaurant with real place setting, where I sometime cleared tables and washed dishes. However, tonight I wasn't going to clear tables tonight I was going to be there to have dinner with my sister.

When I got back to the lodging house there were only a few newsies there. I passed by Skeleton, Indigo, and Lucky who were playing cards. I watched as Lucky cheated the two naive boys out of their money. After gathering some cleaner clothes I heard Indigo finally call Lucky out on his cheating. Shaking my head and not wanting to break up another fight between Indigo and Lucky I ducked into the washroom.

Swiftly washing my hands newsprint covered hands, then my face deciding that I should probably shave now. I wanted to make a good impression. Brushing my clean hands through my hair giving it the appearance that I cared about what I looked like and cared what others thought. Once I was done in the washroom I slipped the suspenders up my shoulders over the undershirt I wore, buttoning it up. I left my grey cabby hat on my bunk this time.

I couldn't remember the last time I felt so nervous and unsure of myself. I didn't know what to say to her. Finally I spoke the only thing I could think of, "How've you been?" It must have been the right thing to say a smile spread across her lips as the words poured out of her mouth. I let Cecilia do most of the talking; it kept the pressure off of me to have to answer where I had been all these years and what I had been doing. It made me happy to hear how happy she was, school, family, friends and now she had me. I was surprised that she wasn't mad at me and seemed to forgive me. It had always been in her nature to forgive, just like I remembered, always a kind hearted soul.

"Why do they call you Bandit?"

"Well uh…" I rubbed the back of my neck, "I'm pretty good at liftin' things." And improving the truth as well, I had gotten the nickname because I used to be a bandit. It just stuck over all these years and I have never thought of changing it. I felt uncomfortable talking about my past, but I had written the letter telling her I would explain my self if she wanted.

"Well I think it is interesting." A smile beamed on her face. I couldn't help, but smile back.

Dinner had gone extremely well. Eight years of information had been crammed into four hours as the two of us talked, well as Cecilia did most of the talking, which I didn't mind at all. I walked her to her house, she offered me to come meet her adoptive parents, but I felt a bit awkward doing that. They were the people who I ran away from all those years ago. I couldn't explain myself to them. I was sure if they ever found out that I was coming around to see Cecilia they wouldn't let it happen.

"Good night Sissy." I bid her farewell until our next meeting. After a long walk to the lodging house I was ready to sleep. It had been a busy day, and tomorrow would be just about the same. Trudging up the stairs to the bunkroom, the lights were already dimmed. Many of the newsies staying at the Battery Park Lodging House were asleep, while others were just getting ready. I hung up the dress shirt on the post of my bunk that was over Skeleton's and tossed my cabby hat onto our shared nightstand. Climbing up into my bunk, I kicked off my boots and lay back placing my hands behind my head. It had been one of the greatest days in the last couple of years. Finally I was pulling my life together. My eyes closed as if imaginary weights had been placed on them. I slowly drifted off to…

u-ni-tsi-la is the phonetic spelling of the Cherokee word for clouds