Note: I'm new at this, so have mercy. My newsie accent is really rusty cuz I've been outta circulation for a really lone time, much like my character. Back in '94, (when I saw newsies for the first time) we didn't have the internet in the Philippines, so it's only now I discovered there are plenty of newsies fanfic. ( it would have helped me had we had the net at the time.sigh)Here's one I wrote, inspired by alla youse out there. :) crutchy fans, please don't kill me, he's quite absent in my story.
" time came for us to choose
it would've come sooner or later
when it came
we were crying
but those days are long gone.."
- "those days", Cynthia Alexander
two girls dressed in pants were sitting on a bench in central park, smoking as they talked while they watched the city wake up. Under their eyes, enormous bags were beginning to form. Both hadn't had any sleep at all since the long hitchhike to new york city but they had wanted to catch the sunrise before worrying about a finding a place to rest. The sunrise had been worth it, and now they settled back as the day unfolded.
" how much money we got?" Zoe, the one in the red plaid shirt asked. It was starting to get warmer so she took it off. Underneath she was wearing a black shirt which she'd torn at the sleeves. A policeman that passed by looked at her suspiciously as he caught sight of her tattoo of a sun and moon on her upper arm.
The other girl, Pagan, who despite the temperature was still wearing her coat, reached into her pockets to count their money." Hey I found two bits," she said, surprised, as she pulled them out. " I think I still got 3 bucks in my can. I'm all outta cigarettes though. Mind if you spot me one?"
Zoe reached into her satchel and produced a slightly crumpled but still perfectly intact cigarette. " we got enough for a coffee, then?"
" I know a place where we can get some for free," pagan smiled. " but we'd have to wait a while til the nuns get there."
Zoe looked at her sideways. "nuns, pag'? sure they won't recognize yah?"
Pagan snorted. "that was ages ago," she said, shaking her head.
In the distance, they could hear the newsies start singing out their versions of the days' headlines. "here they come!" pagan said, mostly to herself. She wondered if she would run into anybody she knew. In the pit of her stomach she could feel a sort of excitement building up. Who would she see first after all this time? Racetrack, mush, skittery...? Would any of them still remember her?
Zoe let out a low appreciative whistle as she spotted a newsie nearby. "hey that one's kinda cute," she remarked. "how'd yah stand it, pag' , bein' so close to muffinheads like dat?"
Pagan had to laugh. "really, zoe," she said. " when you gotta woik, you hardly notice." Sometimes, she added silently to herself. It was a tiny lie, of course. Having crushes on your fellow newsies was one thing, yelling it out like a headline was another. This was a truth pagan still couldn't admit to zoe. You just had to play it cool. You had to focus. You had to be better than any of the guys, even, to get their respect. That was the way pagan preferred to play it , even back when she was a newsie. A newbie, she recalled. She'd made up that term to describe herself, when she'd started out.
Again, zoe whistled, but it was to beckon the newsie over. " I wanna see if he's as cute up close," zoe shrugged.
The newsie ran over to them. To zoe's delight, he had been as cute up close. He was about 13, with light brown hair, blue gray eyes and a delicate mouth. "buy a pape, lady?" he asked.
"lady?" zoe snickered at what she'd just been called. " first time I been called that!" she reached into her pocket." Hang on while I find some coins."
Still lost in her thoughts, pagan hadn't noticed the newsie's eyes dart around her face as if trying to place her. Finally, zoe pulled out two cents and handed it to the boy. " yah gave me extra, miss," he said. " it's a penny a pape."
Zoe waved her hand out. "ah, keep it," she said. " seein's as you got such a sweet puss and all?"
Sweet puss? Pagan thought, snapping out of it.
The newsie smiled handsomely. "t'anks, miss!"
Pagan stared hard at the boy. Did she know this newsie?
"what's yah name?" zoe asked boldly.
Before the newsie could answer, pagan jumped up. "Les Jacobs!" she yelled.
Startled, les turned his full attention on paga. He was momentarily befuddled. Then- " well I gotta be eitha dead or dreamin'...Pagan?!"
Zoe looked on as the two whooped with joyous recognition, spat on their palms and shook hands vigorously.
"how ya been, kid?" pagan asked as she swiped at les' cap affectionately. " you've soitenly grown up!" all of a sudden, her old way of talking caught up with her, as if she never left at all.
Les blushed. "aw, pagan..." he started, his voice breaking in embarrassment.
For a few moments, they stood there, looking at each other, muted by the unexpected reunion. Neither one of them knew where to start or how to proceed. Les had never been that close to pagan; it had been his brother david and the older newsies, but still, he remembered her.
Zoe cleared her throat. Pagan turned to her. " oh, hey, this here's my friend, zoe."
"hi les," zoe said.
" hey," les answered, blushing to the top of his head. " hey," he said, remembering. " some of the guys are getting' breakfast at bottle alley. They'd be there, most likely. I can't talk long, got a bunch more tah sell!" he smiled apologetically and tipped his cap to zoe. As he started to walk away, he called out, "if you have the time, drop by the house tonight!"
"okay!" pagan called after him. " carryin' da bannah!"
"carryin' da bannah!" les answered, before rushing off to sell his papes.
" as I live an' breathe!" mush yelled upon laying eyes on paga, who was now busy making her way through the crowd of newsies and bums assembled to receive breakfast from the nuns.
"wha-?" kid blink, the fellow with the patch over one eye, pushed his way to where mush was standing.
"ya gotta be seein' t'ings, mush!" kid blink scoffed. " dat ain't her!"
" yeah, keep tawkin, blind boy!" mush shot back.
"hey!" blink was about to come up with a scathing remark of his own until mush cut him off.
" I'm tellin' youse it's her!" he insisted. "jus look hardah!"
blink squinted. Cheezit, it sure ain't easy with a patch ovah yah eye alla time, he thought. Then, realizing mush had been right, yelled, "say! It is pagan! Hey fellahs! Ovah here!"
skittery and racetrack appeared by their side. " what's all dis shoutin' about, huh?" he asked. He's just polished of his half cup of coffee and was now lighting up his first cigar of the day. Skittery was at a loss for words and was tugging incessantly on racetrack's shirt.
"look!" he finally managed.
"whatsa matta wit'chu? ya look like ya seen a ghost!" racetrack said. He followed the direction of skittery's finger.
"quit pushin'!" skittery yelled at mush who was now climbing up some crates. They followed mush's lead and began calling out for pagan.
" know those guys?" zoe asked, tugging on pagan's sleeve.
The newsies swooped down over pagan and tried to hug her at the same time. From the looks of them, they haven't changed all that much. Pagan couldn't decide if that was good or bad. Blink was still prone to go a little ballistic, Mush maintained his splendid physique ( and was still wearing shorts). Zoe was already oggling him, in fact. Skittery kept his depressed look about him, but hugged the tightest and race...well, racetrack was looking at her the same way he had some years ago when he'd guessed her secret.
They'd have plenty of time to talk later, but for now it was wonderful seeing them all.
As zoe and pagan took part in the newsie breakfast of a piece of bread and a cup of coffee, updates were produced in the from of one sentence summaries. Pagan understood they didn't have a second to spare even for a friend they haven't seen in a long time; but they made plans to meet up later in the evening.
"why doncha stay at kloppman's tonight?" skittery asked.
Pagan started to protest that she wouldn't feel right taking space there, considering she stopped selling papes a long time ago. " it wouldn't be fair to the otha newsies," she began. "to the newer ones anyway. They'll all be wonderin who I am."
"you kiddin'?" blink shot shrilly. "youse a newsie troo and troo!anyway, anybody dat give yah a hawd time, we soak 'em!" and he punched his fist into his palm for emphasis.
"yeah, pagan, come on," mush said. " we knew yah can't stay away f' too long! Alwayd knew you'd come back. Why jack-" he shut up abruptly, as if he'd brought up something he wasn't supposed to.
Luckily, racetrack covered for it with his smooth timing. " we ain't takin' no for an answer, pag'. Ya know we ain't takin' no. 'sides, you and friend'll be welcome to stay there." He rolled his eyes. " it's yah home, f'cryin' out loud!"
Mush and skittery put on their caps soon as race settled it. They still didn't know why, but if there was anybody who could convince pagan, it was race. It also semed to work the other way around. " see youse, pagan, zoe." Skittery said, before joining mush and kid blink.
Racetrack flicked pagan's chin. " doncha worry 'bout jack y'heah? He ain't gonna know youse in the city. Youse gonna show up ta'night and let 'im know f'yahself."
Pagan nodded. That's what I'm afraid of, she thought.
( to be continued...)
" time came for us to choose
it would've come sooner or later
when it came
we were crying
but those days are long gone.."
- "those days", Cynthia Alexander
two girls dressed in pants were sitting on a bench in central park, smoking as they talked while they watched the city wake up. Under their eyes, enormous bags were beginning to form. Both hadn't had any sleep at all since the long hitchhike to new york city but they had wanted to catch the sunrise before worrying about a finding a place to rest. The sunrise had been worth it, and now they settled back as the day unfolded.
" how much money we got?" Zoe, the one in the red plaid shirt asked. It was starting to get warmer so she took it off. Underneath she was wearing a black shirt which she'd torn at the sleeves. A policeman that passed by looked at her suspiciously as he caught sight of her tattoo of a sun and moon on her upper arm.
The other girl, Pagan, who despite the temperature was still wearing her coat, reached into her pockets to count their money." Hey I found two bits," she said, surprised, as she pulled them out. " I think I still got 3 bucks in my can. I'm all outta cigarettes though. Mind if you spot me one?"
Zoe reached into her satchel and produced a slightly crumpled but still perfectly intact cigarette. " we got enough for a coffee, then?"
" I know a place where we can get some for free," pagan smiled. " but we'd have to wait a while til the nuns get there."
Zoe looked at her sideways. "nuns, pag'? sure they won't recognize yah?"
Pagan snorted. "that was ages ago," she said, shaking her head.
In the distance, they could hear the newsies start singing out their versions of the days' headlines. "here they come!" pagan said, mostly to herself. She wondered if she would run into anybody she knew. In the pit of her stomach she could feel a sort of excitement building up. Who would she see first after all this time? Racetrack, mush, skittery...? Would any of them still remember her?
Zoe let out a low appreciative whistle as she spotted a newsie nearby. "hey that one's kinda cute," she remarked. "how'd yah stand it, pag' , bein' so close to muffinheads like dat?"
Pagan had to laugh. "really, zoe," she said. " when you gotta woik, you hardly notice." Sometimes, she added silently to herself. It was a tiny lie, of course. Having crushes on your fellow newsies was one thing, yelling it out like a headline was another. This was a truth pagan still couldn't admit to zoe. You just had to play it cool. You had to focus. You had to be better than any of the guys, even, to get their respect. That was the way pagan preferred to play it , even back when she was a newsie. A newbie, she recalled. She'd made up that term to describe herself, when she'd started out.
Again, zoe whistled, but it was to beckon the newsie over. " I wanna see if he's as cute up close," zoe shrugged.
The newsie ran over to them. To zoe's delight, he had been as cute up close. He was about 13, with light brown hair, blue gray eyes and a delicate mouth. "buy a pape, lady?" he asked.
"lady?" zoe snickered at what she'd just been called. " first time I been called that!" she reached into her pocket." Hang on while I find some coins."
Still lost in her thoughts, pagan hadn't noticed the newsie's eyes dart around her face as if trying to place her. Finally, zoe pulled out two cents and handed it to the boy. " yah gave me extra, miss," he said. " it's a penny a pape."
Zoe waved her hand out. "ah, keep it," she said. " seein's as you got such a sweet puss and all?"
Sweet puss? Pagan thought, snapping out of it.
The newsie smiled handsomely. "t'anks, miss!"
Pagan stared hard at the boy. Did she know this newsie?
"what's yah name?" zoe asked boldly.
Before the newsie could answer, pagan jumped up. "Les Jacobs!" she yelled.
Startled, les turned his full attention on paga. He was momentarily befuddled. Then- " well I gotta be eitha dead or dreamin'...Pagan?!"
Zoe looked on as the two whooped with joyous recognition, spat on their palms and shook hands vigorously.
"how ya been, kid?" pagan asked as she swiped at les' cap affectionately. " you've soitenly grown up!" all of a sudden, her old way of talking caught up with her, as if she never left at all.
Les blushed. "aw, pagan..." he started, his voice breaking in embarrassment.
For a few moments, they stood there, looking at each other, muted by the unexpected reunion. Neither one of them knew where to start or how to proceed. Les had never been that close to pagan; it had been his brother david and the older newsies, but still, he remembered her.
Zoe cleared her throat. Pagan turned to her. " oh, hey, this here's my friend, zoe."
"hi les," zoe said.
" hey," les answered, blushing to the top of his head. " hey," he said, remembering. " some of the guys are getting' breakfast at bottle alley. They'd be there, most likely. I can't talk long, got a bunch more tah sell!" he smiled apologetically and tipped his cap to zoe. As he started to walk away, he called out, "if you have the time, drop by the house tonight!"
"okay!" pagan called after him. " carryin' da bannah!"
"carryin' da bannah!" les answered, before rushing off to sell his papes.
" as I live an' breathe!" mush yelled upon laying eyes on paga, who was now busy making her way through the crowd of newsies and bums assembled to receive breakfast from the nuns.
"wha-?" kid blink, the fellow with the patch over one eye, pushed his way to where mush was standing.
"ya gotta be seein' t'ings, mush!" kid blink scoffed. " dat ain't her!"
" yeah, keep tawkin, blind boy!" mush shot back.
"hey!" blink was about to come up with a scathing remark of his own until mush cut him off.
" I'm tellin' youse it's her!" he insisted. "jus look hardah!"
blink squinted. Cheezit, it sure ain't easy with a patch ovah yah eye alla time, he thought. Then, realizing mush had been right, yelled, "say! It is pagan! Hey fellahs! Ovah here!"
skittery and racetrack appeared by their side. " what's all dis shoutin' about, huh?" he asked. He's just polished of his half cup of coffee and was now lighting up his first cigar of the day. Skittery was at a loss for words and was tugging incessantly on racetrack's shirt.
"look!" he finally managed.
"whatsa matta wit'chu? ya look like ya seen a ghost!" racetrack said. He followed the direction of skittery's finger.
"quit pushin'!" skittery yelled at mush who was now climbing up some crates. They followed mush's lead and began calling out for pagan.
" know those guys?" zoe asked, tugging on pagan's sleeve.
The newsies swooped down over pagan and tried to hug her at the same time. From the looks of them, they haven't changed all that much. Pagan couldn't decide if that was good or bad. Blink was still prone to go a little ballistic, Mush maintained his splendid physique ( and was still wearing shorts). Zoe was already oggling him, in fact. Skittery kept his depressed look about him, but hugged the tightest and race...well, racetrack was looking at her the same way he had some years ago when he'd guessed her secret.
They'd have plenty of time to talk later, but for now it was wonderful seeing them all.
As zoe and pagan took part in the newsie breakfast of a piece of bread and a cup of coffee, updates were produced in the from of one sentence summaries. Pagan understood they didn't have a second to spare even for a friend they haven't seen in a long time; but they made plans to meet up later in the evening.
"why doncha stay at kloppman's tonight?" skittery asked.
Pagan started to protest that she wouldn't feel right taking space there, considering she stopped selling papes a long time ago. " it wouldn't be fair to the otha newsies," she began. "to the newer ones anyway. They'll all be wonderin who I am."
"you kiddin'?" blink shot shrilly. "youse a newsie troo and troo!anyway, anybody dat give yah a hawd time, we soak 'em!" and he punched his fist into his palm for emphasis.
"yeah, pagan, come on," mush said. " we knew yah can't stay away f' too long! Alwayd knew you'd come back. Why jack-" he shut up abruptly, as if he'd brought up something he wasn't supposed to.
Luckily, racetrack covered for it with his smooth timing. " we ain't takin' no for an answer, pag'. Ya know we ain't takin' no. 'sides, you and friend'll be welcome to stay there." He rolled his eyes. " it's yah home, f'cryin' out loud!"
Mush and skittery put on their caps soon as race settled it. They still didn't know why, but if there was anybody who could convince pagan, it was race. It also semed to work the other way around. " see youse, pagan, zoe." Skittery said, before joining mush and kid blink.
Racetrack flicked pagan's chin. " doncha worry 'bout jack y'heah? He ain't gonna know youse in the city. Youse gonna show up ta'night and let 'im know f'yahself."
Pagan nodded. That's what I'm afraid of, she thought.
( to be continued...)