Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap
By Blaze Kaplan
Tap, tap, tap, tap. The sound of shoes hitting pavement. Jenny Olson looked back at the dark alley that she had been sleeping in. She kept running. Looking back, she saw a large drunken man stumble out.
"I'll get ya, sweet face," he slurred. Jenny kept running. The sound of the bulls coming met her ears. She ran faster. Her eyes puffy from crying, dirt caked on her face, and a seering pain in her leg, she kept running. Jenny could barely see, but she'd been on this route a thousand times before and could get there blind folded.
The cool feel of the railing soothed her. She loved the Brooklyn Bridge. Ever since she was a little kid, her mom would take her there and together, they would just look. So she did. She sat. She sat and she looked. She sat and she looked and she cried.
Suddenly, Jenny tensed and turned her head to the right. A hand rested on her shoulder.
"Are ya ok, miss?"
Jenny backed away. It was a boy. She didn't want to be around any boys. She didn't want to be around anybody. None the less, her pride still set in and she stopped crying. He was about 5'8" and wore an eye patch over one of his eyes. The other eye was an electric blue. He was wearing a dirty white shirt, brown pants, and a brown newsboy's cap that his strait blonde hair was sticking out of.
"I'm Kid Blink, Blink for short. D'ya need some help, miss?" Jenny didn't reply. Blink could see that under all that dirt she was terrified. He took a step closer and she backed away. Blink took another step. She now had her back against the side of the bridge. Blink dared take one last step. She could not take it and passed out.
"Shit." Blink picked her up and carried her to the Manhattan News Boys Lodging house. It was a long walk so Blink was relieved when she came to about a block away from their destination. Setting her down, Blink tried to get a good look at her. She didn't seem to want to be around him and sort of curled in as not to be seen. Blink took her hand gently. The girl's body tensed.
"It's ok. I'm helping you." Her body relaxed a little and she let him lead her to the Lodging house. Inside at the desk was a short, kindly-looking old man reading a book.
"Heya Klopp. Uh, I found this goil and, uh, she sorta needs-"
"No problem, jus' make sure the guys don't pull anythin'."
"Thanks Kloppy."
Blink led her up the stairs and to a door. He opened it tentatively and walked in, Jenny following closely behind. Her eyes widened at the site that she was faced with. A room full of boys, aging 6 and up, lounging around bunks, playing poker, craps, basically just winding down after a long day. She cowered behind Blink.
"Hey Jack! C'mere." A tall boy with dark blonde hair and a red bandana tied securely around his neck hoisted himself off a top bunk and walked over.
"Hey Blink, how's it rollin'?" Jack turned to Jenny, "Blink, d'ya know you got a goil standing behind ya?"
"Yah, I think I noticed." Blink leaned closer so that Jenny wouldn't hear. "I found 'er on the Bridge, she's scared shitless and she wont talk."
"Alright, we got an extra bunk in the corner."
Blink brought her to the bunk Jack indicated and she sat. "So what's your name, goil?" Jenny leaned close and whispered it into his ear. He smiled. She was finally loosening up. "D'ya wanna get cleaned up?" She nodded. He pointed her in the direction of the washroom. She gave him a wary look so Blink walked her to it. While she showered Blink talked to the guys.
"Her name's Jenny. I don't know why, but she don't like bein' 'round guys too much so ya bettah be nice tah her."
"Blink." Blink looked around. "Blink." He looked in the direction of the washroom. Jenny stood peeking behind the door wrapped in a towel. "Blink," she said his name softly. All the newsies had gone back to what they were doing. He walked over. "Could I borrow some clothes, maybe?" she whispered.
"Oh yeah, sure, sorry, I, uh, forgot." Blink turned back to the room. "Ey, Race! Race!"
"I heard ya the foist time." A short boy with dark brown hair, dark, gentle eyes, and a fair Italian skintone walked over from a poker game that he was losing.
"Could Jenny borrow some clothes from ya? You'se about the same size." Race went to his bunk and chucked a pair of pants, suspenders, and a shirt at Blink. He gave a muffled thanks under the clothes that covered his head. He walked to the washroom and handed her the clothes. Five minutes later Jenny walked out. All the newsies looked up from there activities.
Now that all that dirt was off they saw what she really looked like. She had layered dark brown hair, tinted maroon, that went down to her upper back. She had a pretty face. Ice-blue eyes with flecks of gold and a button nose. Her skin was a bronzed olive. The skin made her look somewhat of Arab decent. She was short but had a nice figure and looked to be around 15 or 16.
"What?" she squeaked.
Blink came to his senses. He cleared his throat. The newsies got the message and went back to what they were doing. Kloppman came up the stairs and told them it was time for bed. The newsies reluctantly dragged themselves to bed, knowing that they had a full day ahead of them and had to wake up early. Blink said goodnight to Jenny and went to his bed.
Jenny rolled over and curled into a ball. An hour later she still couldn't sleep, so she slid out of bed and crept to the window, up the fire escape, and on to the roof.
Blink woke abruptly. He was hearing something. A sort of…Tap, tap, tap, tap. And it continued. Tap, tap, tap, tap. He went up to the roof to look around. Up there he found Jenny. She was dancing. She didn't see him, so he kept watching. And she kept dancing. Boy, is she an amazing dancer, Blink thought. He went back to the fire escape and started stomping. Jenny stopped dancing and looked back.
"You're the one making that noise? What were u doing?" Blink asked.
"Sorry."
"Nah, it's fine, I jus' thought it was a burglar or somet'in." Blink turned to see her face and saw that it was tear streaked. "What's the mattah?"
She shook her head. Blink turned her around and gave her a you-know-you-can-trust-me look. Jenny turned to him and explained. She was too trusting for her own good, but she knew that this was all safe with him. She had a feeling. She started with how it was just her and her mom. Her father had died of small pox. They weren't the richest, but they were happy. Twice a week her mom would take her to the Brooklyn Bridge and they would sit there and just look at the view. Her mom passed away when Jenny was twelve and she started to dance. It was the only thing that kept her happy. At the age of thirteen she started living in the streets, sleeping in alleys, and stealing to stay alive. She then told him about the man that tried to rape her that day. She barely just got away. His name was Warwick Grow and was a known rapist. Blink remembered the great headline they had about that. Kid Blink now held her in his arms. The two went back down to sleep.
Over the next 2 weeks the Jenny, or Squirt, as they now called her, and the newsies became really good friends. Squirt and Blink were best friends. The duo walked back to the lodging house behind everyone else. Squirt gazed dreamily at Dutchy, a tall, blonde, blue-eyed, light skinned Dutch, who was playing around with Specs, a bespectacled brunette. Blink noticed.
"Oh Dutchy, I loooove you. Mwah, mwah, mwah. Dutchy your so sexy, I just wanna-"
"Shut up." Squirt playfully punched him in the arm. Blink grinned mischievously and walked up to Dutchy.
"Heya Dutch. I was just wonderin' what yah think of Squirt."
"She ain't my type."
"What?" interjected Specs. "She's everyone's type. Look at 'er."
"I don't like her, so shoot me."
Blink doubled back to keep walking with Squirt.
"What did you do?" she asked, not having heard what was said. Blink winked. "Argh damn you." Squirt playfully slapped him.
"Hey! That hurt my heart." Blink played like he was hurt.
"Shut it. Ya know ya love me," Blink ruffled her hair.
Warwick Grow sat in his cell and planned his escape. Two voices brought him from his thoughts.
"We've got coppers all ovah the place and we still can't find 'im"
"This Pick guy's good. What's his real name?"
"Lawrence Grow."
"We gotta catch this guy."
"Perhaps I can help you with that?"
The two police men looked at Warwick.
"And how do you propose to do that?"
"Oh, you'll see. I gotta deal for ya, though. I find you this bum, an' ya let me go." The two police men looked at each other and back at Grow.
"Deal."
Squirt and Blink headed up the stairs. Blink looked back to see that Squirt had stopped.
"What?"
"I think someone's down here. Go get Jack."
While Blink went to get Jack, Squirt crawled under the stairs. Reaching her hand out, she groped for something or someone. Her hand touched flesh. There was sharp intake of breath from a crouched silhouette that she was just beginning to make out. Lighting a match and holding it up, she saw a boy, brown eyes, and dark brown, shaggy hair, about 16. His dark brows were furrowed creasing the area just above his roman nose.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Pick."
"Pick. Uh, what are ya doing here?"
"Who the hell are you?" Pick squinted his eyes at her.
"Squirt." Her answer just as simple as his.
"How do I know I can trust you."
"Ya don't. So yah tellin' me or not? By the looks of it, yah runnin' from the bulls."
"Yah well, you would too if you was one of the biggest pickpockets in New Yawk."
"Hence the name"
"Yah well, that ain't all I'm runnin' from." Squirt waited. "Ok, this guys after me, but he's woikin' for the bulls, I think he's plannin' on more than just turnin' me ovah to the cops."
"Alright, Jack'll be down so ya might be able tah stay here."
"I don't need you're charity." Squirt gave him a look. "Fine." Squirt stood and offered Pick a hand. Pick took it and helped himself up.
"Eh hem." They both turned around. Squirt moved forward and explained Pick's situation to Jack and Blink. They all agreed that Pick could stay.
A week had gone by and everyone loved Pick. He even convinced Medda to have a party for the newsies.
A month before the party, Blink took Squirt to Medda's. Blink hadn't been there in a while and he wanted to talk to her. While Medda and Blink were talking, Squirt got on the stage. No one was in the audience, Irving Hall was closed for the day. Tap, tap, tap, tap. She started to dance. She started with an allegro, moved gracefully, and ended with a cabriole. She looked out to the audience where both Kid Blink and Medda were clapping. Squirt started to blush and stumbled off stage towards them.
"I, I didn't know you were watching."
"Dat vas vonderful. Vud you like to perform at the party for the newsies?" she added in a soft tone, so that Blink wouldn't hear. Squirt nodded eagerly. "Come practice on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 4 o'clock."
"Come on Blink, I feel like going to Tibby's." She yanked Blink out the door. "Bye Medda!"
By the time the two got there all the other newsies were there. They slid into a booth with Mush, Skittery, and Bumlets.
"Why ya so smiley all of a sudden?" questioned Mush. Squirt just grinned. Race slid in next to Squirt and put his arm around her.
"Hows it rollin fellahs and Squirt?" Choruses of "Pretty good" and "Ok sellin'day" filled the restaurant. Dutchy walked by and sat with Snitch and Itey. Squirt stared after him. He's gorgeous. The way his hair moves whenever he moves his head. She sighed. Race waved his hand in front of her face. He leaned across her towards Blink.
"What the hell is she doin'?"
"Looks like someone's got the hots for Dutchy" cooed Bumlets.
"Shove it," said Squirt blushing. The boys chuckled.
"Ya ok Blink?" said Mush.
"Wha? Oh yeah." Mush raised his eyebrows. Blink shoved him off the seat. They all ordered their food and ate. As everyone was finishing off their food, Dutchy looked over and waved. Squirt turned to Blink.
"Don't ya just love the way he waves?" She swooned.
"Erm, no." He laughed.
"Oh yeah, waving, that's way up there on my list, comes right after smart," Race cracked. The newsies chuckled as they put their money down on the table and headed out thee door.
It was around 10:00 pm. Pick was heading back to the lodging house from the big poker game in Midtown. He looked down and kicked a pebble down the street. Half way through taking another step, two gigantic hands grabbed him and shoved him into an alley. A gargantuan man stepped into the light. Warwick.
"Hello…son."
An hour later Pick staggered into the lodging house.
"Holy crap, what in hell happened tah ya?" Boots looked up as Pick came into the room, as did several other newsies.
"Ran into that guy I told'ja was lookin' for me. Turns out he's me old man."
"Yah mean, he's ya dad?" Mush spoke up.
"No, I mean he's my butler. No shit he's me dad. I barely got away. No mattah what, if he finds any of you don't tell him where I am. He'll turn me in to the bulls." The newsies all agreed.
It was the night of the big party and Squirt was going to perform. She hadn't told any of the newsies about it and knew that they wouldn't recognize her when she performed because of all the stage make-up. Either way, they thought of her as shy and quiet and wouldn't expect her to be up there at all. Except Blink. He knew how loud and outgoing she was, and how much she loved the stage.
A knock came at the door.
"Come in." Medda opened then door.
"Honey, you're on next. You have five minutes"
"Ok, Medda. Thanks for everthin'." Medda smiled and closed the door. Squirt stood up and took a deep breath. She loved the adrenaline rush she got right before performing. She decided to go outside for a little air.
A gust of cool night air caressed her face as Squirt stepped out. She stopped suddenly. A familiar figure was standing opposite her. She wrenched the door open but was stopped from escaping when Warwick grabbed her arm.
"Now listen here. You'se gonna tell me where Pick is, or I'm gonna have tah continue our last get-together." Squirt turned her attention behind Warwick where Pick was passing to head into the theatre late.
"PICK RUN!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. Pick's eyes widened and he took off in the other direction. Squirt ran back inside reassuring herself that Pick had been in much hairier situations and would be just fine. She got inside just in time to hear Medda announce:
"Dees last act is a vonderful dancer, please give her a round of applause."
Squirt stepped onto the stage. The music started and she started to dance. Tap, tap, tap, tap. The silence was so thick you could cut it with a knife. When she ended with a chat, pas de, the crown exploded. Squirt strode to the very front of the stage and bowed. She then sauntered offstage and got back into her newsie clothes. She came out just in time for the newsies to not notice that she hadn't been with them. But of course Blink noticed. He also noticed the distinct sound her feet made when they were dancing.
The group of boys walked home talking animatedly about the wonderful dancer in the black tutu. Squirt just beamed to herself and walked with Blink and Bumlets. When Bumlets turned to say something to Dutchy, Blink pulled her close and whispered in her ear, "Great job up there." Squirt looked taken aback.
"How'd ya know?" she shoved him playfully.
"Come on, yah know anyone else that can dance like that? Plus I don't know anyone whose feet make that sound." Squirt smiled and stuck her tongue out at him.
"Oh yah, I forgot. Right before I went on, well, I decided to go outside for some air and…" Squirt explained what happened with Pick and Warwick.
"Damn. I hope he's alright." Squirt nodded in agreement. They kept walking.
When the newsies reached the lodging house they saw the door wide open. They looked at each other. Something wasn't right. They went inside to find Pick being handcuffed by two police officers. The two coppers turned to the newsies as they walked in. They started to leave but turned back to Squirt.
"Thanks for tippin' off Warwick." And with that, they were gone, leaving Squirt alone to face many angry faces. They all just looked at her, shook their heads, and went up the stairs, all muttering to their neighbors.
"But-I-I didn't-he-but-"
"Shhhhhh…" Blink pushed her up the stairs and to her bed. The newsies all said their goodnights before falling asleep.
"Good night guys," said Squirt. No answer. She rolled over sadly and went to sleep, but not before she heard Blink's:
"G'nite Squirt."
Blink awoke the next morning earlier than usual. He looked down and found Squirt curled up and the end of his bunk. He chuckled to himself and covered her with his thin wool blanket. That morning when the newsies got ready to sell their papes there was less hustle and bustle. Squirt began to feel really guilty, though she knew she shouldn't. They all left and got in line at the distribution office. When Squirt got to the front of the line she asked for her usual number of papes.
"50 papes."
"Heya Doll face, hows about you an' meh get tagethah tonight."
"Shove it. Gimme my papes."
"Come on goil, yah know yah can't resist my sexiness."
"Gimme my papes before I knock you the fuck out."
At this many of the newsies looked up. They had never seen her talk like that before.
"Easy, easy." Morris handed her her papes.
With that, she stalked off to sell on the corner of 22nd and 9th. It was the first time she had sold alone, but she really didn't want to be near anyone.
That evening all the newsies got ready to go to Medda's. Squirt, Jack, Dutchy, Bumlets, Snitch, Itey, and Skittery waited downstairs for everyone. Soon, the quiet waiting turned into a full out row. Everyone was screaming at Squirt.
"I didn't do it!" she screamed back at them.
"Pick was our friend and ya couldn't let him have any attention, could ya? Yah want it all for yourself, don't ya, yah self-centered bitch!" Itey's words stung.
"But I-"
"Do we really look that stupid? D'ya really think that we would forgive ya when you fucking turned him in to the cops?"
"I swear-"
"Why don't ya just go back tah Brooklyn or where ever the hell you came from?" Dutchy shouted.
That last comment was like a slap in the face. She turned on her heel and darted out the door. None of the newsies bothered to go after her. Just as she was running out, Blink came walking down the stairs. He had heard what Dutchy said on his way down and gave him a what-the-hell-is-your-problem look before sprinting out after Squirt.
By the time Blink was out the door, Squirt was nowhere in sight. He racked his brains for any possible place she would be. The Bridge! He dashed to the bridge. Pausing only a moment to catch his breath, Blink looked around for a sign of Squirt. Look intently towards the middle of the bridge, he saw the silhouette of a girl hunched over the rail. He jogged over.
"Squirt?" No answer. "Squirt?" She looked up, tears streaming down her face. He hugged her close. "Forget 'bout them. Retards dunno what they're sayin', they'll get over it and find out that 'cha tellin' the truth. Then they'll be really sorry."
"But Dutchy-"
"Forget Dutchy! He's a bastard. He don't even try tah get tah know ya' and he judges yah already. You don't deserve that an' 'e don't deserve you." Squirt looked up into his eye. There faces were so close that Blink could count her eyelashes. Then, finally, he kissed her. She drew back in surprise. I shouldn't have done that. What the hell was I thinking? She doesn't even like- Blink's thoughts were interrupted when Squirt kissed him again. He smiled.
"Come on, ya gotta show tah do." Blink put his arm around her and walked her to the Vaudeville theatre. "Break a leg." He grinned and walked to where all the newsies were eagerly awaiting the performance.
"Ey, Skit." Skittery looked over at Racetrack. "Is it jus' me, or is Blink smilin' more that usual, if that's possible?" Skittery glanced at where Mush and Blink were talking.
"I never would 'a believed it." The two chuckled. Their attention was soon directed else where as Medda introduced the last act. Squirt walked onto the stage in a black tutu and assumed first position. Then, the music came on. Once again she began to dance beautifully. Tap, tap, tap, tap. It was a wonder how her feet could make that noise when she was wearing ballet flats. And again she ended with a chat, pas de. The crowd went wild, newsies clapping until they couldn't feel their hands, gawking, and whistling at her. Squirt did her bows and went to the dressing room to change.
At once, the newsies headed to the dressing rooms to find out who this dancer was. They burst through the door to find the dancer facing her mirror still in her black tutu. She spun around. There was a unanimous gasp among the newsies. They started to back out giving her foul looks. The door shut, and all that remained was Dutchy, Blink, and Squirt. Blink sat on the couch as Dutchy walked forward.
"Uh, Squirt? Yah see, well, I was jus' wonderin', if yah'd like tah be my goil?" Squirt glanced at Blink, but saw that he had suddenly become highly interested in the hole in his left boot. She looked back at Dutchy.
"Sure." Blink looked up in shock.
"Really?" Squirt smirked.
"No. Now get the hell out of here, I don't even wanna look at you right now." Dutchy looked surprised at her harsh words. He turned around and strode from the room. Squirt sat next to Blink.
"I thought ya liked Dutchy," Blink piped, still looking down at his shoe. She leaned forward and kissed him.
"Still think I like Dutchy?"
The next few weeks passed with little change. Squirt was Blink's goil and the newsies refused to talk to both of them. Everyday after selling, Blink and Squirt would go to the Brooklyn Bridge and look at the view together. For them, life didn't seem to be worth living without their friends. The newsies still hadn't budged.
Blink and Squirt sat on Squirts corner bunk talking, secluded from the rest of the newsies. They looked over. Squirt made eye-contact with Dutchy. He sent her a murderous glare. She looked down. Blink walked over to the boys, who were immersed in an intense poker game.
"Hey, do any of you guys got an extra jacket? 'S getting' cold ovah there." The newsies pointedly ignored him. "Fellahs?"
"Fold."
"Fold." The newsies acted like he was nothing but a mosquito buzzing in their ears. Unnoticed. Blink walked back over to Squirt. They huddled together under a blanket to keep warm. Squirt cried herself to sleep on Blink's shoulder, a regular occurrence.
One evening, Squirt and Blink were at the bridge. Blink held Squirt in his arms and kissed her forehead.
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
And with those words said, they tipped themselves over the railing, and plummeted into the river.
News of their suicide traveled fast to the newsies, who grieved. One day when the newsies all got back from selling, they found a letter on the counter. Jack picked it up and read it aloud:
Dear Newsies,
It's me, Pick. I've escaped from jail and am now in Maine. I had to run. Warwick is dead. And I'm guilty. I just want you to know that this wasn't Squirts fault. You have to know because she tried to help me get away. It ain't no ones fault. I'll try and visit, but I ain't too keen on getting near any of those coppers down in New York.
Carry the Banner,
Pick.
Jack looked up. Every single newsie's face mirrored his own. Sorrow was reflected in their eyes. They slowly and sadly trudged up the stairs to their bunks. The laughing of Blink and Squirt echoed in the lodging house. Every night now, they would hear noise coming from the roof. A certain tap, tap, tap, tap.