Skittery's Story
'Skittery' was what they had always called him, ever since he could remember. He had been such a happy-go-lucky child, not a care in the world, bumbling through life, forgetting and breaking things wherever he went. He never got in trouble for it though, they would all say "Oh, it's just Skittery, he can't help it!" All his friends and family loved him for it; it was who he was.
He had come from an average working class family, typical of New York city. Life seemed to not be giving him a bad set of cards until the harsh winter hit and took his father. Even thinking about it now, five years later, it was hard. He could see his father's face when he closed his eyes, his mouth breaking into that smile that Skittery himself had inherited. Not that there was much to smile about nowadays. Well, his family had survived, thanks to his elder brother Fred who had taken on the role of a father figure to the younger children, and provided a role model for Skittery.
Fred had gone out and got a job, realising that with a weak mother and seven hungry mouths to feed it was his duty, as eldest. Starting off as an office boy for the New York Journal he had impressed them so much with his eagerness and hard work that he had worked his way up to be a small story reporter. It wasn't ground-breaking stuff but it was a steady job that didn't pay too badly at all. And it had provided enough to live.
He seemed perfect, providing for his family, but there was a side to him that only Skittery saw. Being the only two boys in the family they had always fought, but as Fred was both older and stronger he took full advantage. Skittery's body was rarely without bruises, even now.
He had had enough of no-one respecting him. Enough of Fred. He needed to prove that he could do it too, get a job and not have to rely on that bully for food.
That was why he was here, standing outside a newsboy lodging house in the middle of Manhattan. Scared of what was ahead, scared that he wouldn't be accepted by these strangers. And yet, he was powered with excitement and wonder. Maybe this would be the start of something big......
'Skittery' was what they had always called him, ever since he could remember. He had been such a happy-go-lucky child, not a care in the world, bumbling through life, forgetting and breaking things wherever he went. He never got in trouble for it though, they would all say "Oh, it's just Skittery, he can't help it!" All his friends and family loved him for it; it was who he was.
He had come from an average working class family, typical of New York city. Life seemed to not be giving him a bad set of cards until the harsh winter hit and took his father. Even thinking about it now, five years later, it was hard. He could see his father's face when he closed his eyes, his mouth breaking into that smile that Skittery himself had inherited. Not that there was much to smile about nowadays. Well, his family had survived, thanks to his elder brother Fred who had taken on the role of a father figure to the younger children, and provided a role model for Skittery.
Fred had gone out and got a job, realising that with a weak mother and seven hungry mouths to feed it was his duty, as eldest. Starting off as an office boy for the New York Journal he had impressed them so much with his eagerness and hard work that he had worked his way up to be a small story reporter. It wasn't ground-breaking stuff but it was a steady job that didn't pay too badly at all. And it had provided enough to live.
He seemed perfect, providing for his family, but there was a side to him that only Skittery saw. Being the only two boys in the family they had always fought, but as Fred was both older and stronger he took full advantage. Skittery's body was rarely without bruises, even now.
He had had enough of no-one respecting him. Enough of Fred. He needed to prove that he could do it too, get a job and not have to rely on that bully for food.
That was why he was here, standing outside a newsboy lodging house in the middle of Manhattan. Scared of what was ahead, scared that he wouldn't be accepted by these strangers. And yet, he was powered with excitement and wonder. Maybe this would be the start of something big......
