Left Behind.
David had seen the transformation happen right before his eyes. It seemed to happen overnight, but he knew it had been a long time coming. Ever since the strike had ended ten years ago, Jack was never the same.
David had always found it ironic, Jack was the one everyone expected to leave New York behind. But in 1909, Jack and David were the only two left in the city. Everyone else had moved on, found love, a job (legal or otherwise) and left New York.
Jack took each departure harder than the last. David knew it was because Jack envisioned himself in their shoes, packing his bags and leaving the newsies behind.
David, like the rest of the newsies, found himself a girl and a job. He gave up being a newsie the year after the strike, when his father got his old factory job back. After school, David was hired at the New York Sun. He was a hot up-and-coming reporter with a new wife, but he still found time to check up on his best friend.
David was worried about Jack. He always looked like he hadn't had a decent meal or bath in a long time and he looked more depressed every week. One week, in the spring of 1909, David found Jack particularly unhappy.
David trudging made his way to the fifth floor of a dim, rotting apartment building in Manhattan. He stopped in front of 5C and sighed.
"Now, don't get me wrong," he thought, "Jack's been my best friend for almost ten years, but it's a little difficult to stay friends with someone who hasn't been out of his apartment since last summer."
He slowly turned the door handle, it was never locked. David shook his head upon entrance. The drapes were drawn on all three windows, with one lamp burning brightly on the center table. Shadows from the lamp danced ominously on the walls.
He looked wildly around for a moment before he located Jack in the far left corner of the dimly lit room. He was sitting in a straight back wooden chair, staring at the shadows.
"Heya Jack," David said, trying to sound cheerful. "How are you doing today?"
Jack didn't answer.
"Well, that's good. I'm doing wonderful if you were curious. Ashley found out she's pregnant! We're going to have a baby, Jack! I wanted to ask you to be godfath…" David trailed off when he noticed tears falling slowly down Jack's face.
David rushed to his side, "Jack, what's wrong?"
"It's been almost ten years, Davey. Ten years since the strike. I was good back then, Davey. People liked me, I was the powerful "strike leader". But look at me now, Davey. Look at me now!"
Jack's eyes got wild as he jumped out of his chair.
"I've got nothing left, Davey. No one in this whole damn town remembers Jack Kelly anymore. I'm a forgotten memory in this city. I'm one more line in a book, Davey, a book nobody wants to read."
He was standing right in front of David, looking pleadingly into my eyes. David was at a loss for words, but as his brain kicked into high gear, an idea came to him. All he needed was some time to find those people who will always remember Jack Kelly.