This story is told from Blink's point of view. It's the first story I've done in 1st person. I hope you like it so far. I'm not sure if I'll finish it unless it's in high demand. I've had it for awhile but never got around to posting it.
One Eye is Better Than None
The day was starting out perfectly ordinary. I mean, I get up, wash me face, and head downstairs for one of Kat's famous breakfast omelets. It was just another day. As usual, I was one of the last one's down fer breakfast so I was at the back of the line. It didn't really matter to me. Kat always makes plenty. I made small talk with Pie Eater, somethin' I used ta do with Race or Mush. But both of those bums moved out cuz they "fell in love." Both got hitched and they each got kids. Don't get me wrong. I love kids. An' I ain't jealous or nothin'. But they was me closest pals. And Mushie moved all the way ta Queens. Race lives in a apartment. I barely git ta see 'em.
"Guess what?" Pie Eater grinned from ear to ear.
I hate guessin' games. "What?"
"Kat ain't makin eggs today!"
I looked at Pie Eater. He better tell me what she is makin' before I get mad.
"Today, we git pancakes!"
Well, that coitainly put me in a better mood. The only thing better than Kat's eggs was her pancakes. I decided I would forgive Pie Eater for tryin' me patience. I turned to the newsie behind me, who happened to be Swifty, and played the same game.
"Swifty."
"Yeah, Blink?"
"Kat's not givin' us eggs taday."
I grinned at Swifty's disappointed look.
"No eggs?"
"Nope," I confirmed. "Pancakes."
Well, ya couldn't of made dat boy happier if ya told him he just won a million bucks. Unfortunately, he spoiled the rest of me fun by announcing it to the rest of the newsies behind us. I turned my attention back to the front of the line, and not a moment too soon, cuz it was finally my toin ta get some grub. Of course, foist I had to go through the routine hand check by Kat. She never serves us if we're doity. I wiped me hands on me trousers foist, just to make sure dat I would pass. I let out a sigh of relief when Kat nodded her approval. Then she handed me a plate with five pancakes piled up.
"Butter and syrup is on the table. But go easy on the syrup."
"I know, Kat. Ya say dat every time."
Kat smiled at me. Gosh, she's pretty. "And yet it never seems to be heard."
I laughed. It was true. One bottle of syrup lasted us one breakfast. If we were lucky. I sat down next to Boots. How did he always get down here so fast? "Moinin, Boots."
"Heya, Blink," Boots replied with his mouth full. "Ya gonna eat all five of them?"
"Yeah," I said, pushing his fork away from my plate and picking up my own. I didn't bother ta wait for the syrup. It would be empty by the time it got ta me anyway. I ate Kat's breakfast, thinkin' I never tasted anything so good. "Boots, ya gonna 'ead out, or what?"
Boots smiled. "Naw. There's gotta be somebody who can't eat five pancakes by themselves."
"Ok." I left my plate on the table, even though I knew better. Kat would forgive me. She always does. Outside it was goigous out. The filthy air was the cleanest it had ever been an' da sun was shinin'. I would say the boids was singing, but we're talking about New Yoik here. The boids would probably die from pollution. I was just mindin me own business but I couldn't help but notice a voice singin'. I looked up at the buildin' next ta me an' sure enough, there was a open window and a sweet melody drifted out. It was practically angelic. Now, I'm not usually fond of singin', but I coulda stood there for hours listenin'. And not the listenin' like me an da boys do when we go ta Medda's. Dis listenin' was like…like…like I couldn't help it. I finally tore meself away and went to get my papes. I got 70, just like always.
I headed to me sellin' spot and it wasn't until I was positioned when I noticed dat I was right next ta da building! An' the goil was still singin! Cripes! How was I supposed ta concentrate wid her singin? I decided I'd try. After 'bout ten minutes I'd had enough.
"Hey!" I called up to the winda. "Hey!"
A young goil appeared, an' she didn't look too bad. But her singin' was makin' t'ings difficult for me.
"Kin ya stop singin?"
"Who is that?" she called back down.
"What difference does dat make? Kin ya just stop?"
"I didn't realize my singing was bothering anyone. Sorry, sir."
Sir? Didn't she realize she's talkin' ta a no good orphan bum? I shook me head and returned to hawkin' headlines. It wasn't two minutes before she was yellin' at me.
"Excuse me! What is all this yelling?"
"Just close yer winda!"
"It's a beautiful day!" she protested.
"Well, dis is where I come ev'ry day."
"Well, I live here!"
She had a point. But I wasn't gonna tell her dat. "Sorry, doll."
The goil turned red and disappeared from my view. Da next t'ing I know, she's marchin' out the front door and headin' straight inta the street, right inta da path of a carriage. I grabbed her arm an' pulled her back. "Watch out!"
She gasped when she hoid da hoises passin' so close.
"Didja need something?"
"My ring."
"What?"
The goil slowly lowered to the ground and began soiching the street fer somethin'.
"I dropped my ring."
"It's right 'ere." I held out the ring to her, but she had trouble findin' it. Her hands foist found me arms and then woiked deir way ta me hand and eventually found the gold band. It was den dat I noticed how cloudy her eyes were.
"Thank you," she said, slipping it onta her finga. "I was going to yell at you, but I suppose I don't have any reason to any more."
"Do ya need help back up ta yer room?" I wasn't about ta let a blind goil try ta go up stai's by herself.
"I may be blind but I'm not incapable of walking. I've lived here my whole life and I know where everything is."
"Cept for da carriages."
Her face darkened and I immediately felt ashamed. Only bums like da Delanceys picked on goils, specially ones dat were helpless. "I didn't mean it like dat-"
"I just want you to keep your screaming down, ok?"
"Sorry. Really. I ain't noimally so mean. Kin I please walk ya back up?"
"Fine."
I followed da goil inside and up da stai's. I kept a hand behind her in case she fell, but she neva missed a step. I was impressed. She even knew where her door was an everyt'ing. I neva woulda guessed she couldn't see. Her apartment was nice. An' extremely tidy. I felt way outa place.
"My father is at work otherwise I'm sure he'd thank you for-"
"Don't mention it." I spotted some needlewoik on a chair armrest, an' unless her faddah sewed, she did dat. "Did you make dis?"
She held out her hands so I gave it ta her. She felt the stitches den smiled. "Yes. This is an old one, though. It's pretty bad."
Bad? I couldn't do dat in a million yeahs! "Looks pretty good ta me."
"What's your name?"
"Blink. Well, anyways, it's what me pals call me."
"I'm Lori. Won't you sit down for a minute?"
"Shoi." I coitainly saw no harm in it. Sides, how much company did she get up heah? I took out me handkerchief and wiped me brow. I sat down in a chair, set me papes down, and took off me hat. Out of coitesy, even dough she couldn't see it.
"Tea?"
"No, t'anks. I just had breakfast."
"Are you an apprentice?"
"No." I didn't say what I was t'inkin. Any poison could tell from da way I looked dat I was a newsboy. Specially since I was carryin' papes. Coise, she couldn't see so… "I sell newspapers. Ya know. Carry da bannah. Hawk da headlines."
"That would explain your hollering."
"Didn't mean ta dastoib ya, miss."
"I wasn't doing anything important."
"So whaddya do all day?" I couldn't help askin. I neva knew a blind goil befoah.
"Mending, cleaning, washing. But no cooking."
"Don't ya evah git out?"
"Only with my father. But he's rarely home so I just find some busy work."
"When's yer pop git back, Lori?"
"Seven."
"Why dontcha spend da day wid me? It'd be fun, an diff'rent."
"If my father-"
"C'mon, Lori. Dontcha trust me?"
"I've known you five minutes! And I can't even see your face!"
"Heah." I took 'er hand an held it ta me face. She felt da sides an me nose an den startled when she felt da patch. Stupid patch.
"You where a patch?"
"Yeah. Ise blind in one eye. Like you, I guess."
Lori smiled. She was real pretty. An nice. Maybe I had a chance wid 'er. I don't meet many goils. Coise, it ain't like I go lookin' fer em eider, like Mushie used ta do.
"Is that why they call you Blink?"
"Yeah."
"What's your real name?"
I froze. Me real name? Could I even remembah it? Memories started floodin' back. Bad memories.
"Willie! Hurry!" A woman kept a shawl drawn close around her as she pulled a three-year-old boy behind her with her other hand.
"Janice! If you don't come back you'll be sorry you disobeyed me!" a masculine voice yelled from a distance.
"Will Parks."
Lori smiled. "Where were you planning on taking me, Will?"
I shrugged. Stupid. Like she could see it. I might have ta git used ta dis. "Wese could go ta Tibby's or Medda's. We could even jist walk around."
"You seem nice enough, Will. But there's no way I can really tell. Even if I could see. But thank you for offering."
"I won't sell by yer winda anymoah," I said as I headed out. "Bye."
"Bye."
Dat wuz all I heard. I wuz gittin a little uncomf'table. I walked down a few blocks, but found meself slowly driftin towards Lori's winda. What wuz da mattah wid me? Den I noticed. Me hat. I left me hat in Lori's house. Cheese! Why does dis stuff always happen ta me? I thought 'bout goin back but den decided dat I shouldn't. I'd visit 'er tamarra. She'd prob'ly like da comp'ny anyway. Den I started t'inkin, somethin that ain't real good when yer someone like me. Cuz thinkin always gits ya inta trouble. I wuz thinkin dat I should bring 'er somethin. Somethin nice.
Please review and tell me if you think it's worth finishing- be honest (but nice) =)