Author: Lil' Italy
Rating: G
Featured Newsies: Mush and Jack
Song: Walk a Little Straighter Daddy
Summary: It's about a boy (Mush) who wants his father to act more like a father.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story. Disney owns the Newsies and "Walk a Little Straighter Daddy" is a song by Billy Currington.
There he sat. All alone in the mall. While people bustled around him on there summer vacation. But not Adam, or Mush as most of his friends knew him by. Those same friends who were out right then enjoying their new found freedom after just graduating from high school weeks before. Adam sat there ,elbows on the table, head in his hands, sipping his soda and watching the small droplets fall down the edge of the cup. Most all his days were bad as he saw it, but today, today was a particularly bad day. On the top of his right arm was a bruise. He had acquired it earlier when his father had come home from work drunk. He lashed out at Adam for no reason and threw him across the room where he slammed into the arm of the old sofa.
"Mush! Hey, Mush!" Jack. One of Mush's best friends. Not right now. He just wanted to sit alone and mope. "Mush, I called you on your cell but I got the voice message." Jack stated as he reached Adam.
"Ya, I turned it off."
Jack sat down at in the chair across from him. Just looking at the way Adam was hunched over and the look on his face he knew something was wrong. "Is it your dad again Adam?" Jack was the only person he had ever told about his dad because Jack's dad has been the same way.
"Ya."
"What'd he do?" Jack new enough not to beat around the bush. Mush always felt much better when he just could talk about it and bad mouth his dad all he wanted to someone and have them agree with him. It had always worked before. Jack didn't know that this time was different. Adam was nearing the end of his rope.
In answer of Jack's question he pulled up the sleeve of his shirt to reveal the swelling mass of brown and purple. "He was drunk when he came and he decide that the arm of the couch would be a good landing pad."
"Mush I'm sorry."
"Ya know this has happened ever since I was a kid.
I remember looking up to look up to him.
And I remember, most the time he wasn't there.
I'd be waiting at the door when he got home at night.
He'd pass me by to go pass out in his chair.
And I'd say "Walk a little straighter Daddy your swaying side to side
Your foot steps make me dizzy an' no matter how I try
I keep tripping and stumbling, if you'd look down here you'd see
Walk a little straighter Daddy, your leading me."
"It's so embarrassing sometimes." Mush said.
"Why Mush. Nobody else know except you, and me, and your dad."
"Who are you kidding Jack? The whole school knows."
"What are you talkin about? I didn't say any thing"
"Not you Jack.
He stumbled in the gym on graduation day
And I couldn't help but feel so ashamed
An' I wasn't surprised a bit when he didn't stay,
He stumbled out before they called my name
And I thought "Walk a little straighter daddy. You're swaying side to side
It's not just me who's watching, you've caught everybody's eye
And you're tripping and stumbling and even though I've turned 18
Walk a little straighter daddy. You're still leading me."
With that Mush quickly pushed away from his chair and hurriedly walk toward the door away from Jack. Jack immediately followed him and grabbed hold of his shoulder turning Mush so he faced him. Mush looked into the eyes of a friend as a single tear escaped and slid down his face. Jack pulled him into a comforting embrace.
"You're not in this alone Mush. Ya know...
My old mans still like he always was, but I love him anyway.
If I've learned one thing from him its my kids will never have to say...
Walk a little straighter daddy. You're swaying side to side.
You're footsteps make me dizzy, and no matter how I try,
I keep tripping and stumbling. If you'd look down here you'd see.
Walk a little straighter daddy. You're leading me.
As Mush pushed away Jack gave him a reassuring smile. Mush new that whatever his dad did he would always have a friend to count on.
Yeah walk a little straighter daddy. You're leading me.....
THE END