How the Brooklyn Newsies came to be

by NYCgal1212

The creation of the Brooklyn newsies as told my one of my one. How Spot Conlon Becomes a newsie maybe surprise you.

How the Brooklyn Newsies Came to Be:

Shay (Stories point of view)

Spot

Ace

Hopscotch

Rusty

Shakespeare

Brooklyn

The first time I remember seeing the famous Spot Conlon, he wasn't the guy you know now. In fact he wasn't even a newsie yet. But I was; I've been a newsie ever since I can remember. Now Spot at this time lived in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in all of Brooklyn. Alongside him was his best friend from toddler age Paris Blue. I meet Spot and Paris one sticky hot summer afternoon while I was selling papes. He and Paris were taking a walk down a street that held an outside market. I was sitting slumped on a empty crate resting my voice and cooling myself off. Spot was wearing a nice pair of gray pants a white T-shirt an over coat and his beloved cane. Paris had on a little purple dress and shoes that clicked along the cobble street. Considering that I wasn't doing so good selling wise I decided to give them a shot at possibly buying one of my papes. I stood up as they approached me engaged in a conversation about school- a subject I knew little about.

"Excuse me," I said. "but you's wouldn't mind buying one of me papes? Ya see da headlines ain' t dat good taday and if I don't sell em' all by dusk it 'll be da pits fer me."

Spot and Paris looked at me astonished at the fact that a boy as poor as I was would ever bother them with my petty problems.

"What makes you tink dat yer so special; ain' t dat da deal wit da rest of ya?" Spot asked fiercely.

"No." I lied. "I jus' choose a real bad place ta sell. Please sir jus' one pape." I pleaded.

Spot looked at Paris who was giving him a guilt look. I could tell she felt sorry for me and couldn't stand the fact of me not being able so finish selling; also I had pulled one of my puppy faces on her while I spilled out my last explanation. Spot sighed aggravated.

"Fine, ya won me ovah. Tink of it as favor." Spot reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin I gave him the pape and he gave my the money. They walked off without another word. I stood there pleased with myself. Of course this is only the beginning of the story.

I never saw Spot or Paris again after that day until I noticed a couple my fellow tougher newsies messing with what seemed like a young girl . They had knocked her down and begun to laugh and taunt her. I dropped my papes in a puddle and pushed through the circle of boys. To my surprise it was Paris. She was covered in mud and crying. I scolded my fellow newsies for pushing around a defenseless girl. The lot mumbled their apologies to her as I helped her to her feet.

"Ya ok?" I asked. She nodded glumly. "Come on let's get you's home."

She shook her head so that her platinum blonde ringlets became out of place.

"No? Why not?"

"I'm not allowed ta go wit strangers. My papa said so." she sniffed.

"Well I ain' t a stranger; I'm da boy you and yer friend bought a pape from four weeks ago, remember?"

Paris lifted up her head and studied my appearance questionably, then smiled and nodded.

"I remember." -she licked her lips and looked into my eyes-" I'm Paris Blue."

"I's would be Shay Chaucer. " I said spitting on my hand and sticking it out. Paris gave me a discusted look and I wiped my hand on my pant leg. She lingered closely behind me as we left the heart of Brooklyn and towards her neighborhood. I switched places with her as we made our way deeper into uncharted territory. At least that was what it was for me. We stood in front of a green house with a cedar door. Paris knocked on the door three times, before someone answered. It was Spot.

"Paris what are you's doin' wit-oh it's you again. Whatda ya want and why are ya heah wit me friend?"

"I found 'er in some trouble, I took part of my precious selling time ta help her-if dat's alright wit you's"

"Why would you's help 'er? If I's didn't know yer kind any bettah I'd say dat you's would have taken advantage of her in such a time."

"A favor fer a favor." I said blankly. "If you's 'll excuse me I's got some sellin' ta do." It had occurred to me then that I was no longer holding my papes. Spot shook his head.

"No. Why don't you's come in, away from dis heat." he offered. I was dumbfound by this invitation. I struck me odd that he would even think of having me come into his house. From the way I looked, I expected him to turn me away the minute he had opened the door; yet I had no problem with taking offering. I nodded slowly and stepped inside the house. The wooden floor creaked beneath our feet as we entered the kitchen.

"By da way," Spot said turning to me. "I'm Spot Conlon." I nodded again taking no heed to his strange name. Of course this doesn't mean I didn't think about it. The name he had sounded like a name a newsie would give himself.

"I'm Shay Chaucer." Spot stopped in his steps and turned around to face me with a confused look on his face.

"Come again?" he asked not understanding that pronunciation of my last name.

"Chaucer, Chau-sir." I said again sounding it out for him. Spot nodded.

"You's might want ta wash up Shay, dirty hands ain' t except able at da table."

"Alright." I paused. "Uh were's da washroom?" Spot moved his head up the stairwell.

"Second door on yer right. Don't make a mess." he cautioned. I nodded once more and retreated up the stairs. The washroom look nothing like I've seen before. The walls had pretty floral print and shiny floor boards. I turned on the brass faucet and let the cool water run for a while before splashing my dirt covered face with it. I am not one to be dirty often; of course on days like these it's quiet hard to stay clean if you're a poor newsboy trying his best to make a living on the loud crowded streets of Brooklyn. When I came down Spot and Paris were already sitting at the table and a woman was putting food on the table. Spot's mother I presumed. I took a seat next to Paris as Spot eyed me suspiciously worried that I might pull some gag on his dear friend. Spot's mother smiled at me oddly as she gave me my plate of food which consisted of eggs and bacon. Elements of the food source I had never tasted until then. I believe that both Spot and Paris half expected me to stuff my face, instead I lightly ate my food in most polite manner I could.

"Where did you get that name?" I asked flinching a bit hoping I hadn't made him angry.

Spot smiled. "Well Shay, me real name is Gabriel. But me friends call me Spot, because I's got da best spot ta live. Why do you's ask?"

"Oh no reason."

Throughout the entire meal nowhere did I see Spot's father. I assumed he was at work or something of that sort.

"I's don't mean ta eat 'n run, but I got papes ta sell." I said standing up. Spot stood as well.

"Could I help ya?" he asked. I stared at Spot wide eyed. Why in the world would a rich guy like him want to sell papes? Which could possibly be the dirtiest jobs around.

"Ok, if you's really want ta." Spot smiled and turned to his mother hopefully. She sighed at him and nodded. Spot smile brightened and we were off, leaving Paris to go home on her own. While we were walking I searched the ground frantically for the papes I had dropped in the mitsit of helping Paris. No luck. I groaned in annoyance. Spot stopped and looked at me.

"What da mattah Shay?"

"Can't find my papes." I said not taking my eyes off the ground.

"Can you's get new ones?" I shook my head.

"Dat ain' t da way it woiks." I said. "See in da mornin' all of da newsies go to da distribution dock and get der papes and dey sell 'em whatevah happens ta der papes is der problem. So no I's can't get more papes. But what I can do is find one of me newsies and ask 'im fer some of his papes." Spot nodded and we continued to walk. To my luck we found someone with a fair amount of papes left. I strolled up to him, spit shake and asked him for some of his papes.

"Well what happen ta yer papes Shay, ya sell 'em all?" he asked.

"No, I lost dem while I was helpin' a goil dat had got knocked down by couple of you's and if I's ain' t mistaken you'd be one of dem. So ta show yer gratitude for me troubles in havin' ta help a poor goil you's wheah a part of roughing up, I'd suggest dat you's bettah give me some of yer papes so you's won't get yer ass soaked." I said, threatening a bit him with my fist inches from his face.

"Alright Shay der ain' t no reason ta get mean about it." he said nervously handing me some of his papes. I smiled at him and walked back to Spot.

"What was dat about?" he asked.

"Nothin' don't worry about it. Come on." Spot trailed behind me as I sold my papes. When I was half way done Spot stopped me and grabbed my arm.

"What?" I growled annoyed he had stopped my flow.

"Der's a bar jus' across da bridge dat I'd like ta go to." I gave him a crazed look.

"Are you's insane Spot? No Brooklyn newsie crosses dat bridge during sellin' time and no Manhattan newsie come ovah heah during dat time eidah." Spot sighed.

"Maybe you's could sell some papes der." he protested.

"Didja hear what I said Spot? I ain' t goin'." I looked into Spot's eyes. I could tell he really wanted to go to this bar. " Fine. A favor fer a favor." I sighed grabbing Spot arm and taking him across the bridge. We stood outside a bar with two glass windows and a swinging door. A great deal of nosie came within the bar. I was a bit timid to go in afraid that for some obscure reason one of the Manhattan newsies was in there having a drink. Still I went in with Spot, who had a pleased look on his face. The bar tender looked up and smiled at us-more rather Spot then me. Spot sat down at a bar stool and I took one next to him.

"Heya Sam." Spot said happily.

"Hi there Conlon." Sam? Conlon? These two know each other? I sighed. "Who's this Conlon I haven't seen him before."

"Dis is Shay-uh Chaucer?" I nodded. "Yeah, he's a Brooklyn newsie."

"Conlon what are you doing with a Brooklyn newsie?" I knew this was going to happen.

"He helped me friend Paris- you's remember Paris don't ya? Well anyway he helped her from some goons dat were messin' her up." Oh ok so we're goons now. I see how it is.

"So he's a nice one." Bingo I'm one of those rare nice newsies. What a chump. "What brings you to Manhattan Shay it is still selling time isn't it ?" I snapped my head toward him.

"It sure is, but yer pal heah wanted to drag me ovah heah." Sam smiled at me.

"Well you'd better be careful Shay. Ok kiddo?"

"Don't call me kiddo." I mumbled.

"Whatever you say Shay." Once we leave the bar selling time is almost over, I can still make a clean getaway. I prop myself up against a brick ally wall and pull out a cigarette.

"You's got a match wit ya?" Spot shook his head. "Eh, lucky fer you I do." I said pulling out a match from my pant pocket. I light the cigarette and we started a way back to Brooklyn.

"Why lucky fer me?" Spot asked worried.

"Nothin', forget about Spot." So far so good. No one has notice me or my sling-shot sticking out of my back pocket. Knock on wood.

"Hey der's a Brooklyn newsie!" someone-clearly a Manhattan newsie shouted.

"Oh shit!" I yelled. "Come Spot le's scram!" Spot looked around confused before running after me. We tore across the Brooklyn bridge at top speed.

"Why' d we's run!?" Spot shouted.

"Because," I said pointing a finger at him. "It's one Brooklyn newsie and a rich boy up against a whole crowd of Manhattan newsies. Dat ain' t gonna go down so good fer you and me. Come le's get you's home." I said angrily.

About the deal with Spot's family he ended up telling me-by me weaseling it out him- that his father wasn't such a great guy. He would yell at Spot and beat him up if he did the slightest thing to anger him. I told him that I felt sorry and that he could come over to the lodging house if he ever needed a place to stay. Spot and I's growing relationship was becoming more of a friendship with each day we saw each other. Sometimes Spot would spend nights at the lodging house when his father was giving him a hard time. Or he would allow me to come in when the weather wasn't so good. I believe Spot was beginning to like the fact of having a newsie as a friend, like I was his connection to the outside world of glamour and money. Of course all of that changed one stormy evening. Myself and couple other newsies were sitting around a round table playing a longer heated game of poker-to which I wasn't doin' so hot. There was loud banging coming from outside. Assuming it was another tree whipping it's branches against the lodging house we all ignored it. The banging became louder and louder as each minute passed.

"Jesus Christ." one of the newsies muttered.

"I'll see what's goin' on." I said getting up. "Don't none of you's look at me cards. In fact I'm taking dem wit me jus' ta be safe." I said snatching up my cards and running down the stairs. I opened the door and standing in front of me was a cold roughed up Spot Conlon. He had a black eye and a bloody nose.

"Let me in." Spot insisted.

"Alright." I said. "What happened to you's? Let me guess, yer Faddah did dis huh?" Spot nodded his head slowly blinking away some tears. "I would have gone to Paris's but dat would have been da first place he would have looked."

I wrapped my arm around Spot's shaking shoulders and took him upstairs. The whole room fell silent as he and I entered. All eyes were fixated on Spot.

"He had some problems leave him alone fer now." I ordered. The others nodded in response.

"So Spot," I said sitting him down on a bunk. "How long you's plan on stayin' heah?"

"I's don't know, forevah maybe." Spot trying to suck the blood back in his nose I gave him a napkin. "Tanks."

"Forevah? What, like becomin' a newsie?"

"Yeah I's guess." I pursed my lips together thinking about this. It was even more bizarre then him wanting to help me sell papes a month and a half back.

"You's sure you wanna be a newsie Spot? It's real hard woik getting up early, selling a least a hundred papes. In every kind of weathah?"

Spot nodded.

"Getting no respect whatsoever from anyone." I said. Spot looked at me surprised.

"Huh?"

"Dat's right Spot. No respect you's ain' t gonna be da big shot rich boy ya are now. Don't even tink of keepin' dat cane of yours."

"Why not!" Spot shouted.

I laughed. "Because Spot, newsies don't got nice tings like dat. Unless it's real special to you's."

"It is." he said. I gave him a queer look.

"You ain' t lyin' is you's?" Spot shook his head violently. "Good. Now why is dat cane of yers so important?"

"It was me grand-pops, he gave it to me before he went off ta war." I smiled at him.

"Alright, le's get you's cleaned up and tomorrow you'll start a new life as a newsie."

I didn't know it then, but teaching someone how to be a newsie is really hard. Especially if that person came from a rich neighborhood and was used to getting whatever he wanted. Oh yeah I soon learned that Spot was a pretty stubborn person when he wanted to be. Just like I could be a mean person when I wanted to be. I took Spot to the distributing dock to get his first round of papes. Of course he wasn't exactly dressed like a newsie-yet. So it was kind of hard to convince the head that he was a newsie. Finally he his papes and we were off. The first mistake he made was actually reading of what was printed on the paper. I hung my head and laughed at him. Spot stopped calling out headlines and walked over to me.

"Somethin' funny Shay?" he asked not amused with me.

"Yeah, you's ain' t doin' it right."

"What do you mean? " he asked not understanding what I was getting at.

"Number one rule of being a newsie: Don't read what is actually printed on da pape."

"Why not?" I sighed, wishing that I didn't have to go over all of this.

"It's lame and uninteresting." I snatched one of his papes from him and studied the headlines. "You's gotta do it like dis: Streets too dangerous fer children at night! Gangs have nightly shot outs!" I hollered. Within a couple of minutes some people came buy and bought papes. Spot stood there staring at me like I had just done some phenomenal feat of God. I handed Spot back his papes and pointed at a headline which read: Statue of Liberty too Dirty. Spot thought about it for a moment then shouted,

"Statue of Liberty falling apart many suspect dey may have ta tare it down!" Once again people came and bought papes. Spot smiled at himself. I had a smug look on my face. He looked like complete fool standing there in dirty white shirt and black slacks with a black and his cane which could do some major damage if you really thought about it.

"What did I's do wrong now Shay?"

"Nothin', jus' you's look like an idiot. Which brings somethin's ta me mind. You need a change of clothes."

"What's wrong wit des?!" Spot yelled annoyed.

"First off, der dirty second you's don't look a ting like a newsie."

"Do I gotta change me name too?" Spot growled.

"No dat's perfect. Come on I'll get you in ta somethin more newsie like." We headed back toward the lodging house selling some papes along the way. The bunkroom was completely empty when we entered it. Spot looked around it with his blue eyes.

"Sit." I ordered. Spot sat down on the bunk he slept in. "We's gotta find you some clothes. I pick up a pair of gray pants, green and white checkered shirt , wool cap, red suspenders and to top it all off a sling -shot. If he asks what that is I quit. But to my surprise he was pretty good with it.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, where did you's learn how ta shoot?" I asked.

"I got one fer my tenth birthday and I 've been using it ever since." he explained. He could have fooled me by the way he talked and acted I expected not to know a damn thing about sling-shots.

"Who knew. " I said raising my hands in the air.

"Obviously you's didn't." Spot said. I smiled at him and he smiled back.

The days turned into weeks in to months. Spot was getting pretty good at selling papes. None of the newsies really made fun of him being a rich boy before he became a newsie. No one except for me. I taunted him and poked fun at him, Spot would poke fun at me for taking a shower everyday. I kept on calling his red suspenders pink when clearly they were not. We would take each others things and hid them. The one thing Spot didn't like about me was the fact that I smoked. So just to make him mad I'd often blow smoke in his face. We would also shot pieces of paper at each other and have the little war type things. Which were pretty fun. Those were the days when Spot liked to mess around with his newsies. We don't have sling-shot paper wars anymore. Yet we never tested each others patience for jokes and gags on hot sticky days when no one had much tolerance for those kind of things. On one of those days I make the mistake of calling Spot a name that he didn't particularly like to be called.

"Hey pretty boy," I had said. "get me a hand towel and some soap will ya?"

"Pretty boy? Pretty boy?!" Spot said raising his voice. Without thinking Spot launched himself at me knocking me over on the hard wood floor. Apparently I had hit a sensitive nerve in him that caused him to get extra angry. In stead of the rest of the room cheering Spot on at his actions, they sat there, jaws hung open in aw. It wasn't like I was their leader or anything, but considering I was taller, stronger and one year older then most of them, they choose not to mess with me; knowing how if I was pushed to do it I would rip their arms off. Spot continued to punch me in the stomach without doing much damage to me. Finally I kicked Spot off me sending him flying across the bunkroom in a daze. Spot hit the floor with a hard thud. I got up and stood over him. Spot had come back his senses and realized what he had just done. I picked him up and slammed him against the wall. Spot began to laugh nervously at me. Instead of yelling at him and soaking him like I usually would have done. I simply stood there smiling at him slyly.

"So," I said. "you's managed ta knock me ovah. Congratulations Spot Conlon, I'm guessin' dis means ya like ta woik wit me hmm?"

"Huh? I's don't understand." Spot said. I let Spot drop to the floor and turned around, walked a few paces away from him and turned back around.

"What I mean is, do you's wanna help me run da lodging house? I can clearly see dat yer strong enough seeing dat you had knocked me down and continued to beat on me. You and me we'll run dis place togedah."

"You's ain' t gonna hit me?" Spot asked pressing himself up against the wall.

"Not unless you's want me ta." Spot shook his head violently fearing I might make him have another bloody nose-or worse. I smiled at him and ruffled his hair.

"Well whatda ya say Spot? Wanna do it? "

"I's don't know."

"It 'll put ya back on top."

"Ok. We's gotta shake on it." I smiled at him and spit on my hand and held it out to him. He took it with his own spit covered hand enthusiastically and shook. Let me tell Spot wasn't a full fledged leader yet. That sort of happened with out really many of us noticing. He just sort of took over as I slowly slipped back into the regular Brooklyn newsie crowd. Don't get me wrong I was the one he came to and asked about doing something before he did it- I still am along with the inputs of Ace. Which brings me to another milestone in our creation. The newsie group just wouldn't be complete without the goof-ball pair Ace and Hopscotch.

These two came on one of the coldest winter evenings we've had in years. When Spot and I opened up the door, we couldn't figure out if they had come together or just happened to show up at the exact same time. We soon found out.

"Hi," Ace said cheerfully. "I'm Ace and dis is me best friend Hopscotch. Da newsies in Florida ain' t doin' so good so we's was wonderin' if we could join you's guys: Da Brooklyn newsies of New York City."

I was more then willing to have two new people to hang around with, the regular group was just too up tight for me. Of course Spot looked at them like they were total freaks. He pulled me aside.

"Shay you's sure ya wanna let dem in? Dey might ruin Brooklyn's tough rep." Spot said worried.

"No dey won't. Besides we's need some light hearts around heah."

Spot sighed. "Alright you's two can stay."

Ace and Hopscotch grabbed their things and raced towards an empty bunk in the middle of the room.

"So, da two blonde hair blue eyed boys are in charge of dis dump?" Hopscotch said.

"Yeah and if you's don't watch it, Spot heah with beat yer head in wit his cane." I said joking. Hopscotch and Ace stared at me blankly not knowing if I was being serious or not.

"I'm kidding." I said smiling.

The one thing that really bugged me about those two was no matter what you were doing, they were always in the middle of it. Or in your business. Such as this one time when I was doing my daily push up routine (right after I finish selling my papes) The two of them came up on either side of me and watched me so intensely you'd a thought that they'd never seen someone do push-up's before.

"What are you's doin'?" Hopscotch asked.

"Push-up's, I sorta thought dat was obvious." I said.

"Why?" Ace asked. I turned my head and looked at him.

"Because I feel like it." Another thing is that once they've received their answers, they don't leave and continue to watch.

"Shoo." I said waving them away with my hand.

There is something you should know about me. I, Shay Chaucer am afraid to commit; which gives Ace and Hopscotch all the more reason to be in my business. They think that it is insane that I'm afraid to commit. What guy isn't? Also I'm still a virgin, this comes as a surprise to most people I have no clue why. I have gone out with girls before, so I'm not a complete fool. I just want to find the right one before I actually have sex and now I sound like a girl. Every time I come back to the lodging house late at night, either Ace or Hopscotch will be at my back asking where I had been.

"So Shay how' d it go?" Ace asked me as I entered the lodging house late one night.

"How did what go, what are you's talking about? Do you tink dat I went out wit a girl?"

"You's were certainly gone long enough to have been." Hopscotch said coming in from the bunkroom.

"Yeah, well I wasn't." I said gruffly.

"Tisk," Hopscotch said snapping his finger's. "Why not?"

"Maybe it was because I didn't meet anyone." I said trying to be sarcastic. Hopscotch and Ace looked at each other and laughed hysterically. I shook my head and climbed into bed. Later that night I heard Ace and Hopscotch having a deep conversation about me and my non excising love life. I rolled over so I hear them better. I wondered why Spot wasn't listening to them or telling them to shut up and go to sleep. Of course Spot is usually out like a light and doesn't get waken up by talking. I on the other hand am an exteremily heavy sleeper, nothing can wake me up. I bet you a million dollars that if a tornado came through Brooklyn I wouldn't wake up. That is if I had a million dollars I would.

"We's should set him up wit someone Ace." Hopscotch suggested. Oh right like they know what kind of girl I'm into.

"Ok, but who?"

"I don't know. We'll have to search Brooklyn."

"Yeah, we'll do it while we're sellin' papes." The two boys looked over at me, my eyes were shut but I could still hear them.

The next morning I followed Ace and Hopscotch around watching them watch the streets of Brooklyn for a potential girl for me. So far they had there eyes on a girl with dark brown hair and blue eyes. She was buying apples at a near by stand. Hopscotch approached the girl with ease. He had his papes in his right hand and a burning cigarette in his left. Hopefully this girl didn't mind a smoker. After she was finished getting her apples she turned around and bumped into Hopscotch cause her to drop the apples and some of his papes. Ace buried his head in his hands and shook his head. Hopscotch helped the girl pick up her apples and she helped him with his papes.

"Sorry." Hopscotch said as he gave her the apple.

The girl smiled. "It's all right, you's didn't expect me ta turn around so fast." The two stood up.

"My name's Lindsey Douglas." she said putting her dark brown hair behind her ears.

"I's Hopscotch." he said sheepishly. Set me up? Looked more like he was trying to get himself a girl not me. They walked over to Ace.

"Dis is me friend Ace. Ace dis is Lindsey Douglas." Lindsey smiled and shook Ace's hand happily. The three of them then turned around to see me standing there looking like a complete moran.

"And dis is Shay Chaucer. He's kind of shy." No I'm not. Stop lying Hopscotch. Lindsey smiled sweetly at me, I couldn't help smiling back.

"Well uh Ace and I gotta go. You's get ta know each other." Hopscotch said dragging his friend away. Lindsey and I stared at each other for a while not knowing what to do.

She looked back in the direction Ace and Hopscotch had gone then turned back to me.

"Ok what jus' happened?" she asked with a giggle in her voice.

"I's have no idea, come on le's go get somethin' ta eat." We walked towards the restaurant we always ate at, that is before Ace got himself kicked out of it and we had to find another place to eat. Lindsey and I took the booth in the back were no one could see us.

"So where are you's from?" I asked.

"Heah." She said.

"How come I's haven't seen ya before?"

"I don't know. So yer a newsie?"

"Yep, I sure am." I said proudly. She giggled at me. I didn't know what to think of her. As long as she didn't end up being a total air-head I was willing to give her a shot. I could almost feel Ace and Hopscotch back a couple feet hiding behind people and carts watching intensely to see I did anything interesting.

"Hey, do you's wanna help sell me papes?" I asked. What a stupid question.

"Not really." Ok , so that wasn't the answer I expected.

"Alright, whatdya wanna do?"

"I would like to go a see Medda in Manhattan, she's having a show this afternoon."

"Why?"

"Because, I like to go see her shows."

How come everyone wants to go to Manhattan? What's wrong with Brooklyn? Doesn't she know that Manhattan and Brooklyn newsies don't do so well together? Then it hit me: Lindsey was another rich girl. She'd probably click real well with Spot considering where he came from. No sooner did I think it, Spot was standing right behind me. I whirled around at the sound of his voice.

"Who's dis Shay?" Spot asked. That statement became one of Spot's reoccurring things to say whenever one of us brought in someone new.

"Oh dis is Lindsey Douglas." I said.

Spot nodded and smiled then blushed a little when Lindsey smiled back giving him a sweet look. I saw it coming before either of them spoke.

"Didn't you's use ta live in the neighborhood over by the main market?" Lindsey asked.

"Yeah, I's did." Spot said happily.

"Spot right? You's are still called dat."

"Sure am." Lindsey stood up out of her seat; Spot put his arm around her shoulder and the two of them walked out of the restaurant leaving me to sit there bewildered at what had just happened. In that instant I could have gone home and beat the snot out of both Hopscotch and Ace. I decided not to and to go finish selling my papes. On my way back to the lodging house I encountered Hopscotch. He had a beaming smile plastered on his face like always. The look I gave him instantly told him I didn't want to talk about Lindsey or anything else with him. We entered the lodging house in silence. To my and Hopscotch's surprise Lindsey was there sitting right next to Spot to two were talking in whisper. Ace sat on his bunk with a crazed expression on his face. When I looked over at Hopscotch he had the exact same look as Ace. Spot stopped talking to Lindsey and turned to us.

"Oh, hey guys, dis Lindsey she-

"Yeah we's know already." I said annoyed as I walked over to where Ace was followed by Hopscotch.

"Alright, den. What's yer problem Shay?" Spot asked.

"Nothing." Spot shrugged and turned back to Lindsey. This was the most messed up thing I had ever witnessed. I was supposed to be with Lindsey, not Spot. Of course I don't really care. I figured that Ace and Hopscotch where just as confused as I was.

Hopscotch leaned over toward me. "What happened?" he asked.

"Uh? Oh, um, Lindsey and I were jus' talkin' and den all of a sudden Spot came up behind us and den....well den dey left."

"You's poor boy... got dumped by a goil before ya could even meet 'er."

"Shut up." I said swatting at him. Hopscotch laughed and went downstairs followed by Ace. Spot looked up as Ace left the room.

"Hey where you's two goin'?" he asked.

"Away." Ace said glumly shutting the door behind him.

Three hours and twenty minutes later. Lindsey had left and Spot and I where just looking at each other insanely. Ace and Hopscotch burst through the door with their usual beaming smiles. Apparently they had recovered from the back fire of setting me up.

"Look who we's found!" Hopscotch shouted happily.

"Paris?" I said.

"No!" Ace groaned.

"Well, I don't know!" I said.

"A boy!" Hopscotch said.

"So?" Spot said, which was his first word to come out of his mouth since Lindsey left.

"Well he wants to be a newsie." Ace said. "His names Rusty. He came from Detroit."

"Bring 'im up den." Spot said. The boys turned around and coaxed the boy to come up into the bunkroom. Slowly, but surly a medium sized boy with jet black hair and deep blue eyes emerged in the doorway. Spot and I looked at each other. This was one guy we weren't sure of. Detroit? That place was almost as nasty as Brooklyn, so neither of us had a clue as to why he would want to come here. Yet Ace and Hopscotch looked pretty excited to have found a potential newsie. We sighed and nodded toward Rusty. Both of us hated the burden of breaking in a newsie. I had brought in a bunch of before, but something about this told one told me it was going to be harder then Ace and Hopscotch and even Spot was. Rusty walked in silently and took the bunk that was against the wall. Which is were he spent a majority of his time when he was in the lodging house. I walked over to Rusty and sat down next to him. He glanced down at me and went back to unpacking his suitcase stuffed with clothes.

"So, Rusty you's got any family?" I asked.

"Yeah." Rusty answered not looking at me. "I got a mom and dad. What's it to you?"

"Nothin' jus' wondering. So why did you's come heah?"

"Because I wanted to get away from my family." This puzzled me. I always thought having a family was great like Paris or Spot with the exception of his abusive father.

"Huh?" was all I could say.

"We didn't really get along all that much.... so I decided to leave 'em. I came to Brooklyn because I knew it would be some what like Detroit." Rusty looked up at the wall then back down at me. I nodded as if I understood what he was talking about. I don't have any memories of my own family so I based my opinion about families of off what I see and hear.

"Well yer right, Brooklyn is like Detroit." I was running out of things to as k and say. Luckily I had Ace and Hopscotch to back me up. Soon enough to two were on either side of Rusty smiling stupidly at him.

"What?" Rusty asked.

"Hi der." Ace said waving.

"Hi." Rusty answered.

"So, you's got a goilfriend?" Hopscotch asked. I couldn't help laughing a bit.

"No." Good now they someone else to bug besides me.

"Oh, well neither does Shay." Ace said. Nope...I'm wrong. Rusty didn't take liking to Lindsey once he met her, of course no one liked Lindsey except for Spot; so the rest of us didn't talk to Spot about Lindsey much and tried to be nice to her when she was around. Rusty didn't like Paris either, that was a problem.

A year and a half had past and already I could tell Ace and Hopscotch where getting home sick. They longed for their home in Orlando, Florida. They both hated snow, and the cold. Once Hopscotch even asked Spot if he could put a little palm tree plant in the lodging house. Spot only gave him a odd look. The two often talked of leaving Brooklyn and just visiting Florida. I felt bad because no one else seemed to notice any of this except for me. I set off on the chilly streets of Brooklyn one day in search of something that would remind them of Florida and help them feel more at home. Not looking where I was going I slammed into a girl with a suitcase. This girl was named Caramel and the answer to Ace and Hopscotch's problems.

"Sorry." I stammered. "Heah let me help you's up." Caramel took my hand and stood up with me.

"Thank you." She said without a hint of New York accent. I looked her up and down. Now there was a reason she was called Caramel. She had long soft light brown hair that had streaks of carmel color and dark brown eyes. Every inch of her body was tan.

"Yer welcome." I said. "Hey wheah you's headed?" I asked pointing at her suitcase.

She shrugged. "Don't know."

I smiled. "Wheah you's from?"

"Miami, Florida." I swallowed hard. This was just too good to be true.

"Say why don't you's stay wit da Newsies? Just for tonight den you's can be on yer way." I suggested. Caramel made a face and thought about it.

"Alright.....what's your name?" she asked sweetly.

"Shay Chaucer."

"Shay Chaucer." She repeated. We walked back to the lodging house where everyone was.

"Hey guys!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. "I've got someone for you's ta meet!"

Rusty opened the door and stared down at me, then looked over at Caramel. He turned his head and called to the others. One second later Ace and Hopscotch came to the door and raced down the stairs.

"Who is..." Ace started.

"...dis Shay?" Hopscotch finished. I laughed at them.

"Dis is.....um..." It hit me that I hadn't bothered to find out her name in the excitement that she was from Florida.

"Caramel." Caramel answered.

"Neat." Hopscotch said. "I's Hopscotch and dis heah is Ace, We's from Orlando, Florida."

"Really!" Caramel half shouted. "I'm from Miami, Florida!" The three began jumping up and down. I smiled to myself and walked up the stairs passed Rusty.

"What did you's do Shay?" He asked me.

"Nothin'."

"Don't lie to me...." I laughed again. When Spot came back he took one look at Caramel and a look at Ace and Hopscotch.

"Ok, she can stay." Then, before either Ace or Hopscotch could move. "Don't hug me."

Caramel insisted that she sleep could sleep on the floor. She had two blankets and a pillow. We offered to give her more, but she said she was fine. Little did Caramel know that the fall nights got quite cold in Brooklyn. Since Rusty was a light sleeper he got up and gave her three more blankets and went back to bed.

In the morning Caramel was still sleeping. I thought about waking her up, but decided to let her be. Ace sat down next to Caramel as he was putting on his shoes. Caramel stirred around in her sleep and threw the covers over her head which cause her bare feet to be exposed. When Caramel awoke only Ace, Hopscotch and I were there. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and looked up at us. The three of us soon found out that she couldn't read very well. Ace offered to help her out while Hopscotch and I stood off to the side and sold our papes. Halfway through the day Caramel wasn't doing too bad. In fact she had gotten pretty good at reading most of the headlines that day and making up some of her own. Ace looked happy to be helping his new friend read. When I looked over at Hopscotch he had a funny smile on his face, like he knew something I didn't.

"What?" I asked him.

"I tink Ace is in love." Hopscotch answered still looking at Ace. "Wit Caramel."

"How can he be? He jus' met her yesterday."

"Yeah, well he's Ace....falls in love easily." Hopscotch said walking away from me. Um, question, can we say the word bizarre? I know I can. I strolled over to Ace and saw instantly what Hopscotch was talking about, the boy had a gleam in his eye and love-sick smile on his face. I glanced over at Caramel and saw the exact same expression on her face as well. I shook my head and went after Hopscotch.

It wasn't long before Hopscotch's prediction of Ace loving Caramel became open to the rest of the lodging house. How come everything that involves me, girls and other people ends up getting twisted around? I didn't get it and didn't plan to either. Not that I was jealous of Ace and Caramel or anything it was just I wanted to find something for both Ace and Hopscotch....ok wow that came out wrong. Something that reminded them of Florida.

"Ace!" Caramel shouted one morning while jumping up and down on his bed. "Wake up!"

Ace was fast asleep and late for getting his papes. Spot was waiting impatiently for him by the doorway yelling at him to get his lazy ass out of bed. Ace groaned and rolled around in his sleep almost causing Caramel to fall off and hit the floor. Spot rolled his eyes and dragged Hopscotch downstairs with him. I stood a few feet away from Ace and Hopscotch's bunk watching Caramel continue to jump up and down, something about her jumping was mesmerizing. But I couldn't tell what it was.

"Yer gonna break da bed." Rusty said icily. I looked over at him, he had pulled out a cigarette from his back pocket and began to light it.

"Can I's bum one?" I asked walking over to him. Rusty glanced up at me and nodded.

"Sure, if I's can get dis damn match ta stay lit." Rusty wasn't a boy of many words, but when he did speak it was usually worth listening to. I plucked a cigarette out of his pack and lit it with my own match. The two of us left the lodging house togther leaving Caramel to continue jumping on Ace's bed.

My past had never been brought up or talked about, I assumed no one really cared about what my deal was.....that was except for Caramel; she had been going around asking everyone what their deal's were. Mine of course was more complicated then 'I lived in blah and sold papes, then decided to come to Brooklyn.' So when she came over to me I prepared her for a long lengthy story. The other became interested in my history and sat down on the bunks and so I began to tell the story of me.

1885, Brooklyn New York, was were it all started-well let me back up just a bit. When I was born my parents weren't expecting nor wanting a child, so they gave me to the local Brooklyn orphanage, I stayed there and made "friends". By the time I was four the whole place was getting pretty crowded and the owners decided to throw me out. They gave me a basket of fruit and some chocolate. There I sat on crates day in and day out with the only three phrases I could say: "I'm four, my name is Shay (Sometimes I would say my last name) and I like chocolate." It's was sad, but I didn't care. In one of my days sitting on my crate a newsie stopped her selling and looked down to see me sitting there with a smile on my face. She crouched down in front of me. Her face wore a confused expression. Like she didn't understand why a four year old was sitting out here all alone with no one to look after him.

"Hi der, whatcha doin' out heah all alone kid?" she asked.

"I'm four." I said still smiling.

"Really?" I nodded. "Well wheah yer parents?"

I shrugged.

"Well, you's can't jus' sit out heah ferever, come on kid I'm gonna give you's a home." She offered her hand to me and I took it happily. The two of us walked toward the Brooklyn lodging house and my new home. Once we entered the lodging house a boy with honey blonde hair and blue eyes walked up to us.

"What's wit da kid Adia?" he asked.

"Beats me. I found 'im sitting on a crate looking stupid. When I asked 'im wheah his parents were he didn't know....so I decided to take him in. Got it?" The boy knelt down in front of me.

"What's yer name kid?"

"My name is Shay." I said.

"My names Mickey Del Rio." Mickey spit on his hand and stuck it out for me to shake. Instead of taking it I told him that I like Chocolate. "You's don't say?" I looked at him strange and sniffed. Adia side stepped Mickey and picked me up. I liked being in her arms, she made me feel safe.

"Hey, Billy, looks like we's got a new newsie!" Adia shouted. A boy looked up from his card game and smiled. He was black with curly black hair and pale green eyes.

"Neat. Say, you's like chicken?" Adia rolled her pretty brown eyes at him and flipped a piece of her short dark red hair behind her ear.

"I like chocolate. " I said.

"Yeah, but do you's like chicken?"

"Aw Billy give it a rest." Mickey whined swatting at him. Billy sighed an went back to his card game. Adia picked me up again and set me down on a bunk.

"You's 'll sleep heah ok? Below me ." I nodded happily. "We's gotta do something wit yer hair Shay, it keeps fallin' in yer face, covering up yer cute little blue eyes." she said brushing my barbie blonde hair out of my eyes for the hundredth time since she found me. I giggled at her.

"He also needs a hat, and a sling-shot ta become a Brooklyn newsie." Mickey said putting a hat on my head that was way too big. "Now he really can't see." Mickey said laughing. Adia took off the hat and told Mickey to go away. For the remainder of the day I stood off to the side watching Billy play cards with other newsies, Mickey do push-up's on the floor, Adia write in her journal that she kept under her pillow. She looked up and saw me staring back at her with my big sky blue eyes. She hopped down and picked me up and took me up into the bathroom.

"Alright Shay time to get ready for bed." I shook my head and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Yes." Adia unfolded my arms and stripped me down to my underwear. Then she put me in the shower and turned on the warm water.

"How come I havta wear my underwear?" I asked while Adia poured water over my head.

"Because, I don't know da deal wit little kids and baths. Don't ask questions like dat." After I was finished she got me into some pajamas and tucked me into bed.

"Good night Shay, sleep tight." Adia kissed me on the forehead and began to walk away.

"Adia, are you's my mutter?" I asked.

Adia stopped." No, I ain' t."

"Oh. Who is?"

"I don't know. Go to sleep Shay."

I never found out who my parents were or where they had gone. I didn't mind not knowing all that much. As I grew older I started to take part in doing more things with the other newsies. Billy had taught me how to play poker on one condition only: that I try some chicken. I wasn't very pleased with the taste, but I did it anyway just to learn how to play poker.

"I win!" I shouted one day while playing with Billy and some other newsies.

"How could you's win? Ya got nothin'." One of the others growled.

"Because, I win."

"Of course." Billy said patting me on the back.

Mickey showed me how to do push-ups and told me that if I was going to be a good Brooklyn newsie then I had to be strong. Back then I could only do ten, now...now I don't know how many I can do. Adia was big on the showering everyday, and told me that if I wanted to sell any papes I had to be clean. I listened and did everything that they told me to. Which is probably why I'm so picky about things and run on schedule most of the time. I have no idea where my hole mess with girls and such came, but I can't find anything that connected back to when I was little.

"Shoot, da kid's gonna look jus' like you's." Billy said one day while Mickey and I were doing some push-up's.

"Damn strait." Mickey answered.

"Yeah, Damn strait." I repeated.

"Hey, hey don't curse Shay it ain' t good ta do when yer young." I nodded and sat down. It had been six years since my arrival to the lodging house. I was now ten. The one thing that they had neglected to tell me that once a newsie turned twenty-one they couldn't be a newsie anymore. If they wanted they could leave. I found this out one day after selling my papes. Both and Adia and Mickey were packing up their suitcases. I ignored this and went about my business. But when they got up to leave. A sudden panic hit me. I ran over to Adia and latched onto her leg.

"No!!" I shouted. "You's can't go. I don't want you ta leave me!"

"Shay, I have to go, it's da rule. I'm twenty-one now."

"But, it's not fair." Tears were streaming down my face. Adia knelt down and picked me up and set me on her bunk.

"Shay," she said calmly. "I know it's not fair. I'm sorry, I wish I could stay. But I have to go. It's da rule."

"No one making you's." I sniffed.

"Actually..." Adia said looking down at the ground. "Will you's be a good boy for me? Take showers everyday, don't hang wit bad people, don't drink too much, be nice to everyone you meet."

"Unless dey try to soak you's." Mickey said, now standing on the other side of me. "Do push-up's everyday so you can be big and strong like me. Don't let Billy talk about chicken too much, don't eat too much chocolate. What else? Try and become a poker master. Don't do anything dumb, be nice to the ladies, no matter if their air-heads or not." Mickey ruffled my hair and walked away. "See ya around kid."

"I'll visit you's went I got time, ok?" Adia said. I nodded still crying.

"Adia, I love you." I said softly.

"Aw, yer so sweet. You's know someday yer gonna make a good boyfriend, or more." Adia kissed me quick and soft on the lips and then disappeared forever. Adia, I believe was the only girl I ever really loved. She never visited and still hasn't, I've sort of given up hope on her.

When I was finished the whole group sat there stunned. I felt kind of stupid having just told them of my history. The fact that a ten year old boy loved a twenty-one year old girl was a bit embarrassing to me. Maybe me loving Adia will get Ace and Hopscotch off my back. I pushed my way through the group of newsies and clomped down the stairs and went across the bridge to have a talk with Sam. Upon entering the bar , Sam looked up and half smiled. I took a seat at the bar and put my head down on the counter. Sam's happy expression changed into a frown.

"Hey Shay, what's with looks of sorrow?" he asked. I lifted up my head and stared at him.

"I'm having a bad day." I said.

"Really? What's the problem then Shay?"

"One of our new newsies was goin' around askin' everyone 'bout der past. When she got ta me I gave a pretty long story and I also brought up some sensitive subjects along the way."

"Like what?" he asked. I gave him look telling him that I'd rather not go through the whole story again. "Ok how about my usual question; what you do want? "

"I don't care."

"And there goes your usual answer."

"Fine." I said exasperated. "I'll have a beer."

"Coming right up." Sam said turning away from me. As I slowly drank my beer I began to think about Adia,. When I was seven she gave me a stuffed teddy bear. There was no occasion, she just thought it was something that I'd like. I still have that bear too. It's sits on my neatly made bear all day. At night sleep with it under the crook of my arm. It's sounds kind of dumb for an eighteen year old boy to be sleeping with a teddy bear, but that bears means the world to me. I don't know what I would do if I lost it.

"Shay, oh Shay. Hey, boy who is staring down an empty beer glass...it's closing time." I looked up and saw Sam across the bar waving me away with a mop. I got up and headed back to the lodging house. When I entered the place was silent. Everyone was asleep. I climbed into bed, put my teddy bear under my arm and fell fast asleep.

A month had passed since Caramels arrival. She and Ace had become a couple. Hopscotch however wasn't happy at all that some girl was taking up all of his time. Rusty had become part of the back drop only speaking when he really had something to say or was arguing with Paris. Spot and I still stayed quite close to each other. One day after we had all finished selling Caramel called for Ace to come downstairs with her.

"Ace, can I talk to you for a second?" she had said. We all knew this wasn't gonna go down very well. Since Ace and Hopscotch were always in my business, I figured it was my turn to be in theirs. I crept down the stairs and followed them to an empty lot. I couldn't hear what they were saying , but judging by the look on Ace's face she was breaking up with him. As Caramel turned to leave I saw Ace mouth the words, 'take me wit you's'. He would have gone too, if it hadn't been for Hopscotch being there. I quickly ran back home before Ace got there. As he entered the lodging house a somber silence fell. No one needed to ask him were Caramel was, we already knew. He crawled into bed with a very morbid look on his face. As I was falling a sleep I heard Hopscotch ask,

"Hey, Ace, personal question; did you's sleep wit her?"

"No,"-he paused for a few seconds then said-"yeah."

The subject of Caramel was never brought up again. For fear that someone would say something about her that offended Ace and he would snap. Of course Ace never snaps at anyone about anything. To all or our reliefs things between Spot and Lindsey were falling apart. The problems mainly revolved around money and Paris. Lindsey had gotten the idea that Paris was trying to take Spot away from her. Whenever Spot tried to explain that this wasn't true Lindsey would scoff and stomp away. Paris was castaway and forced to spend time with us. That is how Paris and I got to be good friends. About the money Lindsay was saying that the fact that Spot didn't have any money was killing their relationship. Which I highly disagree with. There doesn't have to be good money-or any money- to make a relationship work. Of course I'm not Lindsey. And so Spot and Lindsey eventually broke up. Spot wasn't nearly as down as Ace was about Caramel.

Of course, I couldn't forget the famous Newsboys strike of 1899. This was when the Manhattan newsies and the Brooklyn newsies were beginning to be better friends. This mainly revolved around Jack and Spot's friendship. Don't get me wrong I like Jack and think he's an ok guy. But I grew up living with the fact that Manhattan newsies and Brooklyn newsies never got along and they never will. We first heard of the strike when Jack, Boots and his new pal David came to Brooklyn. The whole deal about Spot hearing things from birds wasn't true. Ace muttered something along the lines of, "Dat sure ain' t a good sign of sanity, hearing tings from animals." Three of us were amused by his comment. Ace wasn't the only one making comments behind Spot's back. As Spot finished saying,

"I've got brains too, and more den jus' half a one." Rusty said,

"Yeah, tree quarters." Hopscotch buried his face behind my back trying to stifle his laugh. I was hitting a base ball bat in my open palm, ready to beam Jack with it if he decided he wanted trouble. After Jack, Boots and David had left Spot turned around to face us. Hopscotch's face was still pink with laughter. The rest of us looked as serious as we could be. Spot demanded to know what was so funny. Hopscotch said nothing and broke into a run with Ace going after him. He then gave Rusty a queer look to which Rusty attempted to make and mean looking face back at him, but failed and walked away, slumped. Finally Spot looked at me and sighed.

"I swear Shay, sometimes I feel like yer da only one I's trust not ta tink I'm a joke."

"Sure Spot, whatever you's say." I said. Spot stopped me and looked me in the eye.

"You's don't tink I'm a joke right Shay? Because if ya did-"

"Of course not. Spot, yer good leada. It's jus' dat, well, if we's put da two of us together standing side by side, seriously who do you's tink people would tink was da leada.? Me, or you's?"

"You." Spot said glumly.

"Right- I's mean yeah dat's my point."

"Den you's should be da leada Shay, not me. Look at you, yer a hell of a lot bigger den me, and a yer older, stronger, more experience in being a newsie. Da only tink you's lack is being good wit goils." I raised an eyebrow at him on that one. "Not dat, dat's a bad ting. Never mind. All I'm saying is, maybe I should give up being a leada and let you take ovah da job." I thought about that for awhile. Maybe I should be the leader. I was doing a pretty good job of it before. Unofficially though. I'd probably get Ace and Hopscotch off my back....or maybe not. It's wouldn't make much of a difference in how things were ran. People would still treat me the same. Everyone would be more open about their mean comments towards Spot. But then again. I'd be like Mickey. I already look like him. He was the one who ran the place, at least that's what I thought. I knew Billy would never have ran the place in a billion years. Adia, was Mickey's right hand....girl. Yet this wasn't the best time to be discussing leadership roles. We had a strike on our hands. Spot eventually got talked into doing it. Ace and Hopscotch wanted to do it because it sounded like fun. That's the opinion of the two crazy ass Florida boys for you. Rusty just wanted to do it so he could hit people. I wanted to because I thought what Mr. Pulitzer was doing to us wasn't right. So I guess I wanted justice. Those were just the reasons I gave Spot. On the inside I felt that if we- I did this then I would show Mickey and chicken lovein' Billy and most importantly Adia that I could amount to something before I turned twenty-one. So we surprised the Manhattan newsies and some scabbers by showing up for the fight. When the police came to the rally, Rusty and I ducked out and ran as fast as we could back to Brooklyn. Ace and Hopscotch showed up shortly after. Spot didn't come for quite sometime. That's when we all guessed he had been hauled off to court with the rest of the Manhattan newsies. Obviously we won the strike and everything went back to normal, but not for long.

The next milestone was Pix and Riggs. They didn't exactly contribute to being part of the Brooklyn newsies (They were Jack's) But never the less, they still were important. The two of them came a couple months before Christmas. Pix was sweet like Paris, so I knew that I'd get along with her. I kind of had too, considering she was Spot's new and final girl. Riggs I didn't know what to think of her. I don't think any of us knew what to think of her. All I can think of to say right now was that she was wild. One of the guys type of girl . And everyone saw that Hopscotch and Riggs had taken a liking to each other. You probably would like to hear the story of how Ace got kicked out of our restaurant while Spot was gone. It goes like this: One day Rusty, Hopscotch, Ace, Paris and myself had gone to celebrate Hopscotch's seventeenth birthday. We sat down at our regular booth. I was wedged in between Paris and Rusty while Hopscotch and Ace had the other side to themselves. We ordered a couple of drinks and started making jokes about each other. The ones about me were directly aimed at my secret crush on Adia when I was ten. I shot back with how Ace and Hopscotch were two slackers from Florida who couldn't pull their own weight around. Rusty and Paris were poking fun at each other and for the first and only time being nice to each other. We were all getting a bit too loud; especially Ace. The owner had his eye on him the whole time. When he came over he directed his talk to Ace who felt embarrassed. In the end Ace was told that he wasn't allowed to come back. He blushed and sank into his seat. We all felt bad because he had gotten punished and we hadn't. Lindsey had also decided to come back asking forgiveness from Spot. Which was a problem, he was going out with Pix and was very happy to be. Eventually Spot screwed up and made Pix and Riggs leave and Lindsey psycho. I can't say much more about Riggs and Pix without having to bring in Shakespeare.

Shakespeare arrived at the worst possible time. Riggs and Pix had gone back to New Jersey and Spot was still a wreck. As soon as we thought it was safe to talk I struck a conversation with Shakespeare. I had never read any of William Shakespeare's books but I knew who he was. That seemed to please Shakespeare. I wanted to know how he had gotten his name and why he had left Harlem. He told me that both of his parents were actors and traveled around the country preforming well....Shakespeare. Everyday Shakespeare listen to his parents recite the words from almost every play. One day on their way to a play in Chicago their train crashed and they both died. And oh, guess what play they were gonna preform that night? Romeo & Juliet. Shakespeare was eleven at the time and had memorized a couple of lines from various plays. Since his parents took all of their plays with them they too were destroyed. Everyone except for Romeo & Juliet . Shakespeare's parents had "forgotten" to take it. But secretly they had left it for him, it was his favorite play by far. When he had heard the news of his parents death he hung on to that play with his life. Shakespeare was taken to an orphanage in Harlem. The one in the Bronx was too much money and much to full. None of the kids there seemed to like Shakespeare's plays or him. The children were always mean to him. They taunted him and often hid his Romeo & Juliet play. Never mind being a social outcast. He stuck out like a sore thumb skin color wise. Every other child there was black or at least part. Shakespeare, was Hispanic. He had very dark black hair and winter green eyes. So Shakespeare spent his days in the orphanage reading his Romeo & Juliet play. Eventually he went to a local library and got a hold of every other play William Shakespeare had written. This still doesn't really explain how he got the name Shakespeare. The truth was the kids in the orphanage were calling him that in attempts to hurt him. But Shakespeare took it as an honor and enjoyed being called Shakespeare with much pride. Soon he would only answer to Shakespeare. Even when the nurses would call him by his real name (Carlos Montoya) he would refuse to respond to. When he was old enough Shakespeare left Harlem and ended up being in Brooklyn. He said that he would fit in better here. No one dares to touch his Romeo & Juliet book. Even though they don't know why it is so important to him. They figure that making a quiet person mad results in a broken nose. Although Shakespeare listens to Spot, Spot still keeps respect for Shakespeare and what he does. Come to think of it Shakespeare is the only one of us who takes Spot seriously. I know I don't and Spot doesn't expected me to. Shakespeare made friends with pretty much everyone. Even Rusty. Those to stuck together, even though they were completely different people. Another thing about Shakespeare is he sleeps naked. I have no idea why. Spot thinks it's gross. I personally don't care just as long as he doesn't walk around naked. Once Ace was given orders by Spot to wake him up. We did not know yet that he slept naked.

"Come on Shakespeare, you's gotta get up. Papes don't sell demselves." Ace shook Shakespeare. He moved around, but did not wake up. Getting fed up Ace tore the covers off of Shakespeare. Revealing his um (Clears throat) you get it.

"Shake-Speare get up-oh my God! Put some clothes on.!" Ace shouted covering his eyes. "I'm taken you's ta mental health place and pajama store! Dat jus' ain' t right!"

The week that Paris's house burned down and Spot had decided to get married to Pix was a total shocker. Rusty's comment about our food supply going away once we had learned about Paris's house, was completely out of line. I wasn't so sure about Spot getting married, he didn't seem to be one to stick to his promises. Then Pix disappeared and we were forced to look for her. The whole Pix might be in a burning cabin was just a lucky guess on Rusty's part. The two of them ran into the burning cabin while Ace and Hopscotch just sat there and stared. I stood there with my mouth hung open. I would have never done that. Finally Shakespeare crashed through the window carrying Pix. I personally think that's boys crazy. He's gonna end up in a comma of worse one of these days. Well Rusty's leg was jacked up. The two of them ended up in the hospital. And so we sat there bored as hell, in a town we knew nothing about. Both Pix and Rusty ended up being just fine. Spot and Pix still have yet to get married.