Chapter 2
For a few days, Kate didn't make an appearance at "Tibby's". She was having a few troubles of her own, which caused her to have to have to spend a few nights at a hospital in Brooklyn. She had overdosed herself with sodium acetyl salicylic "acid", or Aspirin. After a few days and nights, Kate went home. But her mother insisted that she stay in bed for a few more days. Kate refused to do so and left the house around noon one day to see her new friends at "Tibby's".
Racetrack recognized her immediately. He noticed that her eyes were baggy and her face was pale. He cocked his head to the side as she walked towards him. "I know," she mumbled, "I look like hell."
He shook his head and half-smiled. "Ya look fine!" he stated.
She shook her head and sat down at the table that Racetrack sat at. "How has everyone been?" she asked him.
At the same time, Racetrack inquired, "Where have you been?"
They both laughed.
Racetrack answered, "Everything's been betta'. Jack and Blink have been… OK. They still ain't talkin' but you can definitely tell dat dey are slowly beginnin' ta loosin' up ta one a'nudder." He shrugged and went on, "It should just pass by soon 'nuff."
"Good."
"So?" Racetrack leaned in closer to Kate, waiting for a reply to his question.
She raised her eyebrows, not wanting to lie but also not wanting to tell him. She feared the worst. Ever since she had moved from California, everyone around her treated her awfully, except for the few newsboys. Everyone else thought that she was insipid and naïve. If she were to tell Racetrack that she was addicted to drugs and alcohol, he may never want to talk to her again. No one knew about her addictions. And she wanted to leave it like that. "I just… haven't been doing so well," she told him. It was true. She sighed with relief inside, glad that she hadn't lied to him.
He nodded. "I hope ya's get betta," he told her.
Kate didn't even realize it, but Jack was standing in front of the table now. His hair was wet back and a few strands were hanging out in front of his face. "Ay," he greeted.
"Hi," Kate replied, "Pull up a chair."
Jack grabbed a chair and sat down. "Have ya heard anyting about Spot?" he inquired to Racetrack.
Racetrack shook his head. "I haven't seen him in a while. I tink da last time I did see him was da last time we saw's her," he observed, pointing to Kate.
Specs came over to the table. "I heard ya guys talkin' about Spot," he stated. "I went ova' ta Brooklyn wit Snoddy and guess what? Spot hasn't left da lodgin' house over der in tree days! A few guys been sayin' he's been sleepin' all dis time and he hasn't sold any papes. Dey says he's real sick too."
Jack felt awful. The last time he had talked to Spot he hadn't been very compassionate or sympathetic for his friend. And Spot only visited them every once in a while. Kate spoke for them all, "So let's pay him a visit! I still haven't heard his part of the story."
"Der ain't nuttin' ta hear," Jack stated. "Brooklyn just don't tink he's big enough or strong enough ta be da leada'. Dat's all it is."
"Nah," Racetrack put in, shaking his head, "I tink it really is getting' to him. I tink we should visit him. Good idea Kate."
Kate smiled.
And so Jack, Kate, Racetrack, and Specs went off to see their friend Spot in Brooklyn.
READ ON!
For a few days, Kate didn't make an appearance at "Tibby's". She was having a few troubles of her own, which caused her to have to have to spend a few nights at a hospital in Brooklyn. She had overdosed herself with sodium acetyl salicylic "acid", or Aspirin. After a few days and nights, Kate went home. But her mother insisted that she stay in bed for a few more days. Kate refused to do so and left the house around noon one day to see her new friends at "Tibby's".
Racetrack recognized her immediately. He noticed that her eyes were baggy and her face was pale. He cocked his head to the side as she walked towards him. "I know," she mumbled, "I look like hell."
He shook his head and half-smiled. "Ya look fine!" he stated.
She shook her head and sat down at the table that Racetrack sat at. "How has everyone been?" she asked him.
At the same time, Racetrack inquired, "Where have you been?"
They both laughed.
Racetrack answered, "Everything's been betta'. Jack and Blink have been… OK. They still ain't talkin' but you can definitely tell dat dey are slowly beginnin' ta loosin' up ta one a'nudder." He shrugged and went on, "It should just pass by soon 'nuff."
"Good."
"So?" Racetrack leaned in closer to Kate, waiting for a reply to his question.
She raised her eyebrows, not wanting to lie but also not wanting to tell him. She feared the worst. Ever since she had moved from California, everyone around her treated her awfully, except for the few newsboys. Everyone else thought that she was insipid and naïve. If she were to tell Racetrack that she was addicted to drugs and alcohol, he may never want to talk to her again. No one knew about her addictions. And she wanted to leave it like that. "I just… haven't been doing so well," she told him. It was true. She sighed with relief inside, glad that she hadn't lied to him.
He nodded. "I hope ya's get betta," he told her.
Kate didn't even realize it, but Jack was standing in front of the table now. His hair was wet back and a few strands were hanging out in front of his face. "Ay," he greeted.
"Hi," Kate replied, "Pull up a chair."
Jack grabbed a chair and sat down. "Have ya heard anyting about Spot?" he inquired to Racetrack.
Racetrack shook his head. "I haven't seen him in a while. I tink da last time I did see him was da last time we saw's her," he observed, pointing to Kate.
Specs came over to the table. "I heard ya guys talkin' about Spot," he stated. "I went ova' ta Brooklyn wit Snoddy and guess what? Spot hasn't left da lodgin' house over der in tree days! A few guys been sayin' he's been sleepin' all dis time and he hasn't sold any papes. Dey says he's real sick too."
Jack felt awful. The last time he had talked to Spot he hadn't been very compassionate or sympathetic for his friend. And Spot only visited them every once in a while. Kate spoke for them all, "So let's pay him a visit! I still haven't heard his part of the story."
"Der ain't nuttin' ta hear," Jack stated. "Brooklyn just don't tink he's big enough or strong enough ta be da leada'. Dat's all it is."
"Nah," Racetrack put in, shaking his head, "I tink it really is getting' to him. I tink we should visit him. Good idea Kate."
Kate smiled.
And so Jack, Kate, Racetrack, and Specs went off to see their friend Spot in Brooklyn.
READ ON!
