CHAPTER TWO

I picked up my papes and counted how many I had left. Eighteen. Not bad. I had fifty papes to begin with. I'd sold thirty-two in an hour. Not bad at all for my first day of workin' in a big city. I went to sell another when a voice called over to me.

"Whatta ya hear, Whatta ya say? So what Jack said was true. You are a girl newsie," said a boy grinning at me. "Looks like ya doin' decent. After a while you might get as good as me." He had a cocky grin on his face.

I gave him a look. "Thanks for tellin' me I'm a girl. I had no idea," I said with a mouth full of sarcasm. "And I don't know a Jack. Who the hell are you?"

He still had the cocky grin plastered on his face. "I'm Racetrack Higgins. Jack's my pal. He heard news that you were here. So, what do I call ya?" he asked.

"Gone," I said. I turned to walk away. Who does this guy think he is anyway? He don't know me. What does he want?

"What a name," he said sarcastically. "I'm bein' serious. What do I call ya?" he asked again.

"The names Flash. Flash Fuchs. But you can just call me Flash."

He stood there and thought for a while. "Fuchs? Ain't that German?"

I gave him a mocking clap and smiled. "Very good, Higgins. I'm part German, if my last name didn't clue ya in on dat fact."

He looked at me, studying me like I was a new species. "So which parent was German?"

"My pa. He was a German soldier when he met my ma. She was American. Lived here all her life."

He was still looking at me curiosty spread across his face. "Do ya wanna go ta Sheepshead with me after ya sell ya papers? I could show ya da roads. It'll make sellin' easier, knowin' da good spots."

I thought for a second. Well at least that cocky grin is gone off his puss. Maybe I will go. Might help me out a lot more. A lot more than i'm willin' ta admit ta dis guy. "Where is it?"

"Near Brooklyn. Half hour away. Where the horses run."

"Sure, why not? I gotta sell my papes first though."

"Sure, sure. I'll wait over here." He sat down on the cobblestone and watched with that grin right back on his mouth. Rolling my eyes, I started selling the rest of my papers. They were gone in ten minutes. I went over to Racetrack and helped him stand up.

"Okay, let's go," I said walking at his pace.

"Alright," he said to me smiling. "So where are ya from exactly?"

"The south. Franklin, Tennessee to be exact. I hitched rides in wagons to make it up here. I snuck onto a train once. To start a new life, ya know?"

"Yeah. That's what most people do. Where's ya family? They come with ya?" he asked me curiously.

I shook my head. "No. My parents died when I was young. I've been on my own since I was seven."

"Oh. How long ya been in New York?" he asked.

"Ya know, askin' too many questions can get ya into trouble," I told him grinning.

"So you're a highbrow hayseed, huh?" he asked me amused.

"Naw. Not a highbrow. I just know from years and years of experience with trouble and the likes. I just know what the hell i'm talkin' about."

"Hmm.. Fair enough."

"My turn to ask questions. So where are ya from?" I asked him.

We walked a little bit before he answered. "I'm from here. I'm Italian though. My parents got sick and died, so i've been workin' on my own," he answered.

Italian, huh? Nice. That's real nice. So where'd ya get the name Racetrack anyways?"

"I got it from practically livin' at Sheepshead. I go there when I ain't at Medda's or when I ain't playin' poker. I like da horses. Like my pop did."

"Guess the name fits ya then."

"My real name is Anthony."

I looked at him a little confused. "What?"

"My real name," he said, "is Anthony. Tony to my pop."

"That fits ya too. Betta than mine."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

We walked in silence for a bit. He isn't so bad, i guess. We do have a lot in common. More than I thought we would. I started to get tired after a while.

"How much farther?" I asked. "I'm dyin' here. I'd like ta know how old I'm gonna be when we finally get there."

He smiled, obviously amused by my comment. "You complain after a little walk to Sheepshead, then I can just imagine what you'll be like after a couple of days of sellin'. Just hold ya horses, we're almost there." We kept walking and he was smiling. I don't know why but soon, I was smiling too.