I woke up early the next morning and, for the record, it was not by choice. First Kloppman came up and tried to wake me up. I'd rolled over groggily, still wiped from the night before. Once he left I had about 10 minutes of silence and then I swear the building nearly came down.
I heard shouts, screams, water running, toilets flushing, and feet pounding on the floor. I figured it was pointless to try and go back to sleep, especially when Jack came in and jumped on top of me.
"C'mon Cass, get up. Time to carry the banner and sell the papes." He said shaking me.
"I'm up, I'm up." I said sitting up slowly. Cowboy sat there grinning at me, but I wasn't fully awake yet and barely noticed. "So what exactly are we doing today?" I asked. "I mean, what does a newsie do?" I had an idea of what they did, they sold newspapers but I wasn't quite sure what the process was.
"Well get dressed and we'll show you." He replied with a wink. "Meet me downstairs." With that he got up and walked out the door, tying his red bandana around his neck. Now there was something familiar to me.
"Cowboy, tell me again about Santa Fe." I asked reaching down to pick a dandelion. We were standing in a field covered in the things but I still felt the need, every time we came out here, to pick one and take it home to my mama.
"Awww Cass, you know all about it. I've told you a hundred times." He said plopping down and laying back, soaking up some of the sun's rays. He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.
"Please?" I begged. It was true I'd heard it all before but I liked the way he told it. It was fun to pretend we would actually go to a place like Santa Fe someday. "Just once more?" I sat down next to him and pulled on his hand.
"Fine," he said not even bothering to sit up. "One day, when I'm old enough, I'm gonna save up my money and take a train to Santa Fe. Then I'm gonna get a ranch there, with horses, and a huge field."
"And your not gonna tell your mama 'cause you don't want her to say no." I continued bouncing up and down, twirling my flower in my little hands.
"Yep, and then when your old enough I'm finally gonna write to mama and tell her were I am. And I'll ask her to talk to your mother so you can come live with me."
"And were both gonna get married and live happily ever after." I finished smiling.
"Yeah, that too." Said Cowboy, grimacing at the thought of marrying a girl. He was only nine after all, but that still seemed to me much older than my seven years.
"Well, I have something for you Cowboy." I said blushing.
"Yeah, what is it?" he asked greedily, eyes flying open.
I pulled out a bright red bandana from within the folds of my skirts. "It's a bandana, like those cowboys wear in those western movies you like so much." I said grinning. He took the bandana, smiling slightly.
"Thanks Cassie." He said honestly. "This is really great." He tied it around his neck and then got up. I jumped up next to him and he turned and said "race ya to the tree over there." He pointed to the oak tree in the middle of the fields and without another word, we took off running.
I took one last look in the mirror hanging over the dresser, inspecting my off white skirt and light blue, button down shirt. I ran silver my brush through my hair and tied it back with a matching blue ribbon. Probably too much for a newsie but it was the same as everything else I had with me.
I walked downstairs and saw Jack waiting. He smiled as I came down and held the door open for me. Once we were outside I turned and saw him pull something out of his pocket. Before I knew what it was he had jammed it on my head. I quickly pulled it right back off and looked at it. It was a newsboy cap and I laughed.
"What did you think it was?" he asked laughing at me.
"I don't know." We chatted, catching up as we walked to the circulation office as he said it was called. I told him about my memory of the day I gave him his bandana and he seemed to remember too. Soon we were walking up to the window were a fat man was sitting with two tall, muscular looking boys standing around him. Jack leaned over and whispered something in my ear.
"That's Weasel, the two boys are Oscar and Morris. Steer clear of them." He warned. I nodded quickly. Cowboy bought my "papes" for me while I talked with some of the other newsies.
"So you hear who's coming tonight Kid?" Mush was saying to Kid Blink.
"Yeah, I heard Spot's coming to talk to Jacky-boy. Business as usual though." Race butted in, lighting a cigar.
"Who's Spot?" I asked. I felt the color rising in my cheeks as the boys all turned to laugh at me.
"You don't know who Spot Conlon is?" Mush asked when he and the others calmed down.
"No, I haven't exactly been around long." I said annoyed.
"Spot's the leader of the Brooklyn newsies. Toughest newsies in New York. And Spot is the toughest." Race replied.
"He's also got the biggest head in New York." Blink added and they all laughed again.
"Yeah Spot's coming tonight. He's also bringing a couple of his newsies along so we can have a little party tonight." Jack said walking up from behind me. He took my hand and lead me away as I tried to get in a few goodbyes.
"So is he as bad as everyone says he is?" I wondered aloud.
"No." Jack assured me waving a hand. "Only if you get on his nerves. So don't worry about it." He then launched into the dos and don'ts of selling newspapers. I have to admit I was only half listening, wondering about this boy who was supposed to be the toughest newsie in New York. Tougher than Cowboy? It can't happen. I thought to myself.
We walked around for the rest of the day as Jack attempted to teach me how to hawk a headline. It was harder than it looked. Let's just say, Cowboy did most of the selling.
