Buttons McCain: The Chicken or The Egg-
Which came first?

By Morning Glory

Samuel 'Buttons' McCain was eight years old now, and this meant he was wiser. Once you turned eight you out ranked the younger newsies. Jack having a great influence on the young impressionable boy had put this idea in Buttons' head.

"The chicken!" The older boy persisted in the argument with the younger boy. He rose from his spot on the bunk folding his arms across his chest in a cocky manor, as his eyes peered down.

"Nuh uh, the egg did." The younger boy retorted in a shy manor. He was not sure why he was saying the egg had come first, maybe because it was just the opposite of what Buttons had just said, none the less Tangle was sure he was right. He was six, and when you are six, you are always right.

Buttons' brow furrowed creasing his whole forehead as Tangle refused to accept what he was saying. Buttons believed since he was older it would be obvious to the younger newsie, that he was correct; it was just how things were. The older boys were always right over him, so if that was how things worked around the lodging house according to Jack, it made Buttons right. That also meant that the older boys would know the answer to their question, which came first, the chicken or the egg? "We need to ask an expert!" Proclaimed Buttons as he dropped his arms back to his side, the expression on his face turning thoughtful.

Tangle was still sitting on the bunk swinging his legs back and forth, "An expert?" He inquired crinkling his nose.

"Yeah, someone who knows everything." Buttons explained, as if it was obvious. Two people came to mind: Jack and Kloppman. Buttons had worked this out in his head, seeing as Kloppman was really old, that meant he had to know everything there was to know. He had come up with Jack just because Jack was an expert on everything else that he wanted to know, or at least that was what Buttons thought, "We should go ask Kloppman."

Buttons headed towards the door of the bunkroom and down the hall, he turned around once and waved Tangle to follow. With a small hop down off the bunk, the small mousey boy followed the older one, "Who are we gonna ask?" Tangle questioned, looking up at Buttons.

"We're gonna find Kloppman first." Buttons headed down to the lobby. Kloppman could usually be found sitting behind the big wooden desk, "He's old and has been around for awhile. Probably was there when either the chicken or the egg came first." Buttons gave a nod.

Tangle made an 'O' shape with his mouth, Buttons logic did make sense to him. Especially the part about being there when it first happened. Buttons hopped down the last stairs, Tangle behind Buttons did the same thing, "He's not here." Tangle's lower lip jutted out.

Buttons pressed his lips together as he looked around the lobby, Tangle was correct Kloppman wasn't there. "Must be at the market," he deducted. Buttons walked over to the large oak desk and leaned back against it. He placed a hand thoughtfully on his chin.

Tangle stood nearby watching the older boy, and waiting for their next move, "Well…?" He questioned growing impatient, as younger kids often do.

"Jack!" Buttons jumped forward, shooting one hand up in the air. Jack wasn't in the bunkroom, seeing as that was where the two had just come from. Buttons reached over and took Tangle's hand as he led him out of the lodging house. A few moments later they stumbled upon Jack and Mush joking in front of the distribution office as they waited for the afternoon edition to be distributed.

"Hey kiddo, hey Tangle." Jack smiled; he reached over ruffling Button's shaggy blonde hair, "What are you two up to?"

"Jack, we wanna know which came first; the chicken or the egg." Buttons got straight down to business, the two were on a mission to find out the answer before bed time tonight. Tangle stood shyly looking up at Jack and Mush, they were much taller than him and intimidated him a bit.

"Uh well…" Jack glanced towards Mush as he placed his hand on the back of his neck rubbing it some, "The egg." He answered with a smile and a shrug; the kid wouldn't know that he really didn't know.

Buttons gave Jack a skeptical look, he could tell that the older boy was lying to him, and he didn't appreciate it! Buttons stomped his foot and pouted, "You're lying!" Tangle looked up at Jack with big eyes when Buttons exclaimed that he was lying to them.

Jack sighed a little, "Well I ain't too sure kid." He spoke honestly.

"Oh, okay…well I'll ask someone else!" Buttons got over his disappointment quickly, and then motioned for Tangle to follow him to their next destination. The two boys made their way to the park where they ran into a few of the other lodgers. They polled a couple others, but still no one seemed to know. Race and Dutchy had the same argument about which came first, then Buttons was sure the two were still standing there arguing once they returned to the lodging house.
"Who should we ask next?" Buttons asked turning to Tangle, they stood in the lobby almost full circle where they began. Kloppman once more was not there.

"We could ask her." Tangle shyly pointed up to Stress who was passing through the lobby.

"Good idea!" Buttons walked over to Stress, "Stress! Can we ask you somethin' cause Jack didn't know and neither did any of the other guys."

"Sure," Stress said, her tone nurturing, and accompanied by a soft smile, "What can I answer for you two?"

"Well we wanna know which came fist," Buttons smiled, "the chicken or the egg."

Stress answered simply, "The chicken came first - God would look silly sitting on an egg." She winked at Buttons, and then headed out the lodging house door to meet up with Jack for dinner.

"See! I knew I was right!" Buttons exclaimed triumphantly, as he held out his hand, palm side up.

Dejectedly Tangle pulled out three buttons from his pocket, a shiny red one, a large black button with four holes, and a small greenish one with two holes. He released them into Buttons' palms. Someday Tangle would be old enough to be right and win a bet.