When I woke up, Oliver was still asleep. I had decided not to wake him up because he still needed some time to rest. When I went downstairs, I saw Charlie waiting for me, he seemed to be ready to move out.

"Are you gonna come along with me, Dodger?" Charlie asked.

"Do I 'ave a choice?" I sarcastically responded.

We both headed out to do our daily rounds; however, there were not as many people out today, so we just decided to walk around town.

"Dodger, I 'eard you and Oliver talking last night…" Charlie admitted.

I looked at him surprised, and he seemed to have a pained expression on his face.

"'Ave you never considered us your friends, mate?" He asked, sadly.

"Not really…" I answered, honestly. "I know next to nothin' about you, except that we're all orphans, and we all steal for a living."

"We never worried about that, we just stole us some handkerchiefs or wallets, and we just played whatever card game that we 'ad on our minds…" Charlie stated. "Did none of that ever matter to you?"

"We 'ad our fun, Charlie, but I can't be a crook all my life…" I responded. "You know that, right?"

"I never really thought about it before…" Charlie answered. "So, you would rather live with some rich people than with your own kind?!"

"It takes all kind of people, Charlie…"

DODGER
The starfish may look unimportant
Lying limply in his underwater shelf.
He may not look important to you,
But he's very interesting to himself.

It takes all kinds of people to make up a world.
All kinds of people and things.
They crawl on the earth,
They swim in the sea,
And they fly through the sky on wings.

All kinds of people and things,
And brother, I'll tell you my hunch:
Whether you liked them or whether you don't,
You're stuck with the whole damn bunch!

I don't think so much of the buzzard,
He is something I would never like to be,
But who knows what goes on in his mind…
He may think he is superior to me.

You may not admire armadillos,
They're repulsive and they lead peculiar lives.
They may not look attractive to you,
But they're very interesting to their wives.

It takes all kinds of people to make up a world.
All kinds of people and things.
They crawl on the earth,
They swim in the sea,
And they fly through the sky on wings.

All kinds of people and things,
And brother I'll tell you my hunch:
Whether you like them or whether you don't,
You're stuck with the whole damn bunch!

Charlie looked at me surprised, he seemed to not have expected me to be philosophical, but I was, and I didn't care.

"I guess when you put it like that, maybe we should try and lead a different life." Charlie stated.

"Let's just keep that a secret though…" I suggested.

"Of course!" Charlie responded. "I don't want Fagin killin' us or anything."

"I'm more worried about Bill Sykes." I admitted. "Guy's a total nut."
"Don't say that in front of him…" Charlie said.

"Hell, you think I got me a death wish?!"

"Nope…"

"Good…" I looked up, and I saw that it was about to rain. "We better get back to the hideout."

"Right, mate…" Charlie responded.

When we got back to the hideout, I called Oliver down here for a talk, but I made it looked like he was cleaning out shoes (Which he was actually doing, but what else could I do?). Oliver really didn't seem to mind me, and I felt bad that he had no criminal bone in his body. I guess he's always been an honest kid.

"So, how was that place anyway?" I asked.

"Do you mean Mr. Brownlow's place?"

"Yeah…"

"It's real nice, and big too…" Oliver answered. "Mr. Brownlow and his servant, Mrs. Bedwin are really nice; they even gave me my own room."

"It sounds nicer than this place'll ever be…" I stated.

"Sorry…" Oliver stated.

"Don't be…" Charlie said. "You steal enough from rich people, then we can all have our own house just like that, but only after we retire…"

"But you would be alone…" Oliver stated.

"I'd retire early then…" Charlie responded.

"Why not now?" Oliver asked.

"It's a shame you're not a prig." Charlie sighed. "Do you know what that is?"

"It's a thief, like the both of you…" Oliver answered.

"Bingo." Charlie responded. "As long as you learn to live like us, then you'll be able to rack up the dough in no time."

"Charlie's right, which is odd…" Fagin said, entering the room.

"I ain't stupid, Fagin!" Charlie rebutted.

"Calm down, Charlie…" I said. "What do you want, Fagin?!"

"I'm here to drop him off with Nancy, who is waiting outside…" Fagin answered. "Bill needs him for a robbery."

"Why him?" I asked.

"Don't know, don't care…" Fagin answered. "Just hand 'im over…"

Oliver obediently followed him out the door, while I reluctantly chose to let him go. Not like I had much choice on the matter.

"You alright, mate?" Charlie asked.

"No…" I answered. "I'm worried sick about that kid, Charlie."
"He's the same age as both of us, and you're worried about him?" Charlie responded.

"That don't matter…" I said, firmly. "I just hope that Nancy can keep him safe…"

"In all seriousness," Charlie said. "Can we still be mates? I honestly don't want to lose you as a friend."

"Even after all I said to you earlier, you still want to be my friend?" I asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" Charlie responded.

I took a moment to think about it, and I realized that Charlie has kind of been partner in crime since I barely started, and if he still wanted to be my friend despite what happened, then I guess I'd have to accept.

"Alright, we're friends…" I said, shaking his hand. "But remember that I may not be the same Dodger anymore…"

"Alright, Dodger…" Charlie responded.

We decided to spend our free time playing cards until Oliver and Bill get back, and believe me when I say that I was glad that there was still hope for Charlie, but he seemed like a person who would become a farmer if he were to turn over a new leaf. But what do I know? I never actually bothered getting to know him well. Well, might as well try. I thought.

"Hey Charlie," I said. "I just now realized that we have known each other for half of our lives, and we know next to nothing about to each other…"

"Your point?" Charlie asked.

"My point is that we should make some small talk." I answered.

"Alright…" Charlie responded. "Who should start?"

"You go ahead…"

"Alright..." Charlie than started thinking about what to say. "Where should I start?"

"How'd you end up here?" I asked. "I don't exactly remember."
Charlie looked down. "My folks just up and left me on the streets of London, and I was wandering around the area for days, and they you found me…"

"Oh, that's right!" I said. "You we're practically crawling on your hind legs, and I had to give you some food that I stole…"

"I saw how you stole it, and I was impressed with how you did it so easily." Charlie continued.

"And then I took you back to Fagin, and then I taught you everythin' I know…" I added.

"And the rest is history…" Charlie said, smiling. "Alright, now what about you?"

"I don't know me mum, and my father was a drunken bum…." I answered. "He made it a habit to make my life hell, so I ran away, and I was found by Nancy…"

"Nancy? Really?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah," I answered. "She found on the ground tired from running, and she just asked me where I was from, and I my four-year-old self just spilled the beans. She took me to Fagin, and that is why I am here today…"

"Wow, to think that the reason you're here today is because of Nancy…" Charlie stated.

"And it went full circle with you and Oliver…"

"But there is one major difference…"

"And what is that?" I asked.

"Oliver isn't a prig…" Charlie answered. "Hell, I don't think he would steal even if his life depended on it."

"It makes you wonder how he manage to keep his innocence in check." I stated.

"Don't know, but one things for sure…" Charlie said. "You can't help but feel sorry for him…"

"Can't argue there…"

"Are you really serious about turning over a new leaf, Dodger?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah…"

"Well, if you are, then I am too…" Charlie responded, smiling.

"Seriously?!" I asked, shocked.

"Hey, you may not have known it, but we've been friends since we were five…" Charlie stated. "Wherever you go, I follow…"

I then realized that all this time, I already had a close friend; I was just too arrogant to notice.

"Do you think Oliver will let me stay in that rich house?" Charlie asked.

"Maybe..." I answered. "He's too nice to refuse a request from me…"

"Unless it has something to do with stealing something…" Charlie joked.

"Hey, I never asked him to steal anything!" I retorted.

We both then started chuckling, and I got us some gin.

"Let's make a toast…" I suggested.

"Why not." Charlie responded, taking a cup of gin.

"To turning over a new leaf." I said.

"To…" Charlie said. He smiled at me, and smiled. "To being best mates…"

We hit the cups of gin together, and we both took a drink. It was nice to know that I could trust Charlie, and before I knew it, we were both playing poker like we used to do.