November 4, 1899
I'm still sick, but Race hasn't told Jack so that helps.
November 5, 1899
Jack and Morris still haven't switched back. I think I have it figured out, now it's up to them."
November 6, 1899
I'm so bored, I'm this close to counting the boards on the ceiling.
November 7, 1899
I think I might get to go back to work tomorrow, here's to hoping.
November 8, 1899
Race came into my room and touched the back of his hand to my forehead.
"Alright, you ready to come back to work?"
"Yes!" I jumped out of my hammock and followed him outside and down the street to the square. I saw Jack standing in the middle of the square, he ran over and wrapped me in a hug.
"Squirt, I'm so glad you're ok! Why didn't you tell me you got sick!"
"Wow Morris, you're doing a good job of pretending to be Jack today."
"No, it really is me, Jack!"
"Seriously?" I looked back at Race, "Seriously?" Race shrugged, Jack leaned down and whispered in my ear
"You're from the future."
"Good ta have ya back." I turned around to see Morris slowly making his way into the square trying to get used to his crutches.
"Morris, glad your back in your own body."
"Me too, sorta. Nothing hurt in Jack's body, now everything hurts again."
"I know." I sympathetically rubbed his shoulder. The day dragged on as usual, but now I had one less thing to deal with having both Jack and Morris back to normal.
2 weeks later…
November 24, 1899
I excitedly jumped out of bed, it was one of my favorite holidays of the year, Thanksgiving! I loved Thanksgiving, I also loved pie but I had a feeling that newsies didn't get pie. That wasn't going to ruin my mood, it was Thanksgiving and I got to spend it with my newsie family. I was beyond excited, I hurriedly ran to the square to find Blu and Crutchie sitting inside.
"Do you know what day it is!"
"November 24?" Crutchie asked tentatively,
"Yeah, but what happens today?"
"We sell papes, just like every day."
"Oh come on guys! You really don't know what day it is?" they both shook their heads.
"It's Thanksgiving! Only one of the best holidays ever!"
"That's great Squirt."
"So what do you guys do for Thanksgiving?"
"We sell papes, then we go home, then we wake up and do it all over again," Blu said sarcastically.
"You guys really don't do anything to give thanks."
"I'll give thanks if it doesn't rain today," muttered Blu. I walked away dejectedly, how come they didn't do anything. We have like the biggest family ever and we don't do anything to celebrate what we are thankful for? I spent a lot of the day remembering what it was like back home when it was Thanksgiving. We would all spend time together and eat and talk and watch football. I mean it was sorta like we were spending time together, we were selling papes. I loved Thanksgiving because it gave me a chance to show my family how grateful I am for them and now that chance was ruined. I sold papes with Elmer and Mush had to put on a fake face to sell them. We walked back to the square,
"Hey, Squirt you ok?"
"Yeah, just tired from being sick."
"We know what will cheer you up." They looked at me than each other
"Prank!"
"What did you two have in mind?"
"Weasel might need his keys to get home tonight." I looked over at Weasel who was fast asleep just like every night.
"I think I understand what you guys mean." I could already see Mush nimbly climbing up the side of a building to the roof. I snuck over to Weasel and carefully stuck my hand in his pocket and pulled out the keys. I threw them to Elmer who threw them up to Mush. Weisel woke up a couple of minutes later, and Elmer and I watched him search for his keys. He finally walked over to us,
"Alright you two, where are my keys?"
"You lost your keys again, I mean even Elmer is more responsible than that."
"Where's your third triplet?"
"I'm sorry but none of us are related."
"You know what I mean." He growled. He whipped his head around to see Mush jumping to the next roof,
"Get back here!" Elmer and I jumped up and took off running,
"Evasive maneuvers!" Mush whipped the keys down to me as I scrambled up the side of the paper stand. I threw the keys to Elmer who was getting chased by Weasel.
"We're in trouble now!" He yelled,
"You're only in trouble if you get caught!" I yelled back, Elmer whipped the keys back up to Mush who jumped from rooftop to rooftop before throwing the keys back down to me. After a while of throwing, chasing, yelling, and climbing Weisel managed to get his keys back from us. By then most of the Newsies had left and we were alone in the square. We all sat down, as much fun as that had been I was still disappointed about not getting to celebrate.
"Still tired?"
"Ya got me."
"We wouldn't be your brothers if we didn't know when something's up."
"It's just today is Thanksgiving and we have like the biggest family second to Brooklyn and we don't do anything to tell each other how thankful we are."
"Yeah, we have never done anything at least as long as I've been here."
"Do you want to celebrate now?" I wrapped an arm around each of them.
"I am thankful for you two knuckleheads."
"Feelings mutual Squirt." Elmer joked,
"At least I have you guys to celebrate with."
November 25, 1899
We sold more papes today, glad to have Elmer and Mush keeping me in a good mood. I still think about going home a lot. I have been here for a long time.
November 26, 1899
After work, I was walking through the park when I spotted a lake in the middle of the park. Someone was standing at the lake, they looked like a newsie. They had a slingshot in their hand and they were shooting pebbles into the lake. I paused to think Newsies with a slingshot, it was Finch. I just watched him pummel the rocks into the water in the setting sun. It was interesting to watch him just do this thing, I wonder if he did this every day.