"So where exactly are we going?" I asked Jack for the tenth time.
He sighed, obviously tired of me asking him the same thing. "I'se already
told ya, I'm taking ya to a friend of mine, their lodging house is a lot bigger than
mine, so ya won't have to be worrying about where to sleep each night."
We had left after lunch but it seemed a lot longer, "ok, well are we almost there yet, it seems like we've been walking all day," I complained.
He pointed, "see that bridge way over there, on the other side of it is Brooklyn,
that's where my friend lives. Now will ya shuddup?"
I laughed at him, "sorry Jack; I just wanted to know where you were taking me."
"It's ok. Now let me give ya some advice before we's get dere. Things work
differently in Brooklyn. Spot and his boys are a lot rougher than we are in
Manhattan, so don't let dem intimidate ya," he warned.
I was touched. "Why Jack, are you actually concerned for me?"
He turned away so I couldn't see his face. "I just wanted ta warn ya bout
Brooklyn. Maybe dis ain't such a good idea taking ya over dere."
"What, you don't think I can take of myself? Jack, I'm not some sissy who
don't know how to defend themselves," I said irritably.
"Ok, just wanted to make sure you still wanted to go through wid it," he stated.
We finally made it across the bridge and headed towards some docks. Jack told
me to stay there, and he went and talked to some guy.
"No Kelly. I ain't gonna let no goil stay here," Spot said firmly.
"Come on Spot. Youse know I wouldn't ask ya if it wasn't important," Jack
pleaded with him.
He didn't say anything for a few minutes. "All right," he finally agreed. "She can
stay, but only cause youse is asking me. Remember youse owe me," he pointed
at Jack.
Jack only nodded and followed Spot to where the girl was standing.
"So, what's your name goil," he stared straight through me.
I looked at the boy standing in front of me. I never would have guessed he was
a leader. "It's Sara;" I answered staring right back.
"Well now Sara. How are you gonna earn a living over here?" He said with a
smirk. "I'se certainly ain't gonna pay your way."
I frowned. I hadn't really thought about that part yet. "I'll get a job," I replied.
He looked at Jack and laughed. "Doing what?" "What can goils do?"
I thought for a moment, he was right there wasn't many jobs for girls. I knew I didn't
wan't to work in a factory, that was completely out of the question. "I'll sell newspapers," I answered.
Jack and Spot looked at each other for a minute and then started to laugh. "Th..that has to be the funniest ting I've ever heard," Jack replied, tears coming to his eyes from laughing so hard.
They finally stopped and Spot walked up to me and put his arm around me. "Doll, why
don't youse go inside and bake us some cookies, then youse can wash me clothes for
me," they shared another laugh. "I'll pay ya if youse do a good job, and don't burn da
cookies."
"Let's get one thing straight Mr. Conlon. I ain't no hoity toity girl, so don't you dare
think I'm gonna stay inside all day, cooking and cleaning for you." They both stood
there shocked. "I only do those things for myself, and my friends," I replied smartly
walking off leaving them there with there mouths hanging open.
He sighed, obviously tired of me asking him the same thing. "I'se already
told ya, I'm taking ya to a friend of mine, their lodging house is a lot bigger than
mine, so ya won't have to be worrying about where to sleep each night."
We had left after lunch but it seemed a lot longer, "ok, well are we almost there yet, it seems like we've been walking all day," I complained.
He pointed, "see that bridge way over there, on the other side of it is Brooklyn,
that's where my friend lives. Now will ya shuddup?"
I laughed at him, "sorry Jack; I just wanted to know where you were taking me."
"It's ok. Now let me give ya some advice before we's get dere. Things work
differently in Brooklyn. Spot and his boys are a lot rougher than we are in
Manhattan, so don't let dem intimidate ya," he warned.
I was touched. "Why Jack, are you actually concerned for me?"
He turned away so I couldn't see his face. "I just wanted ta warn ya bout
Brooklyn. Maybe dis ain't such a good idea taking ya over dere."
"What, you don't think I can take of myself? Jack, I'm not some sissy who
don't know how to defend themselves," I said irritably.
"Ok, just wanted to make sure you still wanted to go through wid it," he stated.
We finally made it across the bridge and headed towards some docks. Jack told
me to stay there, and he went and talked to some guy.
"No Kelly. I ain't gonna let no goil stay here," Spot said firmly.
"Come on Spot. Youse know I wouldn't ask ya if it wasn't important," Jack
pleaded with him.
He didn't say anything for a few minutes. "All right," he finally agreed. "She can
stay, but only cause youse is asking me. Remember youse owe me," he pointed
at Jack.
Jack only nodded and followed Spot to where the girl was standing.
"So, what's your name goil," he stared straight through me.
I looked at the boy standing in front of me. I never would have guessed he was
a leader. "It's Sara;" I answered staring right back.
"Well now Sara. How are you gonna earn a living over here?" He said with a
smirk. "I'se certainly ain't gonna pay your way."
I frowned. I hadn't really thought about that part yet. "I'll get a job," I replied.
He looked at Jack and laughed. "Doing what?" "What can goils do?"
I thought for a moment, he was right there wasn't many jobs for girls. I knew I didn't
wan't to work in a factory, that was completely out of the question. "I'll sell newspapers," I answered.
Jack and Spot looked at each other for a minute and then started to laugh. "Th..that has to be the funniest ting I've ever heard," Jack replied, tears coming to his eyes from laughing so hard.
They finally stopped and Spot walked up to me and put his arm around me. "Doll, why
don't youse go inside and bake us some cookies, then youse can wash me clothes for
me," they shared another laugh. "I'll pay ya if youse do a good job, and don't burn da
cookies."
"Let's get one thing straight Mr. Conlon. I ain't no hoity toity girl, so don't you dare
think I'm gonna stay inside all day, cooking and cleaning for you." They both stood
there shocked. "I only do those things for myself, and my friends," I replied smartly
walking off leaving them there with there mouths hanging open.
