Note: this story is sort of interweaved with " homecoming", some elements will refer to incidents in that particular story, but I'll try not to do it in such a way that you'll get lost. It's recommended you read "homecoming" first to get the full effect, but regardless, this is independent of "homecoming", as it is david's story. :)
" walk the streets alone at night,
no life at home
must get out
to watch the pretty ones
you want to talk but they don't understand
you want to live
want to love."
- "rose", Cynthia Alexander
jack Kelly watched as his selling partner david Jacobs and his bunkmate, pagan argued good naturedly about a book entitled "Dracula" on their way to irving hall. David noticed jack had grown quiet, the way he often did when david and pagan did their spiels. Pagan was raving about how much the story moved her, she had said that it was one of the most romantic stories of all time, but david just found it dark and disturbing. Pagan was so weird, but she had brains. He secretly wondered if there was something going on between jack and her ,but he never asked.
Actually, being around pagan was a good thing. She was the only newsie he could really be himself around, without having to worry about being thought of as a show-off. Not that the other guys weren't great and all- yeah, they were all right, but sometimes david restrained himself from commenting or saying things that might make them feel dumb. He would often just brush aside the things they said about him too, and credited it to their own ignorance and immaturity, but sometimes, david got tired of being made fun of.
Dull, dull, dull, he thought, as pagan yakked away about the metaphor of "Dracula". That's what they think of me. Good ol' gullible davy. Hope yah had your fun guys, cause that's all you'll ever really amount to, he thought privately.
Jack, david and pagan passed backstage. The theatre was dark, except for the stage, where some musicians were bringing in their instruments, but soon their eyes adjusted and they spotted medda in the middle of the seats, waiting for the musicians to get ready. Jack waved to her and medda beckoned them over. To get to where medda was sitting, they had to pass the stage.
David noticed one of the musicians- a young woman with hair as black as raven's wing, strap on her guitar. He did a double take, trying to determine if she was a gypsy or Indian. Her eyes were slitted and she had a wide expressive mouth. From beneath her long straight hair, her small ears peaked out. She is beautiful...he thought, and almost stumbled as they made their way towards medda. Strange looking, but beautiful.
"david! Pagan!" medda cried after she'd hugged jack. she hugged both of them at the same time. Pagan tried not to gag on medda's perfume. "how lovely tah see you! Stay awhile! Watch the auditions."
Jack was already settling in and putting his feet up on the chairs. " 'ey, maybe dose two can help yah decide," he cracked, sticking his thumb out at david and pagan. " but I'm warning youse, dose two critics'll make yah head spin."
The musicians were now tuning their instruments. The young gypsy/Indian woman was joined with a fiddle player, also a girl, a boy with tom-toms, and another boy with another guitar.
"okay if we start? " the gypsy lady asked in a melodic voice. Even her voice is pretty, david thought.
Medda waved her hand impatiently. At the gypsy lady's cue, the musicians started playing their tune at once. The hall filled with sound as the gypsy lady began strumming on her guitar vigorously.
David was agog. It was nothing he had ever seen before. The beat was strong, yet cheerful, like a mad wild frenzied celebration. It made him want to dance. The gypsy lady opened her mouth to sing. David was entranced. Her voice was even lovelier like that! David closed his eyes and nodded his head to the beat.
Pagan had grabbed his hand and started to dance with him. She was laughing, as if she had read his thoughts and agreed with him completely.
"wouldja look at dat!" jack said, shaking his head in disbelief. ' for once they agree on something!" he watched as david and pagan danced in a circle as the musicians played.
The gypsy lady with the guitar saw them dancing in the aisle and took this as encouragement. She smiled at the other musicians and continued singing about days long gone, hi-ways, wagon wheels and freedom.
When they started for home, it was after dark already. David and pagan were still talking incessantly, but they weren't arguing. They were raving about what they had just seen inside- the gypsy lady, Cynthia blue cloud was her name and her magnificent guitar.
Medda had hired her and her band when she saw how much david and pagan enjoyed their performance. She had been skeptical before the young lady had started singing, thought they were too off-beat for her theatre. However, their style had been fresh and appealing. Besides, she needed some different acts. Some of her old ones were starting to bore her and the thought of singing " my lovey-dovey baby" three nights a week was enough to make her gag.
"that was incredible!" david gushed as they started for home. " I didn't know you could do such things with a guitar!" he shuffled ahead excitedly." And she looked right at me!" he went on. "didn't you see her smile at me?" he clutched at his heart. " I think I fell for her then!"
"fell, alright!" jack cracked. " fell head foist!"
"wasn't she great? didn't you feel it too, jack?" david cried.
"yeah, I felt it when your IQ went down ten points," jack said smartly. " just now, in fact."
This last remark did nothing to david, who remained in a state of ecstasy until he reached his own home. He was still humming to himself and dancing around, smiling to himself, like he had a huge amazing secret.
Very unusual behavior for david Jacobs, the most rational and level-headed newsie in the whole world.
" walk the streets alone at night,
no life at home
must get out
to watch the pretty ones
you want to talk but they don't understand
you want to live
want to love."
- "rose", Cynthia Alexander
jack Kelly watched as his selling partner david Jacobs and his bunkmate, pagan argued good naturedly about a book entitled "Dracula" on their way to irving hall. David noticed jack had grown quiet, the way he often did when david and pagan did their spiels. Pagan was raving about how much the story moved her, she had said that it was one of the most romantic stories of all time, but david just found it dark and disturbing. Pagan was so weird, but she had brains. He secretly wondered if there was something going on between jack and her ,but he never asked.
Actually, being around pagan was a good thing. She was the only newsie he could really be himself around, without having to worry about being thought of as a show-off. Not that the other guys weren't great and all- yeah, they were all right, but sometimes david restrained himself from commenting or saying things that might make them feel dumb. He would often just brush aside the things they said about him too, and credited it to their own ignorance and immaturity, but sometimes, david got tired of being made fun of.
Dull, dull, dull, he thought, as pagan yakked away about the metaphor of "Dracula". That's what they think of me. Good ol' gullible davy. Hope yah had your fun guys, cause that's all you'll ever really amount to, he thought privately.
Jack, david and pagan passed backstage. The theatre was dark, except for the stage, where some musicians were bringing in their instruments, but soon their eyes adjusted and they spotted medda in the middle of the seats, waiting for the musicians to get ready. Jack waved to her and medda beckoned them over. To get to where medda was sitting, they had to pass the stage.
David noticed one of the musicians- a young woman with hair as black as raven's wing, strap on her guitar. He did a double take, trying to determine if she was a gypsy or Indian. Her eyes were slitted and she had a wide expressive mouth. From beneath her long straight hair, her small ears peaked out. She is beautiful...he thought, and almost stumbled as they made their way towards medda. Strange looking, but beautiful.
"david! Pagan!" medda cried after she'd hugged jack. she hugged both of them at the same time. Pagan tried not to gag on medda's perfume. "how lovely tah see you! Stay awhile! Watch the auditions."
Jack was already settling in and putting his feet up on the chairs. " 'ey, maybe dose two can help yah decide," he cracked, sticking his thumb out at david and pagan. " but I'm warning youse, dose two critics'll make yah head spin."
The musicians were now tuning their instruments. The young gypsy/Indian woman was joined with a fiddle player, also a girl, a boy with tom-toms, and another boy with another guitar.
"okay if we start? " the gypsy lady asked in a melodic voice. Even her voice is pretty, david thought.
Medda waved her hand impatiently. At the gypsy lady's cue, the musicians started playing their tune at once. The hall filled with sound as the gypsy lady began strumming on her guitar vigorously.
David was agog. It was nothing he had ever seen before. The beat was strong, yet cheerful, like a mad wild frenzied celebration. It made him want to dance. The gypsy lady opened her mouth to sing. David was entranced. Her voice was even lovelier like that! David closed his eyes and nodded his head to the beat.
Pagan had grabbed his hand and started to dance with him. She was laughing, as if she had read his thoughts and agreed with him completely.
"wouldja look at dat!" jack said, shaking his head in disbelief. ' for once they agree on something!" he watched as david and pagan danced in a circle as the musicians played.
The gypsy lady with the guitar saw them dancing in the aisle and took this as encouragement. She smiled at the other musicians and continued singing about days long gone, hi-ways, wagon wheels and freedom.
When they started for home, it was after dark already. David and pagan were still talking incessantly, but they weren't arguing. They were raving about what they had just seen inside- the gypsy lady, Cynthia blue cloud was her name and her magnificent guitar.
Medda had hired her and her band when she saw how much david and pagan enjoyed their performance. She had been skeptical before the young lady had started singing, thought they were too off-beat for her theatre. However, their style had been fresh and appealing. Besides, she needed some different acts. Some of her old ones were starting to bore her and the thought of singing " my lovey-dovey baby" three nights a week was enough to make her gag.
"that was incredible!" david gushed as they started for home. " I didn't know you could do such things with a guitar!" he shuffled ahead excitedly." And she looked right at me!" he went on. "didn't you see her smile at me?" he clutched at his heart. " I think I fell for her then!"
"fell, alright!" jack cracked. " fell head foist!"
"wasn't she great? didn't you feel it too, jack?" david cried.
"yeah, I felt it when your IQ went down ten points," jack said smartly. " just now, in fact."
This last remark did nothing to david, who remained in a state of ecstasy until he reached his own home. He was still humming to himself and dancing around, smiling to himself, like he had a huge amazing secret.
Very unusual behavior for david Jacobs, the most rational and level-headed newsie in the whole world.
