"refresh me mem'ry,"spot said, once they got inside. "but what yah heah faw, anyway?"

"a singer named cynthia bluecloud," david said. "we saw her audition the other day. she was great!"

"no kiddin'," spot said, making his way deeper backstage. david just followed his lead."ise heah tah see her me'self."

david was startled to her this. "you?" he asked, before he could think better of it. he meant nothing by it, really; he was just surprized, that's all.

spot's eyes flashed. "she's an ol' friend," he said. to himself, he added, "a very old friend."he turned back to david. "anyway, ise nevah miss none'a her shows."

"maybe you can introduce me later?' david asked hopefully.

spot regarded her suspiciously."maybe..."



david was in heaven. cynthia blue cloud played his song first. his ears perked up as he recognized the chords. he felt like he needed to be peeled off the ceiling after.

after the first set, cythia made her way to the back. david held his breath.

"wouldja quit leanin' on me?" spot barked at him. david had not been aware, but he had been straining forward, as if gravitating towards his approaching new idol.

cynthia, in the dim light backstage, was even more beautiful than the first time david had seen her. although, he noted, she was older than he had originally thought. younger than medda, but way older for david. she had a glow about her, like a fierce calm surrounding her.

spot went up to meet her."hello dere, miss cynthia," he said.

cynthia strained to see in the dark."spot conlon!" she cried jubilantly. "you made it!"

"wouldn'tah missed it faw da woild!" spot said.

david noticed that spot was actually being respectful, which, to david's knowledge, never happened. he looked on as spot and cynthia fell into talking."so, " spot said. "when'ja get back in da city?"

" a coupla days ago," cynthia said. " oh, man, spot, santa fe is amazing! you should see it sometime."

david cleared his throat.

"oh, yeah," spot said, remembering. " miss cythia, dis heah's me pal, davy.davy snuck out tahnight tah watch yah play!" he clapped david on the back and pushed him forward.

"i'm david," david said, holding out his hand." nice to meet you!"

"davy heah's a big fan'a yaws," spot went on as david turned crimson." he's also da leadah of da great newsies strike! well, one'a da leadahs anyhow.da udda's me and my udda friend, jack kelly."

cynthia held out her own hand, peering into david's face. "well, hey!" she said. "then i'm a big fan of yours, david."

oh my god! david thought. we made eye contact.okay, calm down, calm down.oh my god! we're shaking hands!

"you're fantastic!" he gushed, still shaking her hand vigorously.spot groaned behind him. cynthia just laughed modestly.

"it's a living," she said."you boys staying for the whole show?"

"you bet," david said.he couldn't get over how nice and down-to-earth cynthia was being.

she walked over to spot and draped an arm around him." now you," she said, beaming. she smiled at david, so as not to exclude him. " he never misses seeing me play.right from the start of my career in fact." to spot, she said, "thanks for all the help and support, little spot!"

little? cynthia was something else! imagine calling spot conlon, the leader of the brooklyn newsies, the personification of brooklyn itself, little! david glanced at cynthia, who wasn't being sarcastic, but sincere.

spot smiled, but seeing david stifling his laughter, sent him a look which clearly stated: "mention anyt'in about dis tah anyone, and i'll soak yah!"