Ch.13 Double's Secret
Early the next morning, and I mean very early, I leaned over the side of the bunk so as to talk to Double. It was about time that we had a serious heart to heart. I wanted to know what he'd been up to and why he hadn't bothered to tell me about it. The bed below was completely empty. I'd been waiting patiently for him to talk to me; to let me in on his little secret and he'd gotten away again. The other boys were still asleep so I took the time to clean myself up. With cold water I scrubbed off all the dirt, filth, and grime that had been collecting on my skin. I was careful not to disturb the bandages around my middle. I washed my hair even thought the water felt like ice. There were no towels anywhere, I know because I searched the whole bathroom for one. My hair was still wet and the temperature was cooler than usual so I "borrowed" a hat from somebody. The hat would keep me warm. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs; they belonged to Kloppman. He whispered to me, " You'd best be going outside now, because I have to wake up the boys." Thanking him,I walked down the flight of stairs and outside. Thirty minutes later they came rushing out of the building just like the first time I saw them. I walked with Mush to a place a couple of streets over. Nuns from a local church gave kids like us free breakfast. It was only coffee and bread but for some it would be the only food they would eat all day. I split my bread roll with a small newsie. He looked about eight years old and didn't talk much. We were sitting together on the steps in front of an apartment building when I spied my brother. Double was drinking coffee and talking to another newsie whose name I didn't know. He saw me, I know he did, but he was still avoiding me. Seeing Double had made me lose my appetite so I gave the rest my breakfast to the kid. He probably needed the food more than I did. My legendary temper kicked in while I marched over to my brother. He wasn't going to escape from me now. I came up from behind and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and I put my hand on his arm. I said quietly, " You have some explaining to do." I kept my voice low so that no one else could here us talking, but Double yelled out, " I have nothing to explain." Then he knocked my hand off his arm. That was the last straw. I gathered up all my strength and pushed him to the ground. Despite my injuries I was fully prepared to soak him. Then I screamed at him, " You can't be like that to me! I'm your sister in case you forgot. You didn't even come visit me in the hospital and practically everyone else did." The last line wasn't exactly true but I was angry. Jack and Kid Blink had to pull me away from him. Kid Blink had my arms behind my back and told me to calm down. Double picked himself off of the ground and said something to Jack. Blink let me go at Jack's request. My brother took me by the wrist in a tight hold and dragged me back to the lodge.
Mr. Kloppman wasn't at his usual post and I got dragged up the stairs. He stopped in the main room and flung me onto a bed. " Why are you being so mean?" I yelled at him. I turned around on the bed so I wouldn't have to look at him. He sat beside me and I scooted over so that I would not be near him. " Look I'm sorry okay." He said it in a voice that didn't sound sorry at all. I kept my mouth firmly shut; I was not going to talk to him. " If you talk to me I'll tell you where I've been. Please! " " Alright, then tell me" I said coldly. Double seemed nervous and drew a shaky sigh before saying, " I've been trying to find Jim Powers. Remember? That's one of the reasons we came here in the first place." My mouth fell open because I had forgotten all about Mr. Powers. " Why?" I asked. He stood up and walked around the room for a minute before answering me. " I saw you all hurt and everything and.... and I had to do something. You can't live on the streets like that its too hard. I thought that if I found Powers you could live with him or something. He might help us out at the least." My anger diminished because he had done all of this with the best of intentions. I was not going to stop being a newsie, however. I would prove to him that I could make it out here, that is wasn't too hard. I asked him why he didn't tell me about trying to find Jim. He explained that he'd had to travel to bad neighborhoods and didn't want me coming with him. He was right about that, because I would have followed him. He sat beside me again and said," Will you forgive me? I didn't mean to rude. " I shook my head yes, and he continued," Promise that you won't follow me when I go to find Powers today." I wasn't going to promise but he wouldn't let me leave until I did. I realized that I was late for the strike meeting and jumped up to leave. I said goodbye to Double and ran off to Newspaper Alley. Today I wouldn't have time to follow him, but tomorrow I might.
Early the next morning, and I mean very early, I leaned over the side of the bunk so as to talk to Double. It was about time that we had a serious heart to heart. I wanted to know what he'd been up to and why he hadn't bothered to tell me about it. The bed below was completely empty. I'd been waiting patiently for him to talk to me; to let me in on his little secret and he'd gotten away again. The other boys were still asleep so I took the time to clean myself up. With cold water I scrubbed off all the dirt, filth, and grime that had been collecting on my skin. I was careful not to disturb the bandages around my middle. I washed my hair even thought the water felt like ice. There were no towels anywhere, I know because I searched the whole bathroom for one. My hair was still wet and the temperature was cooler than usual so I "borrowed" a hat from somebody. The hat would keep me warm. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs; they belonged to Kloppman. He whispered to me, " You'd best be going outside now, because I have to wake up the boys." Thanking him,I walked down the flight of stairs and outside. Thirty minutes later they came rushing out of the building just like the first time I saw them. I walked with Mush to a place a couple of streets over. Nuns from a local church gave kids like us free breakfast. It was only coffee and bread but for some it would be the only food they would eat all day. I split my bread roll with a small newsie. He looked about eight years old and didn't talk much. We were sitting together on the steps in front of an apartment building when I spied my brother. Double was drinking coffee and talking to another newsie whose name I didn't know. He saw me, I know he did, but he was still avoiding me. Seeing Double had made me lose my appetite so I gave the rest my breakfast to the kid. He probably needed the food more than I did. My legendary temper kicked in while I marched over to my brother. He wasn't going to escape from me now. I came up from behind and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and I put my hand on his arm. I said quietly, " You have some explaining to do." I kept my voice low so that no one else could here us talking, but Double yelled out, " I have nothing to explain." Then he knocked my hand off his arm. That was the last straw. I gathered up all my strength and pushed him to the ground. Despite my injuries I was fully prepared to soak him. Then I screamed at him, " You can't be like that to me! I'm your sister in case you forgot. You didn't even come visit me in the hospital and practically everyone else did." The last line wasn't exactly true but I was angry. Jack and Kid Blink had to pull me away from him. Kid Blink had my arms behind my back and told me to calm down. Double picked himself off of the ground and said something to Jack. Blink let me go at Jack's request. My brother took me by the wrist in a tight hold and dragged me back to the lodge.
Mr. Kloppman wasn't at his usual post and I got dragged up the stairs. He stopped in the main room and flung me onto a bed. " Why are you being so mean?" I yelled at him. I turned around on the bed so I wouldn't have to look at him. He sat beside me and I scooted over so that I would not be near him. " Look I'm sorry okay." He said it in a voice that didn't sound sorry at all. I kept my mouth firmly shut; I was not going to talk to him. " If you talk to me I'll tell you where I've been. Please! " " Alright, then tell me" I said coldly. Double seemed nervous and drew a shaky sigh before saying, " I've been trying to find Jim Powers. Remember? That's one of the reasons we came here in the first place." My mouth fell open because I had forgotten all about Mr. Powers. " Why?" I asked. He stood up and walked around the room for a minute before answering me. " I saw you all hurt and everything and.... and I had to do something. You can't live on the streets like that its too hard. I thought that if I found Powers you could live with him or something. He might help us out at the least." My anger diminished because he had done all of this with the best of intentions. I was not going to stop being a newsie, however. I would prove to him that I could make it out here, that is wasn't too hard. I asked him why he didn't tell me about trying to find Jim. He explained that he'd had to travel to bad neighborhoods and didn't want me coming with him. He was right about that, because I would have followed him. He sat beside me again and said," Will you forgive me? I didn't mean to rude. " I shook my head yes, and he continued," Promise that you won't follow me when I go to find Powers today." I wasn't going to promise but he wouldn't let me leave until I did. I realized that I was late for the strike meeting and jumped up to leave. I said goodbye to Double and ran off to Newspaper Alley. Today I wouldn't have time to follow him, but tomorrow I might.