So it all started in Bal'more, Swan and I got there not long after we left you in Cincinnati. The first newsie we met after getting off the train was this guy Chair. He took us to the boarding house he stayed at and introduced us as brother and sister. We got a room then Chair showed us around Bal'more and claimed to be our selling partner. I liked him and he liked me, and he asked me to be his girl about a week after we got there. He was a nice guy, Spot actually reminds me of him. They are both very sure of themselves, a bit proud, but both have a good heart, I knew that Chair did at least.
One they about 3 weeks after we arrived Swan decided to try to sell off on his own, leaving Chair and I by ourselves. We had almost sold all our papes when these 2 guys showed up and started to talk to me. It was closer to taunting and I tried to ignore them. But they just spoke louder and louder in an attempt to get my attention. They were saying what a good lay I must be, and how they couldn't wait till I was done selling so that they could find out for themselves.
Chair come over and asks them why they "can't leave this here gal alone." They replied and asked if I was his gal and he said I was. They said "Well we'll just have to fix that." The smaller of the two grabbed me by the arms, a lot like you did tonight, and held me while the bigger one began to fight with Chair. At first it looked like Chair might just come out winning, but the guy pulled out some brass knuckles and began to trash him. My 'guard' held me in a position where I had to watch asking if I could see what was happening to my boyfriend and that they would do that to me if I didn't cooperate with them. The guy beating on Chair finally stopped letting him fall to the ground, he turned to his friend and said, "Well he's dead, now the fun really begins."
Him coming toward me is the last thing I remember. The rest of it is a blank, the next thing I know Craig and I are standing at Grand Central Station in Philadelphia waiting for a train to Pittsburgh. Craig wouldn't tell me what all happened in Bal'more besides that Chair was really dead. He didn't tell me how long ago we had left Bal'more, I assumed it was a couple of days.
We didn't stay in Pittsburgh long, there wasn't much work out side of the steel mills and neither of us wanted to work there. We bummed rides off trains back across Pennsylvania and ended up riding a train till it stopped here last night. I think we had to be on the trains at least 2 maybe 3 weeks, the cops didn't watch the cars very well, but a couple of times we got off to eat and sleep in something besides a rail car.
Cray's look of shock and anger almost scared Kit but she didn't back off. "My God, that explains some of this, and I don't think I'll be letting you out of my sight for a while. But Ames what does this have to do with Spot?"
"I saw Chair die Crale, I don't want that to happen again. I figure if I keep anyone from getting too close than I won't have to see them get hurt."
"Ami do you really think that any of these guys would let themselves get beat up? At least not with out putting in a few licks themselves?"
"It isn't a question of letting themselves get beat up it's a question of if I am bad luck to guys. I mean why was I so quick to leave Lincoln? The Johansen boys had it in for me, not wanting to be Shoetree's girl, since I was already Buddha's girl and had trashed Buddha because of it. Plus they threatened you and Swan. I am not letting this happen again. Just face it Cray I am just bad luck to guys. Now if you will excuse me, I am tired and want to get some sleep. Night Cray."
"Night Short Stuff, I'll come down in a bit."
Kit climbed down the ladder saying night to Jack as he came up. She got in and found her regular bunk under Mills unoccupied. Flopped into it and fell asleep.
Jack reached the roof and came over to where Cray was sitting. He took out a cigarette and lit. Then took a puff and offered it to Cray, who took a long appreciative drag.
"Youse two have a nice talk? And gets all caught up?"
"Something like that" Cray took another puff as he continued, "At least now I know what she has been acting so odd."
"She's not the type to go around standing up to does who'd soak others for less?"
"Actually that is normal, but she isn't normally this heartless. The yelling at people for no reason isn't her."
"What is the reason for the yelling or what ever youse say ain't hur?"
"We left Lincoln because of some run ins with some busters." Cray stopped when he saw Jack's confused look when he mentioned busters, then went on to explain; "Busters are guys that are probably like your friends the Delancey's. One of them, Shoetree, wanted Kit for his girl but she was dating this other guy. So Shoetree and his brother trashed her guy and threatened to do the same to Swan and me. So we left, but it seems problems follow her. A guy that she dated in Bal'more was beaten to death in front of her and the guys who killed him did who knows what to her.
Swan and her had to leave Bal'more very quickly, but she blanked out right after the guy died and didn't come to till she and Swan got off the train in Philadelphia." Cray then started to look ticked, "Now I need to find out why Swan didn't tell me before, and why I had to hear it now from her."
"Ise sure Swan wood have told youse if he had thought of it. He probably meant to tell you tomorrow or something, so don't go beating him up. Come on Ise set you up with a blanket a pillow, maybe even a bed if youse lucky."
Jack offered Cray a hand up. They headed down the fire escape and into the bunkroom to get some much-needed sleep.