In the week following the meeting in Brooklyn, Life for the Manhattan newsies was uneventful. Business was as usual the guys were bored with nothing to do. Aside from going to Medda's and hanging out in Central Park there was little to do. Fights between the newsies were becoming common place as the aggressions and frustrations of life begged to be let out but the idle minds that trapped them.
The final straw happened when Cray and Swan got into a wrestling match over a cigarette. Skittery and Boots were tired of not working and demanded that a meeting be called for the Manhattan newsies, Jack agreed and Central park was the designated meeting place.
"What is with calling a meeting Jacky?"
"Ise don't know Crutchy, but Ise sure Boots or Skitts will tell us." Jack leaned against a statue as he tried to relax and smoke is cigarette.
They didn't wait long. Skittery waited till everyone was assembled before stating why the meeting was been held. "Wes know this here strike been going of for more then a month and some of us got a make some money to live. If this keeps up wes gonna owe Pulitzer more money then wes ever be able to pay back."
"He's right Ise barely got enough to stay at any indoor lodgings for the week Ise gonna have to start selling soon or Ise gonna be in the street." Boots followed up Skittery and others joined in
.
Jack called for order but it was slow in coming. Arguments over whether this was the best course of action broke out. The group that wanted to cross the lines and work was small but quite vocal. The size of their coalition was growing with each passing day. The strike had cut deeply into the pockets of the boys, Kloppman had been lenient and had let all the guys stay for a very reduced rate and some had even been staying free.
The larger group wanted to keep on their side of the picket lines. Most felt that their personal safety was of greater importance than making money, which was saying a lot considering that this was a group of kids that barely made ends meet. The groups argued with each other for almost an hour, and while no punches were exchanged words flew back and forth. Finally a sort of order was restored.
"Okay Ise got a plan for all youse. If this strike don't end by next week those of youse who wants to sell can sell for the competition. Don't get all excited, if youse want to sell youse gonna have to watch you own backs. I ain't gonna keep youse from not selling, but Ise not gonna let some one else take you licks." Jack was proud he had reached a compromise that would hopefully work.
"Fine with us. Wes got youse word? Wes can sell at the end of the week, Strike or no strike?" Skittery spoke for all the dissenting newsies.
"Yes that's my word." Jack spit into his hand, as did Skittery, and they shook on it.
Cray and Mills had gone to the meeting and as it broke up went to find Swan. They found him by the same statue where Jack had been earlier. "Hey Swan you okay? You look horrible." Cray stated in a worried tone.
"Thanks Cray, I know I don't look great, but I don't need you to tell me." Swan looked up before staring out into space.
"You sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine." Swan's tone was testy, "Would you just drop it."
"I am sorry I guess caring about my friend is wrong." Cray was offended and it showed on his face and in his voice.
Swan had the decency to look a little ashamed, "I am sorry I just was think about Kit. Don't you guys have jobs you have to be at?"
"Cray he's right. Wes got ta get going to Medda's fore she decides to fire us both." Mills grabbed Cray's arm. Cray looked down at her but realized she was right. They both gave their good-byes and ran for Medda's.
"It's so nice of you to join us tonight, Crale, Kaitlyn." Medda meet them at the back door, her arms crossed and a stern look in her eye.
"Ise so sorry Medda, me and Cray was out on a walk and wes got distracted."
Medda raised her eyebrow, "I see well as long as those distractions don't occur while you're here…"
Cray was quick to answer, "No ma'am those distractions would not happen here." He slipped past Medda and hurried to get dressed into his suit.
Medda turned to Mills "So Kaitlyn what's going on with you and Crale? What kind of distractions happened on the way here?" She sounded like a schoolgirl asking her friend for the juicy details of a date.
"Our distractions was a newsies rally, That's all Medda."
Medda's eyes twinkled as she nodded in agreement, "I have a question, I was wondering if you would like to work different hours?"
"What do youse mean different hours?"
"I was thinking that you might want a different job. Maybe you would want to dance, sing, or be a waitress."
Mills paused, a waitress or even on stage? She could just picture it, that is until her cousin's face came crashing in. "Medda Ise can't Bryon would throw a fit if he even thought for a second Ise was involved in something like that."
"It isn't like he cannot keep an eye on you."
"Sure he could still keep watch over me but he don't want any one else keeping an eye on me either."
"I'll talk to Bryon, I am sure he won't mind. Now I have some costumes that need some mending, I'll go assure Bryon that you're fine. Be prepared he might just come back here. After he gets done with Crale." Medda paused, "Bryon is going to give you both the third degree, are you sure you're ready to face him?"
"Of course, Ise can handle my over protective cousin. Ise better get to this stuff though." Mills sat down and began working on the costume. Medda watched her work before leaving her alone.
Mills worked in peace, only interrupted once in a while by the working girls in search of costumes. For the most part she was ignored, not viewed as worth of the girls time. She had been working for two hours when the door opened admitting a tall read haired guy.
"Well Katie girl, what have you gotten yourself into here?" The voice with an Irish accent cut through the silence.
"Byron O'Riely is that any way to greet youse cousin? Ise haven't gotten me self into any thing."
"Sure you haven't. All I knows is this here bouncer has got his eyes on you."
"Bry Ise can handle it me self. Ise don't need no half wit cousin busting up my friendship with a guy cuz youse don't like the looks he gives me." Mills stood up looking her cousin in the eye. "Youse lay one finger on Cray and Ise swear that finger ain't gonna be on you hand. Now get outta here youse got work and Ise got work."
Bryon left meekly, properly chastised. Mills sat down on the nearest footstool and put propped her chin up with her hand thinking. She tried to figure out her cousin, why would he be so worried about Cray? Sure she and Cray flirted with each other, but they were just friends. Mills wasn't opposed to the idea of dating Cray, but from experience she knew dating a guy from the same lodging house was stupid. She was lucky Jake still gave her the time of day, much less talked to her. No she was not going to be dating any guy from the lodging house, even Cray.
She let her mind wander as she finished her work, not noticing the world around her as she day dreamed. She finished quickly and curled up on one of the fainting couches in the dressing room and fell asleep. Only moments later, it seemed, she was woken by Cray.
"Come on Katie, we both need to get going."
She got up slowly rubbing her eyes, and stretching to get rid of the stiffness in her neck. Medda was by the door to see them out. And she had a question for Mills. "Katie girl, You have to be tired of living with all them boys by yourself. I was wondering if you would like to move in here. I would charge you the same as my other girls, 50 cents a week. But that includes a meal a night and clothing."
"Ise gonna have ta think bout it. Ise give youse my answer tomorrow." Mills wanted to say yes then and there but knew she would have to at least act like she wanted her friends' opinions. Medda nodded and waved the two off on their way.
Nothing was said between Cray and Mills as they walked, bother were tired and more focused on putting one foot in front of the other than on the person they were walking with. After getting to the bunkroom they both collapsed into their respective beds asleep in less than a minute.
The final straw happened when Cray and Swan got into a wrestling match over a cigarette. Skittery and Boots were tired of not working and demanded that a meeting be called for the Manhattan newsies, Jack agreed and Central park was the designated meeting place.
"What is with calling a meeting Jacky?"
"Ise don't know Crutchy, but Ise sure Boots or Skitts will tell us." Jack leaned against a statue as he tried to relax and smoke is cigarette.
They didn't wait long. Skittery waited till everyone was assembled before stating why the meeting was been held. "Wes know this here strike been going of for more then a month and some of us got a make some money to live. If this keeps up wes gonna owe Pulitzer more money then wes ever be able to pay back."
"He's right Ise barely got enough to stay at any indoor lodgings for the week Ise gonna have to start selling soon or Ise gonna be in the street." Boots followed up Skittery and others joined in
.
Jack called for order but it was slow in coming. Arguments over whether this was the best course of action broke out. The group that wanted to cross the lines and work was small but quite vocal. The size of their coalition was growing with each passing day. The strike had cut deeply into the pockets of the boys, Kloppman had been lenient and had let all the guys stay for a very reduced rate and some had even been staying free.
The larger group wanted to keep on their side of the picket lines. Most felt that their personal safety was of greater importance than making money, which was saying a lot considering that this was a group of kids that barely made ends meet. The groups argued with each other for almost an hour, and while no punches were exchanged words flew back and forth. Finally a sort of order was restored.
"Okay Ise got a plan for all youse. If this strike don't end by next week those of youse who wants to sell can sell for the competition. Don't get all excited, if youse want to sell youse gonna have to watch you own backs. I ain't gonna keep youse from not selling, but Ise not gonna let some one else take you licks." Jack was proud he had reached a compromise that would hopefully work.
"Fine with us. Wes got youse word? Wes can sell at the end of the week, Strike or no strike?" Skittery spoke for all the dissenting newsies.
"Yes that's my word." Jack spit into his hand, as did Skittery, and they shook on it.
Cray and Mills had gone to the meeting and as it broke up went to find Swan. They found him by the same statue where Jack had been earlier. "Hey Swan you okay? You look horrible." Cray stated in a worried tone.
"Thanks Cray, I know I don't look great, but I don't need you to tell me." Swan looked up before staring out into space.
"You sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine." Swan's tone was testy, "Would you just drop it."
"I am sorry I guess caring about my friend is wrong." Cray was offended and it showed on his face and in his voice.
Swan had the decency to look a little ashamed, "I am sorry I just was think about Kit. Don't you guys have jobs you have to be at?"
"Cray he's right. Wes got ta get going to Medda's fore she decides to fire us both." Mills grabbed Cray's arm. Cray looked down at her but realized she was right. They both gave their good-byes and ran for Medda's.
"It's so nice of you to join us tonight, Crale, Kaitlyn." Medda meet them at the back door, her arms crossed and a stern look in her eye.
"Ise so sorry Medda, me and Cray was out on a walk and wes got distracted."
Medda raised her eyebrow, "I see well as long as those distractions don't occur while you're here…"
Cray was quick to answer, "No ma'am those distractions would not happen here." He slipped past Medda and hurried to get dressed into his suit.
Medda turned to Mills "So Kaitlyn what's going on with you and Crale? What kind of distractions happened on the way here?" She sounded like a schoolgirl asking her friend for the juicy details of a date.
"Our distractions was a newsies rally, That's all Medda."
Medda's eyes twinkled as she nodded in agreement, "I have a question, I was wondering if you would like to work different hours?"
"What do youse mean different hours?"
"I was thinking that you might want a different job. Maybe you would want to dance, sing, or be a waitress."
Mills paused, a waitress or even on stage? She could just picture it, that is until her cousin's face came crashing in. "Medda Ise can't Bryon would throw a fit if he even thought for a second Ise was involved in something like that."
"It isn't like he cannot keep an eye on you."
"Sure he could still keep watch over me but he don't want any one else keeping an eye on me either."
"I'll talk to Bryon, I am sure he won't mind. Now I have some costumes that need some mending, I'll go assure Bryon that you're fine. Be prepared he might just come back here. After he gets done with Crale." Medda paused, "Bryon is going to give you both the third degree, are you sure you're ready to face him?"
"Of course, Ise can handle my over protective cousin. Ise better get to this stuff though." Mills sat down and began working on the costume. Medda watched her work before leaving her alone.
Mills worked in peace, only interrupted once in a while by the working girls in search of costumes. For the most part she was ignored, not viewed as worth of the girls time. She had been working for two hours when the door opened admitting a tall read haired guy.
"Well Katie girl, what have you gotten yourself into here?" The voice with an Irish accent cut through the silence.
"Byron O'Riely is that any way to greet youse cousin? Ise haven't gotten me self into any thing."
"Sure you haven't. All I knows is this here bouncer has got his eyes on you."
"Bry Ise can handle it me self. Ise don't need no half wit cousin busting up my friendship with a guy cuz youse don't like the looks he gives me." Mills stood up looking her cousin in the eye. "Youse lay one finger on Cray and Ise swear that finger ain't gonna be on you hand. Now get outta here youse got work and Ise got work."
Bryon left meekly, properly chastised. Mills sat down on the nearest footstool and put propped her chin up with her hand thinking. She tried to figure out her cousin, why would he be so worried about Cray? Sure she and Cray flirted with each other, but they were just friends. Mills wasn't opposed to the idea of dating Cray, but from experience she knew dating a guy from the same lodging house was stupid. She was lucky Jake still gave her the time of day, much less talked to her. No she was not going to be dating any guy from the lodging house, even Cray.
She let her mind wander as she finished her work, not noticing the world around her as she day dreamed. She finished quickly and curled up on one of the fainting couches in the dressing room and fell asleep. Only moments later, it seemed, she was woken by Cray.
"Come on Katie, we both need to get going."
She got up slowly rubbing her eyes, and stretching to get rid of the stiffness in her neck. Medda was by the door to see them out. And she had a question for Mills. "Katie girl, You have to be tired of living with all them boys by yourself. I was wondering if you would like to move in here. I would charge you the same as my other girls, 50 cents a week. But that includes a meal a night and clothing."
"Ise gonna have ta think bout it. Ise give youse my answer tomorrow." Mills wanted to say yes then and there but knew she would have to at least act like she wanted her friends' opinions. Medda nodded and waved the two off on their way.
Nothing was said between Cray and Mills as they walked, bother were tired and more focused on putting one foot in front of the other than on the person they were walking with. After getting to the bunkroom they both collapsed into their respective beds asleep in less than a minute.