A Twist Of Fate
Jack lay on his bunk staring at the ceiling while David, Mush
and Racetrack plotted their counter attack for the girls newsie
army. Les was at home. Kloppman was good enough to let David
stay the night. As much as he wanted to get in on planning tomorrows
events, Jack could not get his mind off of one thing, Lizzie.
Whatever they planned would affect her too, and Jack suddenly wasnt
sure he wanted in on whatever the guys were planning. Jack got
off his bunk and put his shoes on. He went to the guys.
"I'm gonna go see Medda." He said. "See how shes doing." He said.
"Okay." David said.
"Have you got any ideas yet?" He asked.
"No, but we're thinking of asking Spot Conlan." David replied.
"He'd know what to do." Mush agreed.
"Let me know what happens." Jack said.
"You got money for the show?" David asked.
"I'll be fine." Jack said. "Don't forget, I have a friend in the biz."
Lizzies place
Lizzies new friends Jeannie and Rosie were on their way out.
"We did good today." Jeannie said.
"Yeah, everyone misses the newsies." Rosie agreed. "I hope this strike goes on forever. I can really use the money."
"Yeah." Agreed Lizzie. She sighed. Her mind was on something else. She needed the money, and she really wanted the job. But for a slight second she thought was stealing it from Jack and the other real newsies. The thought only stayed a second. Surely her needs were more important than a bunch of ragtag boys.
She wished her friends good night, and watched them leave down the hallway. She closed the door. She had been extremely lucky to get the apartment she lived in, but the money she used to get it was slowly running out. The money she got from sales and Pulitzer would only help so long. Many thoughts circulated in her mind. Her mind quickly returned to Jack, despite her best efforts to read or do other projects. She picked up a needlework she had started last week and started to work on it. As much as she tried she couldnt get Jack out of her mind. His face was burned into her memory. She could see him so clearly. What she rememberd most was the look on her face when he learned what her new job was. It was a mix of anger and slight disapointment. She almost felt sad to think of the fact that she might have let him down a little.
Lizzie threw down her sewing. She had had it. She didnt want to think of Jack anymore. It wasnt her fault that he was on strike. And it wasnt her fault that she basically took his job. She had nothing to do with any of this. She was just doing her job. She wasnt really involved in it, was she?
"I've got to stop feeling sorry for myself, and for Jack!" She said out loud. "I have to get out of here, or I will never have any peace of mind. She got her light coat and put it on. She looked at the pile of money on her small table. Today she had taken in a total of five dollars. She split it three ways with Jeannie and Rosie. She picked up a little of what she had left. She heard there was a sort of theater down the street. A singer sang there daily. That would be a nice place to go to. To have some fun, and to get that pesky guy off of her mind.
She shoved the money she picked up into her pocket and went to the door. Remembering to lock the door, she fluffed her hair up slightly in the hallway window. She smiled. Tonight she was going to have fun. Who knows, maybe she will meet a guy that will make her completely forget about a guy named Jack Kelly.
Jack crept by the refuge before he went to Meddas theater. A couple of days ago at the very start of the strike, his good friend Crutchy had been captured and put in the refuge. He was also roughed up a little by some associates of Weasels. Crutchy was called so because he carried one, otherwise it would be very hard for him to get around. Jack went around back by the kitchen where Crutchy had been exiled. He personally delivered Snyders meals, breakfast lunch and dinner, to him daily.
Since Snyder controlled the refuge and the orphanage, Jack figured Crutchy as his best link to find out as much as he could about Lizzie. He crouched by the back door of the kitchen, at the same time keeping an eye out for any cops or other people who could see him at any moment.
"Crutchy!" Jack hissed. Crutchy looked his way slightly. He had a slight grin on his face.
"Alex, let me take this here trash out." He said to another kid he was working with.
"All right." Alex said. "Can you handle it?"
"I can handle anything, see?" He gestured to his crutch.
"Go ahead." Alex said shrugging. He heard someone call for him. Alex went into the other room while Crutchy grabbed the bag with his free hand and slowly hobbled to the door.
"Hey Jack, good to see ya." Crutchy greeted him.
"Hey Crutchy." Jack said. "Let me get that, its da least I can do."
"Thanks." Crutchy said. "Halfway out the door I wished I had a better idea."
"Thats okay." Jack said. "I need a favor from you Crutchy."
"What?"
"Do you still deliver dinner to Snyder?"
"Every night, and man does he eat!" Crutchy sighed. "I swear, he has enough food in one night to last us a week."
"I know." Jack said. "I guess thats what enough money gets ya. We'll have that someday."
"Sure we will Jack." Crutchy said smiling. He was always so optimistic, even in times like these.
"Has he eaten yet?" Jack asked.
"Not yet. He just came back. He will want his food soon." Crutchy said. "He wants it on his desk before he gets there, so I betta get back in there."
"I need you to find out some info for me." Jack said. "Can you help me?"
"Sure." Crutchy said. "I'll see what I can do. Snyder has a book of info on his desk."
"Info?" Jack said. "Thats what I need. Can you see if you can look into it? For a name?"
"I got a name Jack..."
"No, not for you. For a name of some people I want to find. Can you find anyone called McCarthy?" Jack said. "Two boys and two girls."
"I'll see what I can do Jack." Crutchy said. "Snyder never leaves his office, not even to use the bathroom."
"See what you can do, ok?" Jack said.
"Sure." Crutchy said.
"I'll be back tomorrow night." Jack said. "Same time."
"Great. Let me see if I can get you something for you and the guys."
"That would be great, thanks." Jack said sneaking away.
Jack snuck in the back and found a seat next to the stage. Medda saw him as she was about to start singing. She waved at him with her fan. She then started into a smoky rendition of "Helly Dolly". As Jack was listening, he looked over the crowd. Most people had to pay a small amount to come in for good seats, but he had the best seat in the house for free. A face in the crowd stuck out to him. He only saw the back of her head though. She was blonde and wearing a very pretty dress. She had a small jacket on. She turned. Jack knew who it was now.
"Lizzie." Jack said. She looked up and saw him. Her eyes went wide. Jack slightly frowned in her direction. Lizzie rose in her seat and moved out of her row. She went up towards the exit. Jack got off his perch and found his way out the back. He found her at the front of the theater very quickly.
"Lizzie." Jack said flagging her down at the corner.
"Jack." Lizzie said. "I didn't see you."
"Yeah, right." Jack said. "Another lie?"
"When did I ever lie to you?" Lizzie fired back.
"When we talked about what you were going to do for Pulitzer." He said. "You lied to me when you said you were going to be a maid for him. But you're werent. You were going to be his scab."
"I did not lie!" She said raising her voice.
"Yeah, sure. You're a scab. Since when do I gotta believe anything you say?"
"You can believe me Jack."
Jack scoffed.
"When I told you I didn't know what my job was, that was the truth. They didnt tell us the job till we got there that morning. I could have been anything."
"And you could have, why did you take the job?"
"You know my reasons." Lizzie said.
"Right. How am I supposed to believe these siblings of yours even exist?" Jack said.
"It's true." Lizzie said. "I have a good question for you MAC! If you thought I was such a liar, then why did you follow me from the theater?" Lizzie asked him. "If you hate me as much as you seem to, then why talk to me at all? You could pretend I don't exist. But you're not. Why?"
Jack opened his mouth to fire a reply at her, but couldnt think of anything. Suddenly a thought sprang to his mind. David and the boys were going to spring something on them in the morning when the papers were going out. "Okay, so I do have something to say."
"Color me not surprised." Lizzie said.
"Do yourself a favor." He said starting to walk away. "Be late tomorrow."
"Why?" Lizzie asked.
"Trust me...."
"Fat chance."
"Just be late, you'll thank me later." Jack said as he walked away. Lizzie watched him walk around the corner. She stood in front of theater trying to figure out what he meant.
Jack sat on a bench in front of his home. Lizzie was supposed to be the enemy, then why did he suddenly find it fit to warn her about what might happen tomorrow? Did he feel something for her? He shook his head. He had no idea what he was doing, but he knew that he didnt want Lizzie to be caught in the crossfire of whatever happened tomorrow. He knew whatever the guys and Spot thought up would be big. All he had to be was be there tomorrow to see whatever was going to happen.
Jack lay on his bunk staring at the ceiling while David, Mush
and Racetrack plotted their counter attack for the girls newsie
army. Les was at home. Kloppman was good enough to let David
stay the night. As much as he wanted to get in on planning tomorrows
events, Jack could not get his mind off of one thing, Lizzie.
Whatever they planned would affect her too, and Jack suddenly wasnt
sure he wanted in on whatever the guys were planning. Jack got
off his bunk and put his shoes on. He went to the guys.
"I'm gonna go see Medda." He said. "See how shes doing." He said.
"Okay." David said.
"Have you got any ideas yet?" He asked.
"No, but we're thinking of asking Spot Conlan." David replied.
"He'd know what to do." Mush agreed.
"Let me know what happens." Jack said.
"You got money for the show?" David asked.
"I'll be fine." Jack said. "Don't forget, I have a friend in the biz."
Lizzies place
Lizzies new friends Jeannie and Rosie were on their way out.
"We did good today." Jeannie said.
"Yeah, everyone misses the newsies." Rosie agreed. "I hope this strike goes on forever. I can really use the money."
"Yeah." Agreed Lizzie. She sighed. Her mind was on something else. She needed the money, and she really wanted the job. But for a slight second she thought was stealing it from Jack and the other real newsies. The thought only stayed a second. Surely her needs were more important than a bunch of ragtag boys.
She wished her friends good night, and watched them leave down the hallway. She closed the door. She had been extremely lucky to get the apartment she lived in, but the money she used to get it was slowly running out. The money she got from sales and Pulitzer would only help so long. Many thoughts circulated in her mind. Her mind quickly returned to Jack, despite her best efforts to read or do other projects. She picked up a needlework she had started last week and started to work on it. As much as she tried she couldnt get Jack out of her mind. His face was burned into her memory. She could see him so clearly. What she rememberd most was the look on her face when he learned what her new job was. It was a mix of anger and slight disapointment. She almost felt sad to think of the fact that she might have let him down a little.
Lizzie threw down her sewing. She had had it. She didnt want to think of Jack anymore. It wasnt her fault that he was on strike. And it wasnt her fault that she basically took his job. She had nothing to do with any of this. She was just doing her job. She wasnt really involved in it, was she?
"I've got to stop feeling sorry for myself, and for Jack!" She said out loud. "I have to get out of here, or I will never have any peace of mind. She got her light coat and put it on. She looked at the pile of money on her small table. Today she had taken in a total of five dollars. She split it three ways with Jeannie and Rosie. She picked up a little of what she had left. She heard there was a sort of theater down the street. A singer sang there daily. That would be a nice place to go to. To have some fun, and to get that pesky guy off of her mind.
She shoved the money she picked up into her pocket and went to the door. Remembering to lock the door, she fluffed her hair up slightly in the hallway window. She smiled. Tonight she was going to have fun. Who knows, maybe she will meet a guy that will make her completely forget about a guy named Jack Kelly.
Jack crept by the refuge before he went to Meddas theater. A couple of days ago at the very start of the strike, his good friend Crutchy had been captured and put in the refuge. He was also roughed up a little by some associates of Weasels. Crutchy was called so because he carried one, otherwise it would be very hard for him to get around. Jack went around back by the kitchen where Crutchy had been exiled. He personally delivered Snyders meals, breakfast lunch and dinner, to him daily.
Since Snyder controlled the refuge and the orphanage, Jack figured Crutchy as his best link to find out as much as he could about Lizzie. He crouched by the back door of the kitchen, at the same time keeping an eye out for any cops or other people who could see him at any moment.
"Crutchy!" Jack hissed. Crutchy looked his way slightly. He had a slight grin on his face.
"Alex, let me take this here trash out." He said to another kid he was working with.
"All right." Alex said. "Can you handle it?"
"I can handle anything, see?" He gestured to his crutch.
"Go ahead." Alex said shrugging. He heard someone call for him. Alex went into the other room while Crutchy grabbed the bag with his free hand and slowly hobbled to the door.
"Hey Jack, good to see ya." Crutchy greeted him.
"Hey Crutchy." Jack said. "Let me get that, its da least I can do."
"Thanks." Crutchy said. "Halfway out the door I wished I had a better idea."
"Thats okay." Jack said. "I need a favor from you Crutchy."
"What?"
"Do you still deliver dinner to Snyder?"
"Every night, and man does he eat!" Crutchy sighed. "I swear, he has enough food in one night to last us a week."
"I know." Jack said. "I guess thats what enough money gets ya. We'll have that someday."
"Sure we will Jack." Crutchy said smiling. He was always so optimistic, even in times like these.
"Has he eaten yet?" Jack asked.
"Not yet. He just came back. He will want his food soon." Crutchy said. "He wants it on his desk before he gets there, so I betta get back in there."
"I need you to find out some info for me." Jack said. "Can you help me?"
"Sure." Crutchy said. "I'll see what I can do. Snyder has a book of info on his desk."
"Info?" Jack said. "Thats what I need. Can you see if you can look into it? For a name?"
"I got a name Jack..."
"No, not for you. For a name of some people I want to find. Can you find anyone called McCarthy?" Jack said. "Two boys and two girls."
"I'll see what I can do Jack." Crutchy said. "Snyder never leaves his office, not even to use the bathroom."
"See what you can do, ok?" Jack said.
"Sure." Crutchy said.
"I'll be back tomorrow night." Jack said. "Same time."
"Great. Let me see if I can get you something for you and the guys."
"That would be great, thanks." Jack said sneaking away.
Jack snuck in the back and found a seat next to the stage. Medda saw him as she was about to start singing. She waved at him with her fan. She then started into a smoky rendition of "Helly Dolly". As Jack was listening, he looked over the crowd. Most people had to pay a small amount to come in for good seats, but he had the best seat in the house for free. A face in the crowd stuck out to him. He only saw the back of her head though. She was blonde and wearing a very pretty dress. She had a small jacket on. She turned. Jack knew who it was now.
"Lizzie." Jack said. She looked up and saw him. Her eyes went wide. Jack slightly frowned in her direction. Lizzie rose in her seat and moved out of her row. She went up towards the exit. Jack got off his perch and found his way out the back. He found her at the front of the theater very quickly.
"Lizzie." Jack said flagging her down at the corner.
"Jack." Lizzie said. "I didn't see you."
"Yeah, right." Jack said. "Another lie?"
"When did I ever lie to you?" Lizzie fired back.
"When we talked about what you were going to do for Pulitzer." He said. "You lied to me when you said you were going to be a maid for him. But you're werent. You were going to be his scab."
"I did not lie!" She said raising her voice.
"Yeah, sure. You're a scab. Since when do I gotta believe anything you say?"
"You can believe me Jack."
Jack scoffed.
"When I told you I didn't know what my job was, that was the truth. They didnt tell us the job till we got there that morning. I could have been anything."
"And you could have, why did you take the job?"
"You know my reasons." Lizzie said.
"Right. How am I supposed to believe these siblings of yours even exist?" Jack said.
"It's true." Lizzie said. "I have a good question for you MAC! If you thought I was such a liar, then why did you follow me from the theater?" Lizzie asked him. "If you hate me as much as you seem to, then why talk to me at all? You could pretend I don't exist. But you're not. Why?"
Jack opened his mouth to fire a reply at her, but couldnt think of anything. Suddenly a thought sprang to his mind. David and the boys were going to spring something on them in the morning when the papers were going out. "Okay, so I do have something to say."
"Color me not surprised." Lizzie said.
"Do yourself a favor." He said starting to walk away. "Be late tomorrow."
"Why?" Lizzie asked.
"Trust me...."
"Fat chance."
"Just be late, you'll thank me later." Jack said as he walked away. Lizzie watched him walk around the corner. She stood in front of theater trying to figure out what he meant.
Jack sat on a bench in front of his home. Lizzie was supposed to be the enemy, then why did he suddenly find it fit to warn her about what might happen tomorrow? Did he feel something for her? He shook his head. He had no idea what he was doing, but he knew that he didnt want Lizzie to be caught in the crossfire of whatever happened tomorrow. He knew whatever the guys and Spot thought up would be big. All he had to be was be there tomorrow to see whatever was going to happen.