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"Okay! Next." Racetrack ducked behind the counter of the Distribution Center momentarily to grab some more papers and was startled when he stood back up. Then he grinned at the face behind the bars. "Sorry Cowboy. Cain't sell nobody papes ova thoity." He grinned. Jack rolled his brown eyes and ran a few fingers through his hair. "Dats good Race, dats good. Okay kid, tell him what ya want." Jack said, looking down. Then he stooped and when he stood back up, he held a little boy in his arms, who stared at Racetrack expectantly. His little forehead furrowed as he tried to see from under his black cowboy hat. Finally he took it off, exposing his sparkling brown eyes and straight brown-red hair.
Racetrack looked at Jack and grinned, leaning over nearer to the little boy. "So whaddya want Dodger? Twenty? Ten?" The boy's head shot up. "No way! I kin sell more dan a misreable ten! Gimme seventy papes!" He said, slapping his money down on the counter. Racetrack grinned and brought up the papers, sliding them to the little boy on the other side. Dodger looked up at Jack and grinned. "Watch Papa! I'll sell 'em all! In an hour maybe even!" He said excitedly. Jack grinned and set him down. "You do dat. Go on dat corna an' make yer Papa proud." He said, watching his son walk off. "I will Papa! Fire in Brooklyn! Whole town destroyed!" He yelled out, slapping his cowboy hat on his head. Jack grinned and leaned up against the desk.
"So Race did ya miss me? Did ya miss me?" He asked, his eyes sparkling. Racetrack rolled his eyes and smacked his arm playfully. "Yeah I missed ya Cowboy. He looks like he's a natural." He said, looking after Dodger. Jack smiled and looked at him reminicently. "Reminds me of anotha kid just like him." Racetrack said. Jack smiled and looked back at him. "Let's hope he ain't jest like me. I don't want him ta hafta go through da hell I got put through." Jack said firmly. Racetrack smiled. "So how's Rose doin'?" Racetrack asked.
Jack smiled at the mention of his obviously Irish bride. She was fair, freckled, and red haired with a temper to match. A girl who one day wished that women would be treated equal like men, a girl with big hopes and dreams that one day she wouldn't have to work in the horrid sweat shop any longer. When she met Jack, he had seen these qualities quickly. He had accidentally said something about women not being the same as men, and she had stormed back at him angrily that she thought women could do anything men could do, maybe more. He had stared after her angry form as she stormed away from him in astonished silence. He had never seen a girl like her. He surprised her by arriving at the sweat shop the next day to walk her home. She refused, but he hung around, gradually gaining her confidence, and she gradually gaining his.
He told her everything, about who he really was, what he had done. Jack figured he might as well get it all out in the open then and there. How she would react would depend if she would stick around. Surprisingly she took it very smoothly. "So what? Me Papa was a thief an' so'm I. I don't care. I gotta eat somehow. If da stupid people would pay us more money I wouldn't hafta. I'm sure I've committed more sins dan you Jack Kelly, even if dats not yer real name. Sullivan or Kelly, don't matta. I don't care." She said quickly. Jack knew then that she was the only one that he could really appreciate. She believed in him, believed in his dreams. Someday when their kids were grown, they were both going to go to Santa Fe. Just they two, and they would proudly watch the sun rise.
"She's good Race. Jest great." Jack said with a smile. "Uh-huh. An' jest as opinionated as eva?" Racetrack asked, a gleam in his eye. Frankly Racetrack thought Rose somewhat humorous with her opinionated ways. Whenever she was around he would purposely bait her to get her going, much to Jack and Bright Eyes' dismay, for it would be THEM who would have to listen to her preach all night. Jack rolled his eyes and nodded. "Well where's da rest of yer kids? Dey sick or sometin'?" Racetrack asked. Jack sighed. "Yeah actually. Memory's got some kinda cold and Rose jest wants ta keep Falcon an' Rain wid her." Racetrack nodded. Memory Kelly's name was the only really outlandish sounding of the whole Kelly clan. Rose had insisted on giving at least one of her children their Newsie name. Memory had been the one. She chose Memory for her own reasons, but Jack believed it was because Rose had so many memories and it was her strict gospel that memories, good and bad should be cherished. Memory was imaginative and flighty, a mixture of both father and mother. Her bright red hair was most distinctive, and her orange freckles stood out against her fair, almost white skin. Memory was six, her brother Dodger eight.
Falcon Kelly was a piece of work, the most like his father to the fullest. He didn't really look like his father, having a sort of copper sheen of hair, his eyes being green. But he was the most cocky. Even at four he was convinced that he could sell even more papes than his oldest brother. What was strange is that he did. He was cocky, street-smart, and a favorite with his father, even though his mother tried not to let Jack encourage him too much. But Jack couldn't help it. He couldn't help encouraging his son to be the toughest and to make others look up to him. It was like looking at a picture of himself, a greatly altered picture, but him none-the-less.
Rain Kelly was only two years old. Her real name was Raindrop, but Rain suited her better. A little name for a little girl, as Jack often said with a smile. It was true. Rain was as small as her name implied. She was a tiny, lithe thing, with bright, curious blue-green eyes. Her hair was brown with a golden sheen that showed itself in the brightest sunlight. She had been born during one of the largest rain storms in Manhattan's history. Poor Rose was fitful all during the day till she finally consented Jack's requests to go lay down on the bed and let him get someone to help her. She was sure that Rain wouldn't come, but before the clouds cleared, a small raindrop was born into the Kelly family. Rain was a curious child, getting into almost everything. Jack, Rose and the children had to be careful with what they left laying about, because sure as the sun Rain would go and pick it up, put it in her mouth, chew on it, then run to her father and ask him what it was.
"Well tell Rose an' da kids hey from me." Racetrack said with a smile. Jack grinned and straightened. "I will. How's Bright doin'?" Jack asked in almost a whisper, knowing that Bright Eyes was just around the corner, putting papers in order. Racetrack winced and leaned closer to Jack. "Okay. It's been hard. Losin' da baby an' all. But she's gettin' betta. Betta dan she was. Da doc said she coulda died Jack. She was jest bleedin' so much." Racetrack whispered painfully. Jack nodded solemnly. "It's okay. She's strong. An' plus she's got you." Jack said meaningfully, nudging Racetrack with a wink. Racetrack smiled wanly. "Yeah. It's jest been hard, ya know." Jack nodded and straightened as quick footsteps sounded in the backround.
"Race, I got dese papes an', oh heya Cowboy! Aincha a little old ta be buyin' papes?" Bright Eyes turned the corner and greeted Cowboy with a tired smile. Jack could tell that within the few weeks since the miscarriage of her baby boy, Bright Eyes had aged. She seemed more tired, dark circles underlining her blue eyes, her smile not nearly so bright and warm. She seemed to really look her age. Jack shook his head with a smile, hiding his sad feelings for Bright Eyes. He knew she wouldn't want him bringing it up. He knew she didn't like people feeling sorry for her. She would just rather get through it herself and be done with it, but Jack knew that she couldn't do it alone this time.
She needs Race more dan eva. Jack thought silently.
"Yeah I guess. Just thought I'd try ta sneak some from dis here guy, but he wouldn't have none of it." Jack said, smiling at Racetrack. Bright Eyes rolled her eyes and set the papers behind the counter. "Okay, well you betta watch out. Ya cain't git nothin' past dis guy." She said, smiling at Racetrack. Before she left, Racetrack leaned over and kissed her cheek. She blushed and walked quickly out of the room, but not before smiling at him gratefully. As Racetrack walked her solemnly as she walked away, Jack said quietly, "It'll be okay Race. She jest needs ya alot." Racetrack closed his eyes. "I know."
"Okay! Next." Racetrack ducked behind the counter of the Distribution Center momentarily to grab some more papers and was startled when he stood back up. Then he grinned at the face behind the bars. "Sorry Cowboy. Cain't sell nobody papes ova thoity." He grinned. Jack rolled his brown eyes and ran a few fingers through his hair. "Dats good Race, dats good. Okay kid, tell him what ya want." Jack said, looking down. Then he stooped and when he stood back up, he held a little boy in his arms, who stared at Racetrack expectantly. His little forehead furrowed as he tried to see from under his black cowboy hat. Finally he took it off, exposing his sparkling brown eyes and straight brown-red hair.
Racetrack looked at Jack and grinned, leaning over nearer to the little boy. "So whaddya want Dodger? Twenty? Ten?" The boy's head shot up. "No way! I kin sell more dan a misreable ten! Gimme seventy papes!" He said, slapping his money down on the counter. Racetrack grinned and brought up the papers, sliding them to the little boy on the other side. Dodger looked up at Jack and grinned. "Watch Papa! I'll sell 'em all! In an hour maybe even!" He said excitedly. Jack grinned and set him down. "You do dat. Go on dat corna an' make yer Papa proud." He said, watching his son walk off. "I will Papa! Fire in Brooklyn! Whole town destroyed!" He yelled out, slapping his cowboy hat on his head. Jack grinned and leaned up against the desk.
"So Race did ya miss me? Did ya miss me?" He asked, his eyes sparkling. Racetrack rolled his eyes and smacked his arm playfully. "Yeah I missed ya Cowboy. He looks like he's a natural." He said, looking after Dodger. Jack smiled and looked at him reminicently. "Reminds me of anotha kid just like him." Racetrack said. Jack smiled and looked back at him. "Let's hope he ain't jest like me. I don't want him ta hafta go through da hell I got put through." Jack said firmly. Racetrack smiled. "So how's Rose doin'?" Racetrack asked.
Jack smiled at the mention of his obviously Irish bride. She was fair, freckled, and red haired with a temper to match. A girl who one day wished that women would be treated equal like men, a girl with big hopes and dreams that one day she wouldn't have to work in the horrid sweat shop any longer. When she met Jack, he had seen these qualities quickly. He had accidentally said something about women not being the same as men, and she had stormed back at him angrily that she thought women could do anything men could do, maybe more. He had stared after her angry form as she stormed away from him in astonished silence. He had never seen a girl like her. He surprised her by arriving at the sweat shop the next day to walk her home. She refused, but he hung around, gradually gaining her confidence, and she gradually gaining his.
He told her everything, about who he really was, what he had done. Jack figured he might as well get it all out in the open then and there. How she would react would depend if she would stick around. Surprisingly she took it very smoothly. "So what? Me Papa was a thief an' so'm I. I don't care. I gotta eat somehow. If da stupid people would pay us more money I wouldn't hafta. I'm sure I've committed more sins dan you Jack Kelly, even if dats not yer real name. Sullivan or Kelly, don't matta. I don't care." She said quickly. Jack knew then that she was the only one that he could really appreciate. She believed in him, believed in his dreams. Someday when their kids were grown, they were both going to go to Santa Fe. Just they two, and they would proudly watch the sun rise.
"She's good Race. Jest great." Jack said with a smile. "Uh-huh. An' jest as opinionated as eva?" Racetrack asked, a gleam in his eye. Frankly Racetrack thought Rose somewhat humorous with her opinionated ways. Whenever she was around he would purposely bait her to get her going, much to Jack and Bright Eyes' dismay, for it would be THEM who would have to listen to her preach all night. Jack rolled his eyes and nodded. "Well where's da rest of yer kids? Dey sick or sometin'?" Racetrack asked. Jack sighed. "Yeah actually. Memory's got some kinda cold and Rose jest wants ta keep Falcon an' Rain wid her." Racetrack nodded. Memory Kelly's name was the only really outlandish sounding of the whole Kelly clan. Rose had insisted on giving at least one of her children their Newsie name. Memory had been the one. She chose Memory for her own reasons, but Jack believed it was because Rose had so many memories and it was her strict gospel that memories, good and bad should be cherished. Memory was imaginative and flighty, a mixture of both father and mother. Her bright red hair was most distinctive, and her orange freckles stood out against her fair, almost white skin. Memory was six, her brother Dodger eight.
Falcon Kelly was a piece of work, the most like his father to the fullest. He didn't really look like his father, having a sort of copper sheen of hair, his eyes being green. But he was the most cocky. Even at four he was convinced that he could sell even more papes than his oldest brother. What was strange is that he did. He was cocky, street-smart, and a favorite with his father, even though his mother tried not to let Jack encourage him too much. But Jack couldn't help it. He couldn't help encouraging his son to be the toughest and to make others look up to him. It was like looking at a picture of himself, a greatly altered picture, but him none-the-less.
Rain Kelly was only two years old. Her real name was Raindrop, but Rain suited her better. A little name for a little girl, as Jack often said with a smile. It was true. Rain was as small as her name implied. She was a tiny, lithe thing, with bright, curious blue-green eyes. Her hair was brown with a golden sheen that showed itself in the brightest sunlight. She had been born during one of the largest rain storms in Manhattan's history. Poor Rose was fitful all during the day till she finally consented Jack's requests to go lay down on the bed and let him get someone to help her. She was sure that Rain wouldn't come, but before the clouds cleared, a small raindrop was born into the Kelly family. Rain was a curious child, getting into almost everything. Jack, Rose and the children had to be careful with what they left laying about, because sure as the sun Rain would go and pick it up, put it in her mouth, chew on it, then run to her father and ask him what it was.
"Well tell Rose an' da kids hey from me." Racetrack said with a smile. Jack grinned and straightened. "I will. How's Bright doin'?" Jack asked in almost a whisper, knowing that Bright Eyes was just around the corner, putting papers in order. Racetrack winced and leaned closer to Jack. "Okay. It's been hard. Losin' da baby an' all. But she's gettin' betta. Betta dan she was. Da doc said she coulda died Jack. She was jest bleedin' so much." Racetrack whispered painfully. Jack nodded solemnly. "It's okay. She's strong. An' plus she's got you." Jack said meaningfully, nudging Racetrack with a wink. Racetrack smiled wanly. "Yeah. It's jest been hard, ya know." Jack nodded and straightened as quick footsteps sounded in the backround.
"Race, I got dese papes an', oh heya Cowboy! Aincha a little old ta be buyin' papes?" Bright Eyes turned the corner and greeted Cowboy with a tired smile. Jack could tell that within the few weeks since the miscarriage of her baby boy, Bright Eyes had aged. She seemed more tired, dark circles underlining her blue eyes, her smile not nearly so bright and warm. She seemed to really look her age. Jack shook his head with a smile, hiding his sad feelings for Bright Eyes. He knew she wouldn't want him bringing it up. He knew she didn't like people feeling sorry for her. She would just rather get through it herself and be done with it, but Jack knew that she couldn't do it alone this time.
She needs Race more dan eva. Jack thought silently.
"Yeah I guess. Just thought I'd try ta sneak some from dis here guy, but he wouldn't have none of it." Jack said, smiling at Racetrack. Bright Eyes rolled her eyes and set the papers behind the counter. "Okay, well you betta watch out. Ya cain't git nothin' past dis guy." She said, smiling at Racetrack. Before she left, Racetrack leaned over and kissed her cheek. She blushed and walked quickly out of the room, but not before smiling at him gratefully. As Racetrack walked her solemnly as she walked away, Jack said quietly, "It'll be okay Race. She jest needs ya alot." Racetrack closed his eyes. "I know."
