1 Chapter Two
No one had seen Spot in days, and Singah was getting worried. She was still seeing Blink, and carrying the banner, acting out a semblance of the normal newsie life, but underneath it all, she thought only of Spot
***
Spot had been sitting in an abandoned warehouse, deep in the heart of Brooklyn. It was his space; after he had become leader, he had subtly impressed upon his newsies that no one was to go in there. It was more his space than that little room they gave him at the Brooklyn Lodging House. His past was here, in the dust that covered everything, in the light shining through the broken windows. Where he had last seen his family, many years ago, was now his private hideout.
He had never realized how much he loved Singah before that night. Her song had called him to her- a New York siren, the Lorelei of Manhattan. Spot had had a lot of girls over the years, but they hadn't meant anything to him. Only with her did even a kiss mean something more. Singah, he realized, made him feel whole.
-She probably regrets it now- Spot bitterly decided. –She's probably glad you haven't shown your face in days, if she's even noticed that I'm gone.-
At the same moment, across town in the newsgirls lodging house of Manhattan, Singah was thinking the same thing. –He's probably already forgotten about it, he's such a player, a different goil every night.- "Damn him!" She exclaimed, startling Fidget, wo sat beside her.
"Wha?" Asked a very confused Fidget. "Who?"
"Nevah mind, Fidg. Jus' me mouth runnin' off."
"Whaddevah you say."
***
Back at the warehouse, Spot decided he had been hiding long enough. He usually wasn't gone for more than a day, or two at the most, and he had been gone four this time. That night, he would go to her and see if she still remembered him or if she was still wasting time with Kid Blink.
-Look at yous, Conlon- he thought, -All worked up ovah a goil ya cain't have!- Spot knew that Jack, who was for all intents and purposes, Singah' big brother, would never approve of his seeing Singah. His reputation as a womanizer would not be helpful here. As a newsie, Jack respected Spot; as a friend, Jack respected Spot. But as a suitor for his precious little girl, Spot knew Jack would never respect Spot until he had proved he changed his ways. But first, he had to see if it was worth it.
***
That night at Tibby's, the Brooklyn leader showed his face again. Although everyone had worried, to different degrees, no one showed it. That wasn't how things were done.
"Heya, Conlon." Said Jack, not revealing how relieved he was to see his old friend.
"Hey yaself, Jacky-boy."
"Jesus, Spot what bit your ass dis mornin'?"
"Nothin'. Fuck off."
Singah had noted his arrival, and was instantly freed of the pressure that had been weighing her down for the last four days. Spot was back! However, she was distressed to see that the usually clean and neat (for a newsie) Spot was filthy, tousled, and acting as though he hadn't slept in days. –Christ- she thought, -he's got anudder goil. Typical Spot- makes a goil think he loves her, den he's off wid anudder one.-
Pissed, she made her excuses to her friends and started to leave. She was tired, she said, and she wanted to go home. Blink, trying to be helpful, offered to walk her home, but that was the last thing she wanted right now.
"It's only two blocks away. I'se a big goil now- I can cross the street an' tie me own shoes an' everything. 'Sides, I got me knife right here. Night, Blink." With that she left, trying not to look at Spot or catch his eye. She failed, though- she made eye contact, and with out a moment's hesitation, he followed her out of the restaurant, trying his hardest not to look suspicious.
No one had seen Spot in days, and Singah was getting worried. She was still seeing Blink, and carrying the banner, acting out a semblance of the normal newsie life, but underneath it all, she thought only of Spot
***
Spot had been sitting in an abandoned warehouse, deep in the heart of Brooklyn. It was his space; after he had become leader, he had subtly impressed upon his newsies that no one was to go in there. It was more his space than that little room they gave him at the Brooklyn Lodging House. His past was here, in the dust that covered everything, in the light shining through the broken windows. Where he had last seen his family, many years ago, was now his private hideout.
He had never realized how much he loved Singah before that night. Her song had called him to her- a New York siren, the Lorelei of Manhattan. Spot had had a lot of girls over the years, but they hadn't meant anything to him. Only with her did even a kiss mean something more. Singah, he realized, made him feel whole.
-She probably regrets it now- Spot bitterly decided. –She's probably glad you haven't shown your face in days, if she's even noticed that I'm gone.-
At the same moment, across town in the newsgirls lodging house of Manhattan, Singah was thinking the same thing. –He's probably already forgotten about it, he's such a player, a different goil every night.- "Damn him!" She exclaimed, startling Fidget, wo sat beside her.
"Wha?" Asked a very confused Fidget. "Who?"
"Nevah mind, Fidg. Jus' me mouth runnin' off."
"Whaddevah you say."
***
Back at the warehouse, Spot decided he had been hiding long enough. He usually wasn't gone for more than a day, or two at the most, and he had been gone four this time. That night, he would go to her and see if she still remembered him or if she was still wasting time with Kid Blink.
-Look at yous, Conlon- he thought, -All worked up ovah a goil ya cain't have!- Spot knew that Jack, who was for all intents and purposes, Singah' big brother, would never approve of his seeing Singah. His reputation as a womanizer would not be helpful here. As a newsie, Jack respected Spot; as a friend, Jack respected Spot. But as a suitor for his precious little girl, Spot knew Jack would never respect Spot until he had proved he changed his ways. But first, he had to see if it was worth it.
***
That night at Tibby's, the Brooklyn leader showed his face again. Although everyone had worried, to different degrees, no one showed it. That wasn't how things were done.
"Heya, Conlon." Said Jack, not revealing how relieved he was to see his old friend.
"Hey yaself, Jacky-boy."
"Jesus, Spot what bit your ass dis mornin'?"
"Nothin'. Fuck off."
Singah had noted his arrival, and was instantly freed of the pressure that had been weighing her down for the last four days. Spot was back! However, she was distressed to see that the usually clean and neat (for a newsie) Spot was filthy, tousled, and acting as though he hadn't slept in days. –Christ- she thought, -he's got anudder goil. Typical Spot- makes a goil think he loves her, den he's off wid anudder one.-
Pissed, she made her excuses to her friends and started to leave. She was tired, she said, and she wanted to go home. Blink, trying to be helpful, offered to walk her home, but that was the last thing she wanted right now.
"It's only two blocks away. I'se a big goil now- I can cross the street an' tie me own shoes an' everything. 'Sides, I got me knife right here. Night, Blink." With that she left, trying not to look at Spot or catch his eye. She failed, though- she made eye contact, and with out a moment's hesitation, he followed her out of the restaurant, trying his hardest not to look suspicious.