1 Chapter 12
Spot was home… Across the Bridge, near the harbor, smelling the salt air. He knew he had to be inconspicuous because Bacon's goons where everywhere, but it was hard to hide. He had been a leader too long, afraid of nothing and nobody, to act like a regular newsie again. Wandering through his territory, he was glad Singah was in Manhattan, safe. Looking about, he saw Harlem and Brooklyn newsies fighting, but he avoided the conflict. For once, Spot decided to stay out of a fight. He had a girl and a baby on the way to worry about, not just himself.
Reaching his warehouse, Spot let himself in. He found his mother's ring quickly, and sat down. He was still in shock that Singah was pregnant and that he was going to ask her to marry him. He could only hope she would say yes. He began to remember things he hadn't allowed himself to think about for years… the 10 long years since he was 7 and the newsies took him in for good after his family died. He remembered his little sister's laugh, his brother's pride when he learned to use the slingshot, his mother's voice, singing them to sleep, his father's hand on his shoulder as Spot, then called Kieran, showed him his first day's earnings as a newsie.
But soon after that his father had become ill… then his sister and brother, then himself. And finally his mother. They had gotten cholera. Spot remembered the pain of the sickness, but he had been strong enough to get well. The rest of his family was too weak. They had never gotten used to America after Ireland, and working in factories had taken away their strength. He started to weep softly. He hadn't wanted to leave Ireland, but coming to America had sound like an adventure to the four-year-old… Then they had arrived to find more squalor than they had seen in Dublin. But it was still America. And then, only three years later, they were dead, and he was living in a lodging house with the newsies.
-Stop it, Conlon!- He thought. –Cryin' about them ain't gonna make it any better. Get outta here and go back to Manhattan.- Taking his own advice, he got up and left the warehouse, turning and heading back to Singah.
***
Unnoticed, Blink had been on the Bridge when Spot had crossed into his territory. Curious and in a foul mood, he followed Spot to the warehouse, waiting outside while Spot did whatever it was he was doing. Nobody ever went into that warehouse. Soon, Spot exited the building, and Blink was following him once again.
Blink decided to move against the leader. He picked up his pace and knocked himself into Spot, who stumbled. He caught himself, then turned to see his assailant.
***
Singah was desperate to find out why Jack had wanted to know about her and Spot. She came to a conclusion. -If he won't tell me, I'll trick him!- She ran through reasons Jack would be curious. He was really just thinking about Sarah. He really did think this was all about sex. He knew something about Spot she didn't. He knew Spot was up to something involving her. She decided the last two were the most relevant. Jack was a bad liar, so if he said he hadn't thought she only loved him because of the baby, then he meant it. –So, I'll start talking about something that will make him give it away. What could I talk about? Hmmm… Marriage- I'm gonna have a baby, so it probably has something to do with that! And if marriage doesn't have anything to it, then I'll come up with something else.-
The next morning, Singah recruited her friends to help her- Fidget, Lashes, and Inky- three other newsgirls. Spot wasn't back yet, but she wasn't worried. He could take care of himself. She told them her idea, and when they saw Jack at the distribution center, they went for it. They walked right up to him, pretending to be deep in conversation, about Singah's baby and whether or not Spot would marry her. Jack heard their topic, and though he tried not to, tensed up. The girls were slyly watching him for any sign of reaction, and as soon as they saw it, they laughed, said, "Thanks, Cowboy!" and got in line for their papers. He wondered what had just happened, and still confused, went up to Weasel and began the daily ritual of trading insults and buying the papes.
***
"Heya, Spot. How's da bitch?" Blink asked. Spot didn't bother dignifying that with a reply; instead he pulled back his arm and punched Blink squarely in his good eye. "OW!" Pleased with himself, Spot repeated the punch, this time to Blink's stomach, and again to his face. Doubling over in pain, Blink grunted out, "You'll pay fer that, Conlon! Just you wait!"
"Ahh, shove it, Blink!" And with a final hit to the bridge of Blink's nose, Spot turned and left him where he lay. However, he didn't go back to Manhattan like he had planned- he went to the Brooklyn Lodging House. It was time to end this whole battle. He was going to call Bacon out.
Spot was home… Across the Bridge, near the harbor, smelling the salt air. He knew he had to be inconspicuous because Bacon's goons where everywhere, but it was hard to hide. He had been a leader too long, afraid of nothing and nobody, to act like a regular newsie again. Wandering through his territory, he was glad Singah was in Manhattan, safe. Looking about, he saw Harlem and Brooklyn newsies fighting, but he avoided the conflict. For once, Spot decided to stay out of a fight. He had a girl and a baby on the way to worry about, not just himself.
Reaching his warehouse, Spot let himself in. He found his mother's ring quickly, and sat down. He was still in shock that Singah was pregnant and that he was going to ask her to marry him. He could only hope she would say yes. He began to remember things he hadn't allowed himself to think about for years… the 10 long years since he was 7 and the newsies took him in for good after his family died. He remembered his little sister's laugh, his brother's pride when he learned to use the slingshot, his mother's voice, singing them to sleep, his father's hand on his shoulder as Spot, then called Kieran, showed him his first day's earnings as a newsie.
But soon after that his father had become ill… then his sister and brother, then himself. And finally his mother. They had gotten cholera. Spot remembered the pain of the sickness, but he had been strong enough to get well. The rest of his family was too weak. They had never gotten used to America after Ireland, and working in factories had taken away their strength. He started to weep softly. He hadn't wanted to leave Ireland, but coming to America had sound like an adventure to the four-year-old… Then they had arrived to find more squalor than they had seen in Dublin. But it was still America. And then, only three years later, they were dead, and he was living in a lodging house with the newsies.
-Stop it, Conlon!- He thought. –Cryin' about them ain't gonna make it any better. Get outta here and go back to Manhattan.- Taking his own advice, he got up and left the warehouse, turning and heading back to Singah.
***
Unnoticed, Blink had been on the Bridge when Spot had crossed into his territory. Curious and in a foul mood, he followed Spot to the warehouse, waiting outside while Spot did whatever it was he was doing. Nobody ever went into that warehouse. Soon, Spot exited the building, and Blink was following him once again.
Blink decided to move against the leader. He picked up his pace and knocked himself into Spot, who stumbled. He caught himself, then turned to see his assailant.
***
Singah was desperate to find out why Jack had wanted to know about her and Spot. She came to a conclusion. -If he won't tell me, I'll trick him!- She ran through reasons Jack would be curious. He was really just thinking about Sarah. He really did think this was all about sex. He knew something about Spot she didn't. He knew Spot was up to something involving her. She decided the last two were the most relevant. Jack was a bad liar, so if he said he hadn't thought she only loved him because of the baby, then he meant it. –So, I'll start talking about something that will make him give it away. What could I talk about? Hmmm… Marriage- I'm gonna have a baby, so it probably has something to do with that! And if marriage doesn't have anything to it, then I'll come up with something else.-
The next morning, Singah recruited her friends to help her- Fidget, Lashes, and Inky- three other newsgirls. Spot wasn't back yet, but she wasn't worried. He could take care of himself. She told them her idea, and when they saw Jack at the distribution center, they went for it. They walked right up to him, pretending to be deep in conversation, about Singah's baby and whether or not Spot would marry her. Jack heard their topic, and though he tried not to, tensed up. The girls were slyly watching him for any sign of reaction, and as soon as they saw it, they laughed, said, "Thanks, Cowboy!" and got in line for their papers. He wondered what had just happened, and still confused, went up to Weasel and began the daily ritual of trading insults and buying the papes.
***
"Heya, Spot. How's da bitch?" Blink asked. Spot didn't bother dignifying that with a reply; instead he pulled back his arm and punched Blink squarely in his good eye. "OW!" Pleased with himself, Spot repeated the punch, this time to Blink's stomach, and again to his face. Doubling over in pain, Blink grunted out, "You'll pay fer that, Conlon! Just you wait!"
"Ahh, shove it, Blink!" And with a final hit to the bridge of Blink's nose, Spot turned and left him where he lay. However, he didn't go back to Manhattan like he had planned- he went to the Brooklyn Lodging House. It was time to end this whole battle. He was going to call Bacon out.