Sorry it's been so long. To tell you the truth, I forgot I'd had to post
this stuff, what with exams next week and all. Besides I'm working on a new
story, another Jack and Race one, with the guest appearance of a large
pretty famous ocean liner. Can anyone tell what I'm talking about? I hope
so. Working on that one as fast as I can, though I should have some free
time just after school. I don't start my job for another week after. Well,
here's the next part of this story! I'll try to update a bit more
frequently.
Another two days passed and the weather did not change, still hot and muggy. One Saturday, Race decided he had had enough of the hot sticky house and wandered outside, only to see Teodoro follow him.
"Where are you going, can I come?" Race sighed, he hadn't really had a destination in mind, but he agreed. Teo, as he had come to call his adoring cousin, followed him almost everywhere.
They walked through the park, Race avoiding any newsie he might come in contact with, but they saw none. Race had not sold in two days, not since the encounter with Spot. That night, he had lain in bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering.
If he was going to be what his Uncle wanted, going to be something, going to stay for Rosie, he had to leave his old life behind, and that hurt. More than anything in the world. And so, he had not sold.
Soon, he found himself at the very edge of the city, down at the docks across from Brooklyn. He smiled as he remembered many hot summer days down in these docks and wondered if his friends had taken to their old haunts.
As they wandered down, he saw many things that he was sure Teo had never seen. The boy gawked openly at the older women, dressed in scandalous dresses and too much make-up that called to them, and some who even knew Race by name, though it was not for the reasons the boy might have suspected. He stared at the loud lewd sailors who also called to them, offering even worse propositions, Race ignored them and Teo did likewise.
Race had long ago taken off his coat and ripped off his tie. Now he undid his shirt almost half way, letting himself cool off in the breezy cool air off of the river. Teo copied him, watching him carefully.
"Is this where you used to live?" Race studied the area.
"Not too fah away. We used ta come and swim down heah on days like dis." Even as he spoke, he heard splashing and cheering. A s they turned the corner, Race spotted his friends, all half naked, and most in the water already.
He picked out Jack, in the water, and Mush swinging on the rope that they used to fly over the water and let go, sailing through the air to land with a splash in the water. The others were crowded around, Crutchy on the side, swinging his good leg and laughing as the others pelted him with waves of water. He could never swim because of his gimp leg, the water was simply too deep, and Jack never took chances with any of his boys, always taking it upon himself to teach the younger ones to swim. He had taught Race how to swim.
Then he saw Blink, standing, fully clothed on the dockside. He was glaring, hands on his hips, down at Jack. And an evil plan formed in his mind. A little voice in the back of his head told him to keep going, to stay away from the newsies, in accordance with the promise he had made to leave his old life behind, but the idea was just too fun.
"I toldcha, Jack. I gots me a date tonight and I ain't swimmin'. I'se all ready and I ain't messin' dis up." Blink was insisting.
Race slipped off his jacket, vest and shoes, dropping them in an alley. Teo watched him as Race motioned for him to stay down. He watched in fear as Race slipped up to the older, tougher boys. His father had warned him about such boys and he worried about his older cousin.
Race grinned as he ducked behind the trashcans, then the large poles that littered the dockside. Then, when he was close enough to Blink, he attacked. Running at full speed and throwing his arms around his friend, the propulsion of his speed sending them both over the edge of the dock and into the water.
The newsies looked around, confused at first, then they laughed as Blink popped up, spitting water and thrashing like a mad duck. He yanked his wet cap off and threw it in the general direction of the laughing newsies.
"Who did dat? Huh, who'se da wise guy?" Just then, Race popped his head up and dunked Blink under again. The sputtering newsie went under as his friends laughed and cheered Race on. When he came up this time, and saw his old friend, he began to laugh as well, wiping his wet bangs out of his eyes and turning the tables on Race, pushing his head under the water.
Teo had wandered forward as soon as the laughing started and he watched in horror as the boy pushed his cousin's head under the water. He feared Race might have angered the boy and that he was now doomed.
"Anthony!" he cried, attracting the other's attention. Blink let Race go and he popped up, eyeing his cousin. Jack hauled himself out of the water and stared at the rich boy who gazed back in fear.
"Who'se dis, Race?" He asked, circling the poor boy, Race noticed his cousin shaking with fear. He'd probably been told that boys like us are dangerous, and they'll attack ya in a second, Race thought.
"He's me cousin, Jack." Race said, yanking himself out of the water, and moving to stand beside the boy. He put his wet arm around the frightened boy and grinned.
"Teo, meet Jack Kelly. Jack, Teo." He said. The older newsie shook hands with the boy who stared at him with wonder in his eyes.
"Nice ta meetcha, kid. Any friend a Race's is a friend a mine."
"I dunno about dat, Cowboy!" Mush hollered from the water. The other newsies laughed, knowing Race's history with gamblers and criminals. It was rumored among the newsies that Race had once played poker with the famous Big Gino Martello, a local Mob boss, and had won. Race had neither confirmed nor denied this statement, but he did seem to be a familiar face in Little Italy.
"Race?" Teo asked, confused. Were they talking about the same kid? His cousin, Anthony? Why were they calling him Race?
"Yeah, dat's his name, Racetrack." Race frowned a bit.
"It's me nick. See, every newsie has a nick. Sumdin dey're known by. I like da racetracks so's dats what Jacky heah called me."
"Racetrack?" he smiled, the name fit the boy, much better than Anthony. He wondered if he could call his cousin that sometime. He did feel a bit awkward calling him Anthony all the time, but felt odd at calling him Tony, which was obviously only what his sister used.
"I like it." he said, grinning at his cousin who smiled back and jumped back into the water.
"Come on!" Jack said, motioning to the water. "It's hot, and I know ya can't be comfortable in dose clothes, come on in!" he said. Teo hesitated, then listened to his cousin's laughter and shed his vest and shoes, sitting on the side, letting his feet dangle from the edge and watched as his cousin reunited with his friends, playing a quick and brutal game of dunking each other under water as much as possible.
As he watched, he noticed a boy, seated next to him, watching him. He turned and saw a mess of curly red hair, gangly limbs, and a kind smile.
"So yer Race's cousin?" he asked. Teo nodded, and held out his hand. The boy spit in his own and took his hand. Teo frowned, unfamiliar with the tradition, but he acted as if it were no big deal, as it was obviously something important.
"Yes, what's your name?" the boy smiled.
"Crutchy is what me pals call me." Teo frowned. What kind of name was Crutchy?
"Why?" The boy motioned to his leg, which hung limply. Then he pointed to the wooden crutch laying on the dock next to him.
"Dat's why." Teo winced, he instantly felt sorry for the boy.
"What happened?" he asked. The boy's cheerful face faded and he glanced away, watching the other boys in the water as if he wished he could join them. Teo understood that the subject was not an open one. The look on his face was the same one as when he had asked Race once where his father was. Race had gotten a hesitant, unsure look on his face, one Teo had never seen on the confident boy's face before it had been replaced by a cold, uncaring countenance and the words, "I dunno, and I don't caeh."
"Sorry," he whispered. The boy, Crutchy only smiled and waved his hand.
"Dat's okay. Say, why ain'tcha swimming?" he asked. Teo shrugged.
"I'd feel odd. I mean, they're Anthony's friends, not mine." The boy stared at him in wonder. "What?" he asked, feeling odd.
"Ya called Race Anthony? He'd nevah let any a us call him dat. He says he hates it. Likes Race much bedda. I gotta say, it fits him bedda. Can't say I see a kid called Anthony doin' all da stuff Race does." Teo glanced at his cousin, who had just attacked the boy he met, Jack, and jumped on his back. He thought, how different this Racetrack is than the Anthony I know. It's as if Racetrack is who he really is, and Anthony is his nick name.
"So you're a newsie?" Teo asked. Crutchy nodded.
"Only time when dis gimp leg a mine comes in handy." Teo frowned.
""What do you mean?" Crutchy went on to describe the finer points of selling the papers. The life intrigued Teo, who listened with interest. He was so fascinated that he failed to notice the other newsies climbing out of the water until the yelling began.
Race climbed out of the water, running his fingers through his hair, and grinned at Jack. Jack tossed his hair back and forth, like a dog, spraying all his friends who protested half-heartedly.
"So Race," he said as Race yanked on his shoes. "Ya selling' wid us?' Race shook his head.
"Nah, I gotta get back." Jack frowned. He didn't want to admit to his fear that Race was finally letting go of his old life. He had noticed his friend's absence the last two days and the growing coldness between them. There used to be a time when they could sit on the roof and smoke, just the two of them, and not say a word and the air between them would be perfectly comfortable. Something his mother once told him was that you knew you had a true friend when you could sit together and not say a word and be perfectly happy. Now there was a tension in Race's stature, a coldness in his voice. And it frightened Jack.
"Ya ain't been sellin', Race. Wassa madda, ya get too good foah us?" Blink asked, voicing the question in Jack's heart. He had meant it as a joke, but from the look on Race's face, he didn't take it as such.
"I ain't been selling, because I don't need ta." Race answered. "Why should I keep sellin' when I gots money? Besides, I got's bedda tings ta do wid me time." It was a lie, a downright lie. There was nothing keeping him going but the thought of hawking his headlines, and retaining something of his old life, but he was angry. At his friends, at his Uncle, at himself, so angry and he tended to take his anger out on the closest person, at the moment Jack.
"Yeah? So why do ya keep comin' back?" Jack asked, his voice rising with his temper. Spot was right, Race had turned his back on his friends.
"Well, I ain't comin' back again!" Race yelled. "I don't need ya! I don't need dis!" he reached into his pocket and pulled out the cigar, throwing it to the ground, "I don't need dis!" He ripped the pocket watch off its chain and threw it to the ground, sending it sailing to land at Jack's feet. "And I don't need dese!" he reached into his back pocket and threw the pack of cards to the ground, causing them to scatter.
It was the ultimate end to everything. Those cards were who he was, who he had become in his years as a newsie. They symbolized so much of him, Jack had given them to him. And the pocket watch, his mother had given it to him as a child. Jack watched as Race turned on his heels and marched off, pulling his younger cousin behind him.
The other newsies watched in horror and sadness as Jack bent down and picked up the pocket watch, staring at it, instead of the sight of his friends vanishing back. The cards he left, watching them as they caught the breeze and sailed out over the water on the wind.
Another two days passed and the weather did not change, still hot and muggy. One Saturday, Race decided he had had enough of the hot sticky house and wandered outside, only to see Teodoro follow him.
"Where are you going, can I come?" Race sighed, he hadn't really had a destination in mind, but he agreed. Teo, as he had come to call his adoring cousin, followed him almost everywhere.
They walked through the park, Race avoiding any newsie he might come in contact with, but they saw none. Race had not sold in two days, not since the encounter with Spot. That night, he had lain in bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering.
If he was going to be what his Uncle wanted, going to be something, going to stay for Rosie, he had to leave his old life behind, and that hurt. More than anything in the world. And so, he had not sold.
Soon, he found himself at the very edge of the city, down at the docks across from Brooklyn. He smiled as he remembered many hot summer days down in these docks and wondered if his friends had taken to their old haunts.
As they wandered down, he saw many things that he was sure Teo had never seen. The boy gawked openly at the older women, dressed in scandalous dresses and too much make-up that called to them, and some who even knew Race by name, though it was not for the reasons the boy might have suspected. He stared at the loud lewd sailors who also called to them, offering even worse propositions, Race ignored them and Teo did likewise.
Race had long ago taken off his coat and ripped off his tie. Now he undid his shirt almost half way, letting himself cool off in the breezy cool air off of the river. Teo copied him, watching him carefully.
"Is this where you used to live?" Race studied the area.
"Not too fah away. We used ta come and swim down heah on days like dis." Even as he spoke, he heard splashing and cheering. A s they turned the corner, Race spotted his friends, all half naked, and most in the water already.
He picked out Jack, in the water, and Mush swinging on the rope that they used to fly over the water and let go, sailing through the air to land with a splash in the water. The others were crowded around, Crutchy on the side, swinging his good leg and laughing as the others pelted him with waves of water. He could never swim because of his gimp leg, the water was simply too deep, and Jack never took chances with any of his boys, always taking it upon himself to teach the younger ones to swim. He had taught Race how to swim.
Then he saw Blink, standing, fully clothed on the dockside. He was glaring, hands on his hips, down at Jack. And an evil plan formed in his mind. A little voice in the back of his head told him to keep going, to stay away from the newsies, in accordance with the promise he had made to leave his old life behind, but the idea was just too fun.
"I toldcha, Jack. I gots me a date tonight and I ain't swimmin'. I'se all ready and I ain't messin' dis up." Blink was insisting.
Race slipped off his jacket, vest and shoes, dropping them in an alley. Teo watched him as Race motioned for him to stay down. He watched in fear as Race slipped up to the older, tougher boys. His father had warned him about such boys and he worried about his older cousin.
Race grinned as he ducked behind the trashcans, then the large poles that littered the dockside. Then, when he was close enough to Blink, he attacked. Running at full speed and throwing his arms around his friend, the propulsion of his speed sending them both over the edge of the dock and into the water.
The newsies looked around, confused at first, then they laughed as Blink popped up, spitting water and thrashing like a mad duck. He yanked his wet cap off and threw it in the general direction of the laughing newsies.
"Who did dat? Huh, who'se da wise guy?" Just then, Race popped his head up and dunked Blink under again. The sputtering newsie went under as his friends laughed and cheered Race on. When he came up this time, and saw his old friend, he began to laugh as well, wiping his wet bangs out of his eyes and turning the tables on Race, pushing his head under the water.
Teo had wandered forward as soon as the laughing started and he watched in horror as the boy pushed his cousin's head under the water. He feared Race might have angered the boy and that he was now doomed.
"Anthony!" he cried, attracting the other's attention. Blink let Race go and he popped up, eyeing his cousin. Jack hauled himself out of the water and stared at the rich boy who gazed back in fear.
"Who'se dis, Race?" He asked, circling the poor boy, Race noticed his cousin shaking with fear. He'd probably been told that boys like us are dangerous, and they'll attack ya in a second, Race thought.
"He's me cousin, Jack." Race said, yanking himself out of the water, and moving to stand beside the boy. He put his wet arm around the frightened boy and grinned.
"Teo, meet Jack Kelly. Jack, Teo." He said. The older newsie shook hands with the boy who stared at him with wonder in his eyes.
"Nice ta meetcha, kid. Any friend a Race's is a friend a mine."
"I dunno about dat, Cowboy!" Mush hollered from the water. The other newsies laughed, knowing Race's history with gamblers and criminals. It was rumored among the newsies that Race had once played poker with the famous Big Gino Martello, a local Mob boss, and had won. Race had neither confirmed nor denied this statement, but he did seem to be a familiar face in Little Italy.
"Race?" Teo asked, confused. Were they talking about the same kid? His cousin, Anthony? Why were they calling him Race?
"Yeah, dat's his name, Racetrack." Race frowned a bit.
"It's me nick. See, every newsie has a nick. Sumdin dey're known by. I like da racetracks so's dats what Jacky heah called me."
"Racetrack?" he smiled, the name fit the boy, much better than Anthony. He wondered if he could call his cousin that sometime. He did feel a bit awkward calling him Anthony all the time, but felt odd at calling him Tony, which was obviously only what his sister used.
"I like it." he said, grinning at his cousin who smiled back and jumped back into the water.
"Come on!" Jack said, motioning to the water. "It's hot, and I know ya can't be comfortable in dose clothes, come on in!" he said. Teo hesitated, then listened to his cousin's laughter and shed his vest and shoes, sitting on the side, letting his feet dangle from the edge and watched as his cousin reunited with his friends, playing a quick and brutal game of dunking each other under water as much as possible.
As he watched, he noticed a boy, seated next to him, watching him. He turned and saw a mess of curly red hair, gangly limbs, and a kind smile.
"So yer Race's cousin?" he asked. Teo nodded, and held out his hand. The boy spit in his own and took his hand. Teo frowned, unfamiliar with the tradition, but he acted as if it were no big deal, as it was obviously something important.
"Yes, what's your name?" the boy smiled.
"Crutchy is what me pals call me." Teo frowned. What kind of name was Crutchy?
"Why?" The boy motioned to his leg, which hung limply. Then he pointed to the wooden crutch laying on the dock next to him.
"Dat's why." Teo winced, he instantly felt sorry for the boy.
"What happened?" he asked. The boy's cheerful face faded and he glanced away, watching the other boys in the water as if he wished he could join them. Teo understood that the subject was not an open one. The look on his face was the same one as when he had asked Race once where his father was. Race had gotten a hesitant, unsure look on his face, one Teo had never seen on the confident boy's face before it had been replaced by a cold, uncaring countenance and the words, "I dunno, and I don't caeh."
"Sorry," he whispered. The boy, Crutchy only smiled and waved his hand.
"Dat's okay. Say, why ain'tcha swimming?" he asked. Teo shrugged.
"I'd feel odd. I mean, they're Anthony's friends, not mine." The boy stared at him in wonder. "What?" he asked, feeling odd.
"Ya called Race Anthony? He'd nevah let any a us call him dat. He says he hates it. Likes Race much bedda. I gotta say, it fits him bedda. Can't say I see a kid called Anthony doin' all da stuff Race does." Teo glanced at his cousin, who had just attacked the boy he met, Jack, and jumped on his back. He thought, how different this Racetrack is than the Anthony I know. It's as if Racetrack is who he really is, and Anthony is his nick name.
"So you're a newsie?" Teo asked. Crutchy nodded.
"Only time when dis gimp leg a mine comes in handy." Teo frowned.
""What do you mean?" Crutchy went on to describe the finer points of selling the papers. The life intrigued Teo, who listened with interest. He was so fascinated that he failed to notice the other newsies climbing out of the water until the yelling began.
Race climbed out of the water, running his fingers through his hair, and grinned at Jack. Jack tossed his hair back and forth, like a dog, spraying all his friends who protested half-heartedly.
"So Race," he said as Race yanked on his shoes. "Ya selling' wid us?' Race shook his head.
"Nah, I gotta get back." Jack frowned. He didn't want to admit to his fear that Race was finally letting go of his old life. He had noticed his friend's absence the last two days and the growing coldness between them. There used to be a time when they could sit on the roof and smoke, just the two of them, and not say a word and the air between them would be perfectly comfortable. Something his mother once told him was that you knew you had a true friend when you could sit together and not say a word and be perfectly happy. Now there was a tension in Race's stature, a coldness in his voice. And it frightened Jack.
"Ya ain't been sellin', Race. Wassa madda, ya get too good foah us?" Blink asked, voicing the question in Jack's heart. He had meant it as a joke, but from the look on Race's face, he didn't take it as such.
"I ain't been selling, because I don't need ta." Race answered. "Why should I keep sellin' when I gots money? Besides, I got's bedda tings ta do wid me time." It was a lie, a downright lie. There was nothing keeping him going but the thought of hawking his headlines, and retaining something of his old life, but he was angry. At his friends, at his Uncle, at himself, so angry and he tended to take his anger out on the closest person, at the moment Jack.
"Yeah? So why do ya keep comin' back?" Jack asked, his voice rising with his temper. Spot was right, Race had turned his back on his friends.
"Well, I ain't comin' back again!" Race yelled. "I don't need ya! I don't need dis!" he reached into his pocket and pulled out the cigar, throwing it to the ground, "I don't need dis!" He ripped the pocket watch off its chain and threw it to the ground, sending it sailing to land at Jack's feet. "And I don't need dese!" he reached into his back pocket and threw the pack of cards to the ground, causing them to scatter.
It was the ultimate end to everything. Those cards were who he was, who he had become in his years as a newsie. They symbolized so much of him, Jack had given them to him. And the pocket watch, his mother had given it to him as a child. Jack watched as Race turned on his heels and marched off, pulling his younger cousin behind him.
The other newsies watched in horror and sadness as Jack bent down and picked up the pocket watch, staring at it, instead of the sight of his friends vanishing back. The cards he left, watching them as they caught the breeze and sailed out over the water on the wind.