Sweets stepped off the train. She remembered where she was vaguely. She
took her suitcase and walked in the direction where she thought the
Manhattan Newsboys Lodging House was. When she finally found the old
building it was around 10:30. Most of the boys were in the bunkroom playing
poker or talking chasing each other around the room. Sweets just happened
to walk in the night that Spot was staying in the lodging house.
"Hello Miss, what can I do for you?" Kloppman asked Sweets from behind the desk. "Hiya, I was wondering if you'se had a place to stay, um Mista Kloppman." Kloppman looked at her. She reminded him of some people at the lodging house but he couldn't figure it out.
From outside there were three people singing "High times Hard times" Jack Spot and Race walked in together, signed in, paid Kloppman and Stopped. "Hey Kloppman, who's dis?" They all looked at Sweets. "Hiya fellas I'se, uh Sweets." She said. That was a close one she had almost said Sarah and who knows what the hell would have happened. "Hiya Sweets." They said in Unison. "Hi Tony, Hi Frankie, Hi Ben." They stared at her. "Err I mean Hiya boys."
"Sarah Elisabeth Higgins!" Jack Yelled at her. He didn't mean to be so cruel. He had missed her. They all had. Nonetheless she hated when people used her full name even if it was her brothers whom she loved to death.
"How Many Fucking times do I'se have ta tell ya's not ta call me dat! I'm so fucking sick of you tree' always callin me by me full name. I ain't in da best of moods right now. Maybe comin back ta Manhattan was a big mistake. Me best friend died a week ago. I'se figure it's time ta come back and see me family and dis is what I'se gets. Sarah Elisabeth Higgins. No hugs. No how ya been. Just the begging of what I'se know is a lecture from me big brudda's!"
She was pissed. She was beyond pissed. "Sit your spoiled ass down now!" Yelled Spot. He too had a bad attitude and was worried sick about his baby sista. "Kloppman we'll take it from here. " He nodded, now figuring out that they were all related he knew that she was alright and that she could stay with them.
"No, I ain't goin nowhere but ta bed!" She walked over to the staircase but was stopped, picked up and thrown over Racetrack's shoulder. "Let go of me now Anthony Joseph Higgins." "Sorry Sweets. We needs ta have a lil talk wit you'se! We missed ya! You was gone for 4 yeahs. We missed ya terribly and now you're treatin' us like shit, God Sweets you'se gots a lotta balls!"
"I'm not the one who left and sold newspapers and didn't even consider taking my sista along. Me, I was beaten, bruised, abused, for two years after you left. One night I decided to take action. I'se went ta Chicago to live, and believe me live I did but now I'se back. All I'se wants is sleep. I ain't got no sleep for da past week cuz me best friend got shot while we'se was comin home!" At this point Sweets was crying, she was crying so hard that it was hard to breathe. Within minutes she passed out on the floor. The boys brought her upstairs and laid her down on her bunk. The rest of the boys stared at them.
"Nobody say nuthin I'se soak ya if ya come near me sista! Same goes for Jack and Race!"
All the boys looked very confused. Kid Blink saw her and fell head over heals in love with her. "Uh Jack? Race? Spot? I know dis may sound a lil stupid, but what's goin on hea?" Kid Blink asked out of curiosity.
"Well ya see Blink-" "Ya see Blink what Race is tryin ta say and what Jacky boy hea will say a couple O' times is dat dis goil is our sista Sweets Higgins and if you lay one fuckin' finga on her you'se dead shit Blink." Spot stated with edge in his voice. He had gotten his temper back.
"Hello Miss, what can I do for you?" Kloppman asked Sweets from behind the desk. "Hiya, I was wondering if you'se had a place to stay, um Mista Kloppman." Kloppman looked at her. She reminded him of some people at the lodging house but he couldn't figure it out.
From outside there were three people singing "High times Hard times" Jack Spot and Race walked in together, signed in, paid Kloppman and Stopped. "Hey Kloppman, who's dis?" They all looked at Sweets. "Hiya fellas I'se, uh Sweets." She said. That was a close one she had almost said Sarah and who knows what the hell would have happened. "Hiya Sweets." They said in Unison. "Hi Tony, Hi Frankie, Hi Ben." They stared at her. "Err I mean Hiya boys."
"Sarah Elisabeth Higgins!" Jack Yelled at her. He didn't mean to be so cruel. He had missed her. They all had. Nonetheless she hated when people used her full name even if it was her brothers whom she loved to death.
"How Many Fucking times do I'se have ta tell ya's not ta call me dat! I'm so fucking sick of you tree' always callin me by me full name. I ain't in da best of moods right now. Maybe comin back ta Manhattan was a big mistake. Me best friend died a week ago. I'se figure it's time ta come back and see me family and dis is what I'se gets. Sarah Elisabeth Higgins. No hugs. No how ya been. Just the begging of what I'se know is a lecture from me big brudda's!"
She was pissed. She was beyond pissed. "Sit your spoiled ass down now!" Yelled Spot. He too had a bad attitude and was worried sick about his baby sista. "Kloppman we'll take it from here. " He nodded, now figuring out that they were all related he knew that she was alright and that she could stay with them.
"No, I ain't goin nowhere but ta bed!" She walked over to the staircase but was stopped, picked up and thrown over Racetrack's shoulder. "Let go of me now Anthony Joseph Higgins." "Sorry Sweets. We needs ta have a lil talk wit you'se! We missed ya! You was gone for 4 yeahs. We missed ya terribly and now you're treatin' us like shit, God Sweets you'se gots a lotta balls!"
"I'm not the one who left and sold newspapers and didn't even consider taking my sista along. Me, I was beaten, bruised, abused, for two years after you left. One night I decided to take action. I'se went ta Chicago to live, and believe me live I did but now I'se back. All I'se wants is sleep. I ain't got no sleep for da past week cuz me best friend got shot while we'se was comin home!" At this point Sweets was crying, she was crying so hard that it was hard to breathe. Within minutes she passed out on the floor. The boys brought her upstairs and laid her down on her bunk. The rest of the boys stared at them.
"Nobody say nuthin I'se soak ya if ya come near me sista! Same goes for Jack and Race!"
All the boys looked very confused. Kid Blink saw her and fell head over heals in love with her. "Uh Jack? Race? Spot? I know dis may sound a lil stupid, but what's goin on hea?" Kid Blink asked out of curiosity.
"Well ya see Blink-" "Ya see Blink what Race is tryin ta say and what Jacky boy hea will say a couple O' times is dat dis goil is our sista Sweets Higgins and if you lay one fuckin' finga on her you'se dead shit Blink." Spot stated with edge in his voice. He had gotten his temper back.