Les in Irving Hall
A short story from Les' point of view, set in Irving Hall when Jack first
brings Davey and Les there after being chased by Snyder.
I ran behind my big brother, David. We were following my new hero, Jack Kelly, or Cowboy, as he ran away from someone he referred to as 'da bulls". Finally, David stopped Jack. "I'm not running any further." He informed Jack firmly. Cowboy grabbed David's shoulders for a moment before leading us into a building. I followed eagerly. Anywhere Jack goes I'll go too. I figured, pleased when David followed us. Inside were all sorts of wonders. Where are we? I thought, wandering off to explore the place. While I was looking around, I half - listened to what Jack and David were saying. "I want some answers." My brother demanded. "Who is he, why is he chasing you, and what is this Refuge?" I remembered that 'da bull' had yelled something about a Refuge What is that? I wondered, moving closer to Jack. "The Refuge is dis jail fer kids. Da guy chasin' me is Snyder. He's da warden." I was shocked. "You were in jail?" I asked Cowboy, who nodded. "Why?" Jack smirked, "Well, I was starvin', so I stole some food." I believed him right away and turned away to continue my exploration, but David wasn't so sure. "Right, food." He tested Jack, who answered smartly, "Yeah, food." I started to push my head into this big horse head thing, but David pulled me out by my pants. What was that for? I looked at my big brother angrily, but he was still questioning Jack. What's David's problem? Doesn't he believe Jack? I listened again. "He called ya Sullivan." David said, looking straight at Jack. "Yeah, my name's Kelly, Jack Kelly. You think I'm lyin'?" David still seemed doubtful. "Well, you have a way of improving the truth." Cowboy seemed irritated - I could hardly blame him, my brother was being a jerk! "Yeah?" my hero started, but he was interrupted by something big and purple on the stairs. "Out, out out!" the thing appeared to be a woman, and she seemed mad. But Jack wasn't worried, and I watched him saunter right up to the purple lady. "You wouldn't kick me out without a kiss good-bye, would ya Medda?" he kidded her. Kiss good-bye? Who would want to kiss that.that.thing? But the lady or Medda as she was, calmed down. "Oh, Kelly!" she said, smothering Jack's face against her shoulder. Or is that her.I wondered, still watching the scene unfolding in front of me. "I miss seeing you up in the balcony." She said as Jack took her hand and held to his lips. "Hangin' on yer every word." She and Jack looked at each other for another minute, and then Jack remembered David and me. "So Medda." He began. "Yes?" He started to help her down the stairs. What, she can't get down herself? I wondered, but acted polite. Gosh, I should be on stage. I thought. I was acting like the people in the vaudeville stages did. "Dis is David, and Les." Medda greeted us like a true American. "Hello." She said simply. "And dis is da greatest star of the vaudeville stage today, Miss Medda Larkson." So we were in a vaudeville theater - jiminiy! These places were so interesting. Medda cooed and fluttered her big purple feather. "Velcome gentlemen." She said, bowing. "Medda also owns da joint." Jack added proudly. "Well, what have we here?" Medda wondered, looking at me and stooping over a little. What do I look like, lady? A fluffy cat? I'm a kid, one that needs some air, so don't get too close with that perfume. I thought rudely. "Oh, aren't you just the cutest little fella that ever was.oh yes you are." She fawned, brushing that annoying purple feather over my face. Suddenly, a brilliant thought popped into my mind - use this weird lady to my advantage! I coughed a little. "Ohh.are you all right?" she asked gently. That's it, lady. I pulled out my paper and asked in the weakest voice I could muster, "Buy me last pape, lady?" She seemed surprised. "Ohh, you are good!" she exclaimed. What the heck? I wondered. Had I been found out? "Oh, this kid is really good!" she said, turning around and touching Jack lightly before turning back to me and telling me, "Speaking from one professional to another, I'd say you got a great future!" She fluffed the feather around my face again, and I tried to smile. "Say Medda, is it all right if we stay here for a little while? Just till a little problem outside goes away." Medda nodded happily. "Sure, sure stay as long at you like." Jack grinned. "Uh, Toby, just give my guests whatever they want." Who's Toby? I wondered, but I figured that out soon enough, when this fat guy wearing a freaky mask stepped over and offered me a tray of candy. "Lads, whatever you'd like. Gum drops, gum drops.licorice whips." He enticed me, and I readily accepted all the candy I could hold glancing over my shoulder as Jack pulled David by his tie. Well, maybe all the feather dusting wasn't for nothing. I thought as I followed Jack and David, happily stuffing my face.
I ran behind my big brother, David. We were following my new hero, Jack Kelly, or Cowboy, as he ran away from someone he referred to as 'da bulls". Finally, David stopped Jack. "I'm not running any further." He informed Jack firmly. Cowboy grabbed David's shoulders for a moment before leading us into a building. I followed eagerly. Anywhere Jack goes I'll go too. I figured, pleased when David followed us. Inside were all sorts of wonders. Where are we? I thought, wandering off to explore the place. While I was looking around, I half - listened to what Jack and David were saying. "I want some answers." My brother demanded. "Who is he, why is he chasing you, and what is this Refuge?" I remembered that 'da bull' had yelled something about a Refuge What is that? I wondered, moving closer to Jack. "The Refuge is dis jail fer kids. Da guy chasin' me is Snyder. He's da warden." I was shocked. "You were in jail?" I asked Cowboy, who nodded. "Why?" Jack smirked, "Well, I was starvin', so I stole some food." I believed him right away and turned away to continue my exploration, but David wasn't so sure. "Right, food." He tested Jack, who answered smartly, "Yeah, food." I started to push my head into this big horse head thing, but David pulled me out by my pants. What was that for? I looked at my big brother angrily, but he was still questioning Jack. What's David's problem? Doesn't he believe Jack? I listened again. "He called ya Sullivan." David said, looking straight at Jack. "Yeah, my name's Kelly, Jack Kelly. You think I'm lyin'?" David still seemed doubtful. "Well, you have a way of improving the truth." Cowboy seemed irritated - I could hardly blame him, my brother was being a jerk! "Yeah?" my hero started, but he was interrupted by something big and purple on the stairs. "Out, out out!" the thing appeared to be a woman, and she seemed mad. But Jack wasn't worried, and I watched him saunter right up to the purple lady. "You wouldn't kick me out without a kiss good-bye, would ya Medda?" he kidded her. Kiss good-bye? Who would want to kiss that.that.thing? But the lady or Medda as she was, calmed down. "Oh, Kelly!" she said, smothering Jack's face against her shoulder. Or is that her.I wondered, still watching the scene unfolding in front of me. "I miss seeing you up in the balcony." She said as Jack took her hand and held to his lips. "Hangin' on yer every word." She and Jack looked at each other for another minute, and then Jack remembered David and me. "So Medda." He began. "Yes?" He started to help her down the stairs. What, she can't get down herself? I wondered, but acted polite. Gosh, I should be on stage. I thought. I was acting like the people in the vaudeville stages did. "Dis is David, and Les." Medda greeted us like a true American. "Hello." She said simply. "And dis is da greatest star of the vaudeville stage today, Miss Medda Larkson." So we were in a vaudeville theater - jiminiy! These places were so interesting. Medda cooed and fluttered her big purple feather. "Velcome gentlemen." She said, bowing. "Medda also owns da joint." Jack added proudly. "Well, what have we here?" Medda wondered, looking at me and stooping over a little. What do I look like, lady? A fluffy cat? I'm a kid, one that needs some air, so don't get too close with that perfume. I thought rudely. "Oh, aren't you just the cutest little fella that ever was.oh yes you are." She fawned, brushing that annoying purple feather over my face. Suddenly, a brilliant thought popped into my mind - use this weird lady to my advantage! I coughed a little. "Ohh.are you all right?" she asked gently. That's it, lady. I pulled out my paper and asked in the weakest voice I could muster, "Buy me last pape, lady?" She seemed surprised. "Ohh, you are good!" she exclaimed. What the heck? I wondered. Had I been found out? "Oh, this kid is really good!" she said, turning around and touching Jack lightly before turning back to me and telling me, "Speaking from one professional to another, I'd say you got a great future!" She fluffed the feather around my face again, and I tried to smile. "Say Medda, is it all right if we stay here for a little while? Just till a little problem outside goes away." Medda nodded happily. "Sure, sure stay as long at you like." Jack grinned. "Uh, Toby, just give my guests whatever they want." Who's Toby? I wondered, but I figured that out soon enough, when this fat guy wearing a freaky mask stepped over and offered me a tray of candy. "Lads, whatever you'd like. Gum drops, gum drops.licorice whips." He enticed me, and I readily accepted all the candy I could hold glancing over my shoulder as Jack pulled David by his tie. Well, maybe all the feather dusting wasn't for nothing. I thought as I followed Jack and David, happily stuffing my face.
