The two boys walked silently down the dirty Manhattan street, neither could think of anything to say that wouldn't make them look stupid. All Skittery could think of was what a great guy Dutchy seemed to be, and that this whole go at being a newsboy was so much more successful than he could have ever imagined. Well, it was only the beginning, and he could....
His thoughts were broke off by the blond boy stopping in front of him. "This is Tibby's, s'where all us guys hang out when we ain't carryin' the banner."
As they entered, the buzz of energy hit them, there were guys of all ages sitting around drinking water, chatting, playing cards and generally socialising. Skittery had never been in that sort of environment before and he suddenly turned bright red.
"Hey guys, this is Skittery, he's come ta live at the lodging house with us... he's gonna be a newsie!" Dutchy made this announcement as if he'd known Skittery for years, he was already treating him like a friend. Suddenly a crowd of curious newsies surrounded Skittery, greeting him, welcoming him to Manhattan.
"Hey, welcome. I'se Specs."
"So, u'se gonna be a newsie... They call me Race, I'se got a hot tip on a horse, won't waste your money..."
"Uh, hi. Bumlets."
One newsie stepped forward, a tall guy, around 17, a cowboy hat hanging around his neck.
"They call me cowboy. Jack's my real name. Jack Kelly. What was you called?"
Skittery looked nervously around him.
"It's Skittery. Uh, always has been, I guess always will be..." What an idiot, he thought to himself. Why did he always have to act dumb when other guys were around...
"Well Skittery" the younger guy said, spitting on his hand, and offering it to Skittery. "Nice ta meet ya" Skittery returned the favour. It was all going so well!
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he could see two guys in the corner, huddled together. He could see they were talking about him by the way they kept looking at him, then at Dutchy, and then laughing. What was the problem?? Did they have a problem with Dutchy? Did they have a problem with him?
As he walked out of Tibby's trailing behind a small gang of newsies, , he forgot his worries and ran to catch up with Dutchy. At least one person seemed to like him...
His thoughts were broke off by the blond boy stopping in front of him. "This is Tibby's, s'where all us guys hang out when we ain't carryin' the banner."
As they entered, the buzz of energy hit them, there were guys of all ages sitting around drinking water, chatting, playing cards and generally socialising. Skittery had never been in that sort of environment before and he suddenly turned bright red.
"Hey guys, this is Skittery, he's come ta live at the lodging house with us... he's gonna be a newsie!" Dutchy made this announcement as if he'd known Skittery for years, he was already treating him like a friend. Suddenly a crowd of curious newsies surrounded Skittery, greeting him, welcoming him to Manhattan.
"Hey, welcome. I'se Specs."
"So, u'se gonna be a newsie... They call me Race, I'se got a hot tip on a horse, won't waste your money..."
"Uh, hi. Bumlets."
One newsie stepped forward, a tall guy, around 17, a cowboy hat hanging around his neck.
"They call me cowboy. Jack's my real name. Jack Kelly. What was you called?"
Skittery looked nervously around him.
"It's Skittery. Uh, always has been, I guess always will be..." What an idiot, he thought to himself. Why did he always have to act dumb when other guys were around...
"Well Skittery" the younger guy said, spitting on his hand, and offering it to Skittery. "Nice ta meet ya" Skittery returned the favour. It was all going so well!
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he could see two guys in the corner, huddled together. He could see they were talking about him by the way they kept looking at him, then at Dutchy, and then laughing. What was the problem?? Did they have a problem with Dutchy? Did they have a problem with him?
As he walked out of Tibby's trailing behind a small gang of newsies, , he forgot his worries and ran to catch up with Dutchy. At least one person seemed to like him...