~*Thanks to all who reviewed and liked! No, Spot's real name isn't
necessarily Mark (in the movie), but I just needed another name, because.
yeah, Spot just won't work. :P I also want to note that I will not be using
dialect writing- please use your imagination when hearing anyone speak :)
*~ Child of the Stage (PS- anyone know any of the character names from
Brooklyn besides Spot? or Why Spot is called Spot?)
It was two years before today that I first met Mark (better known to you all as Spot). My father had run off on me, my mother had died. I was numb with all that had happened to me. My mother had been everything to me. After my father had left, she was my rock-the strong one of the family. And now- now she was gone. I was an orphan. I felt as if no one loved me, as if I was uncared for and I was the only one in the world who had no one.
I was incredibly wrong.
Walking the streets of Brooklyn, alone and cold, and with only a few dollars in change with me, I saw the newsboys hawking headlines and papers. I wondered if they had anyone- if any children with parents were really so desperate and impoverished as to let their children out in dangerous places at all hours of the day. Then I realized that many had no parents- that most of them were probably orphans
Just like me.
I searched around, looking to see if I could find one of the paperboys that looked like they would be willing to help me. I passed a few that gave me dirty looks- as if I was trying to take something from. Others looked at me as a hungry cat eyes its prey. Finally, I saw a younger boy on the corner down to one last paper. I don't know what it was about him that made him seen more approachable, maybe it was his deep blue eyes, or his shy smile, but either way I paused for a moment to say a quick Hail Mary, made myself look a bit more presentable and a bit less scared, and sauntered up to him in a nonchalant way. Hey you," I called out with pseudo-confidence, "how much for a newspaper?"
He looked at me strangely, as if I had said something wrong, "You mean how much for a pape? That'd be a nickel miss" [AN: Much apologies- no clue how much a paper was back then]
"And how much do you pay for a newspaper?" I asked him more seriously.
He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at me, "What's it to you?"
I knew at that point that I could hold it no longer. I let down my guard and decided that the truth was best. "Look kid, I have barely enough money for food and board, I'm cold, and I became an orphan about 2 days ago." I said coldly. I punctuated the last part of my speech to get my point across, "I need a job."
He looked me up and down, his eyes still narrowed in suspicion. I stared back at him coldly, realizing that the only way to make it now was to be cold and tough with people. He suddenly smiled, "well it looks like you could make it. We ain't had many girl newsies lately, I suppose you'll do. You sure have the stare that'll get a point across" I gave him a fake, sarcastic laugh as I tried on my new character- the cold, new me. "C'mon", he said, "there's someone we gotta take you to see. Spot. He's the leader of us. And I would be Knuckles- and just so you know, that means that I ain't afraid to use 'em." He said with a smug look
"Ohhh look, I'm trembling" I said mockingly.
He laughed out loud, and I realized that by being this new, colder person, I had gained acceptance. I fought the urge to smile. "C'mon. let's go."
It was two years before today that I first met Mark (better known to you all as Spot). My father had run off on me, my mother had died. I was numb with all that had happened to me. My mother had been everything to me. After my father had left, she was my rock-the strong one of the family. And now- now she was gone. I was an orphan. I felt as if no one loved me, as if I was uncared for and I was the only one in the world who had no one.
I was incredibly wrong.
Walking the streets of Brooklyn, alone and cold, and with only a few dollars in change with me, I saw the newsboys hawking headlines and papers. I wondered if they had anyone- if any children with parents were really so desperate and impoverished as to let their children out in dangerous places at all hours of the day. Then I realized that many had no parents- that most of them were probably orphans
Just like me.
I searched around, looking to see if I could find one of the paperboys that looked like they would be willing to help me. I passed a few that gave me dirty looks- as if I was trying to take something from. Others looked at me as a hungry cat eyes its prey. Finally, I saw a younger boy on the corner down to one last paper. I don't know what it was about him that made him seen more approachable, maybe it was his deep blue eyes, or his shy smile, but either way I paused for a moment to say a quick Hail Mary, made myself look a bit more presentable and a bit less scared, and sauntered up to him in a nonchalant way. Hey you," I called out with pseudo-confidence, "how much for a newspaper?"
He looked at me strangely, as if I had said something wrong, "You mean how much for a pape? That'd be a nickel miss" [AN: Much apologies- no clue how much a paper was back then]
"And how much do you pay for a newspaper?" I asked him more seriously.
He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at me, "What's it to you?"
I knew at that point that I could hold it no longer. I let down my guard and decided that the truth was best. "Look kid, I have barely enough money for food and board, I'm cold, and I became an orphan about 2 days ago." I said coldly. I punctuated the last part of my speech to get my point across, "I need a job."
He looked me up and down, his eyes still narrowed in suspicion. I stared back at him coldly, realizing that the only way to make it now was to be cold and tough with people. He suddenly smiled, "well it looks like you could make it. We ain't had many girl newsies lately, I suppose you'll do. You sure have the stare that'll get a point across" I gave him a fake, sarcastic laugh as I tried on my new character- the cold, new me. "C'mon", he said, "there's someone we gotta take you to see. Spot. He's the leader of us. And I would be Knuckles- and just so you know, that means that I ain't afraid to use 'em." He said with a smug look
"Ohhh look, I'm trembling" I said mockingly.
He laughed out loud, and I realized that by being this new, colder person, I had gained acceptance. I fought the urge to smile. "C'mon. let's go."