After selling his last paper, Jack helped his selling partners finish. As
he was handing his last paper to a customer, he turned to David, "I guess I
can't avoid it any longer, let's go meet the gang for lunch."
Once they stepped through the door of the favorite hangout of the newsies, a round of greetings shouted their way. Tibby's was unusually slow for a Wednesday lunch crowd for which Jack was thankful. On the way in, Jack, David, and Les stopped to place their orders with the waiter. After they had their meal orders squared, they looked for a place to sit. Toward the back of the restaurant, were the familiar faces they sought.
"Jack, back here, we saved you guys a seat." Someone from the back flagged them down and yelled.
The trio made their way through the restaurant and found three empty seats against the back wall. David slid in first leaving the outside seat for Jack with Les between them.
"Hey Jack, I bet ya' two bits you can't do this." Hanging a spoon from his elbow a short dark-haired Italian spoke as he showed off his talents.
"Bet Ya', Jack knows better than to take a bet from you." Race, his older brother, scolded.
"Nice try though. In a couple of years he'll be just like his brother."
"Perish the thought." Bet Ya' said rolling his eyes. Up until four days ago, the young boy had been in school. Due to the family tendency toward betting, he was not too politely asked to leave.
Mush was the first one to speak up. "Hey ya, Jack, where were you last night. I wanted to tell you the funny story about what happened to me a Kid while we were selling. You have a late one with Sarah?"
Giving Mush a slight slap on the back of his head, Specs did so out of respect. "Watch your mouth, her brother's here, you jerk."
"Well, guys I was on the roof a couple hours before lights out. I had some thinking to do and it was mostly quiet up there. Except for the few of you who are sore losers, the only noise was a few crickets." He paused looking at David for the strength to go on with his story. Taking a deep breath he was about to start, when someone else had to speak up.
"Yeah, Jack a likely story, you were thinking. Ten to one Jack's improving the truth a little." Racetrack said trying to make money off the other's gullibility as usual.
"Stop Race, he's telling the truth, I was up there with him for awhile last night. Do you remember when you beat me that game and I went out for a breather before coming back so you could beat me again? I didn't say anything because I knew Jack didn't really seem to want visitors."
"Thanks, Kid. I was up on the roof last night after talking to Sarah. As some of you already know, I went over to see her last night to ask her to marry me."
"Yeah, I figured it has something to do with that. So, when's the wedding?
"There isn't going to be a wedding, at least not mine, anytime soon. She is moving upstate to work for a family as a governess."
Mush stood up and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Aww, you're leaving us? We're going to miss you something awful."
"No, Mush, Sarah is leaving me behind the same way she's leaving New York City behind. She's taking the position to help the family as well. The doctor's said Mr. Jacobs would not be able to return to work. In order for them to stay in their apartment, she needs to take the better paying job. She told me last night that she didn't want me to go with her."
"Wow, I knew there was something weighing on your mind last night. I wish I would have asked." Kid decided to keep the part to himself about hearing Jack's sob, a man was entitled to his dignity once and awhile.
"I'm glad you didn't Kid, I knew as soon as I told you guys, it wouldn't be the same for me. I needed some time to think about things and set them straight in my mind. While I don't understand some of what she's doing, I understand parts of it."
"You're talking in circles. What did you just say? Did anyone get what Jack just said? Was it even English?"
"Skittery, you have to pay attention. Jack is speaking the language of a jilted lover. It's sorta English, sort of Greek."
"And Race, just how much experience does you have with the women?"
"Not as much as you Mush, me boy, not as much as you."
Announcing the arrival of more diners, the bell over the door chimed. "Psst, Davie, here's your chance to talk to Khaos."
Once they stepped through the door of the favorite hangout of the newsies, a round of greetings shouted their way. Tibby's was unusually slow for a Wednesday lunch crowd for which Jack was thankful. On the way in, Jack, David, and Les stopped to place their orders with the waiter. After they had their meal orders squared, they looked for a place to sit. Toward the back of the restaurant, were the familiar faces they sought.
"Jack, back here, we saved you guys a seat." Someone from the back flagged them down and yelled.
The trio made their way through the restaurant and found three empty seats against the back wall. David slid in first leaving the outside seat for Jack with Les between them.
"Hey Jack, I bet ya' two bits you can't do this." Hanging a spoon from his elbow a short dark-haired Italian spoke as he showed off his talents.
"Bet Ya', Jack knows better than to take a bet from you." Race, his older brother, scolded.
"Nice try though. In a couple of years he'll be just like his brother."
"Perish the thought." Bet Ya' said rolling his eyes. Up until four days ago, the young boy had been in school. Due to the family tendency toward betting, he was not too politely asked to leave.
Mush was the first one to speak up. "Hey ya, Jack, where were you last night. I wanted to tell you the funny story about what happened to me a Kid while we were selling. You have a late one with Sarah?"
Giving Mush a slight slap on the back of his head, Specs did so out of respect. "Watch your mouth, her brother's here, you jerk."
"Well, guys I was on the roof a couple hours before lights out. I had some thinking to do and it was mostly quiet up there. Except for the few of you who are sore losers, the only noise was a few crickets." He paused looking at David for the strength to go on with his story. Taking a deep breath he was about to start, when someone else had to speak up.
"Yeah, Jack a likely story, you were thinking. Ten to one Jack's improving the truth a little." Racetrack said trying to make money off the other's gullibility as usual.
"Stop Race, he's telling the truth, I was up there with him for awhile last night. Do you remember when you beat me that game and I went out for a breather before coming back so you could beat me again? I didn't say anything because I knew Jack didn't really seem to want visitors."
"Thanks, Kid. I was up on the roof last night after talking to Sarah. As some of you already know, I went over to see her last night to ask her to marry me."
"Yeah, I figured it has something to do with that. So, when's the wedding?
"There isn't going to be a wedding, at least not mine, anytime soon. She is moving upstate to work for a family as a governess."
Mush stood up and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Aww, you're leaving us? We're going to miss you something awful."
"No, Mush, Sarah is leaving me behind the same way she's leaving New York City behind. She's taking the position to help the family as well. The doctor's said Mr. Jacobs would not be able to return to work. In order for them to stay in their apartment, she needs to take the better paying job. She told me last night that she didn't want me to go with her."
"Wow, I knew there was something weighing on your mind last night. I wish I would have asked." Kid decided to keep the part to himself about hearing Jack's sob, a man was entitled to his dignity once and awhile.
"I'm glad you didn't Kid, I knew as soon as I told you guys, it wouldn't be the same for me. I needed some time to think about things and set them straight in my mind. While I don't understand some of what she's doing, I understand parts of it."
"You're talking in circles. What did you just say? Did anyone get what Jack just said? Was it even English?"
"Skittery, you have to pay attention. Jack is speaking the language of a jilted lover. It's sorta English, sort of Greek."
"And Race, just how much experience does you have with the women?"
"Not as much as you Mush, me boy, not as much as you."
Announcing the arrival of more diners, the bell over the door chimed. "Psst, Davie, here's your chance to talk to Khaos."