FINALLY, all you Mush fans can breathe easy now! He has been
written!! YAY!!

CiCi: NO PROBLEM!! It wouldn't have been a fic with ALL the newsies without a Spot chapter!

Hotshot: You're letting me borrow him? We'll share him! He's lanky enough to go around. There is something about Spot we HAVE to like, whether you like it or not. We can still make jokes about him every now and then though! If he was 5'1" at 14, I am sure he grew. I don't know if it's a good thing or not that I gave Spot substance for you.

Klover: The jig was on the house! There are plenty more where that came from. Me and Specs are just hiding…I swear…but please knock and wait a few seconds if you need to open the door.

Jaede Loriele Conlon: All newsie fans should be given a good dosage of love every now and then!

Southern Spell: THANKS!!! Hopefully this one won't disappoint!

Sqky0o7: Silly General Spot impressions are fun!!! I hoped people would like the last bit!! I hate bad endings.

GypsyRuth: You forgot about Spot? Eh, you're forgiven. Had it been Specs on the other hand…

Jo: YAY!! A NEW REVIEWER!!! And one that makes me feel incredibly special, no doubt! ROCK ON! You have made me blush…and then go into seizures. This is what feeling special does to me!
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Naivety was his most distinguishing quality. He was an entirely
sophomoric child since the moment I first lay my eyes on him. He was
kind and had an unmistakable wit, yet he lacked the street smarts
all boys gain through their experiences on the streets. I think he
just wanted to trust people, to believe that everyone was good and
those that weren't could be. He smiled when things were rough, and
made a game out of every occasion, good or bad. Mush was truly one
of the most compassionate people I have ever had the pleasure of
knowing.

He never knew his father, and never knew what happened to him
either. Whether the man was dead or just gone was a mystery to the
young man, and was kept so by his distant mother. Maternal instinct
was lost on the woman, and she often gave cold stares instead of
comforting words to her son. Why people like this choose to
reproduce is beyond me, but it's not always a bad thing when they
do. We did get Mush out of it.

He tried to stay with her, hoping desperately with each day that
went by she would see the error of her ways and love him. I think he
still prayed for it after she kicked him out and was forced to fend
for himself. Mush had been sleeping on the streets for some time
before Jack came across him, cold and hungry in an alley. Cowboy
introduced himself, offered the kid a bit of money for some food at
a local stand, and talked to him about his life as a newsie. Before
we knew it, Mush was living in the lodging house and selling seventy-
five papers on a good day. At least he finally belonged somewhere.

Mush was always with a girl. He was a good kid, and a gentleman to
the core. There was something about having a female near him that
made him feel good about himself and forget any problems he may
have. He wasn't necessarily romantic, none of the boys were, but he
did have a bit of charm mixed into that offbeat personality of his.
The fact that he was compassionate, loyal, and easy to talk to may
have helped a bit. Girls tend to go for those things.

He didn't want to go, but knew he had to. If he stayed, he would be
a newsie until the day he died, and would never live up to his
potential. He may have been of the working class, but potential
counts for something, no matter how low you are. At least, that's
what we told ourselves in order to get up in the morning. He packed
his bags and searched elsewhere for a place to call home and a job
to make ends meet. That was the only time I don't remember him
having a smile on his face.

All he ever wanted was to be loved. He finally got that from being a
husband and a father. He at last had the love of a woman, even if it
did take years to get it. His talent for making everything a game
came in handy with children around. I saw him every now and then,
and still do. After all, everyone sees him on occasion, seeing as he
is a performer at Irving Hall. He was always performing when he was
a newsie, why not do it professionally? Medda took him on as a new
talent when he left the lodging house, and has been there ever
since. "She's giving Irving Hall to me when she leaves. Says she
knows I will take care of it," he told me after a show. Mush put on
one of those smiles, and began to entertain his little ones for a
bit. He may be grown up, but I still see him as that naïve child
still wanting to trust the world around him, no matter how hard it
is on him.
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Mush chapter completed. NOW on to the next newsie...RIGHT after a
little "hiding" in the closet with Specs!

Stretch