HEY HEY HEY,
Sorry for the day between chapters, but I felt the need for a day off. I'm back on track, not sure for how long though. OH! AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T SEEN X2, I ADVISE YOU TO DO SO NOW!! Now, for SOs!
Sureshot Higgins: You want to build a closet? I have an empty closet you can use. Look…it's a walk-in…
Celtic Lass: I take it you are happy to see Crutchy…HEHEHE. Don't hurt yourself, now.
Hotshot: Sorry about your computer problem. How did the talent show go? How did Specs behave???
Sqky0o7: It's official…YOU'RE A FREAK! Welcome to the club. Evil Itey? TEE HEE.
GypsyRuth: THAT IS THE POINT OF FICS…TO TAKE OVER YOUR MIND!! MWAHAHA…I'll stop now.
Klover: WRITE MORE!!! Now that you have me reading it you can't just stop.
Southern Spell: I love going back into the closet…'tis fun…
Spatz: I liked the Chicago dealy…the ending was cool.
Jo: You have no idea how happy your reviews make me! THEY ARE SO SWEET!!! I was so worried people weren't going to like the fact that the boys gave him the crutch. I'M HAPPY YOU DID! Oh…and have fun with Mush…
Unnamed: You bring up a very valid point…I shall wait until AFTER I get your review for the last chapter…
Ponine: WOO HOO!! YOU LIKED IT!! HURRAY FOR ITEY'S TOP GOIL!!
Thumbsucker Snitch: Are you Lute on the NML? If so, then I already knew that. If not…oops. That's right…snuggle with your straight jacket…it only makes it tighter.
BlackFire: Hmm…I knew that about the work dork…but I prefer the OTHER meaning. I bet Skittery likes his closet time…just don't break him. You make me feel so special with all that envy talk. But I am a geek (there, I didn't say dork…DOH!).
AND THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO READ IT!!! Now...BOOTS!
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His heart was on the streets. After all, that's where he grew up.
Arvis and his mother were cold, hungry, and alone, but forced to
face the world and survive. They had to deal with the bitter cold of
winter and the miserable heat of summer. How could they not? They
slept where they could and supported themselves by shining shoes. It
may not have given them shelter, but it gave them food and that was
enough for the times being.
The cold of winter finally took a toll on his mother, who passed
away frozen and ill in an alley on the edge of Manhattan. That's the
price you pay for being lower class. Arvis kept going, though. What
was the alternative? Well, one came along when Bumlets and Dutchy
walked by his shoe shine corner one day. Curious, the two newsboys
asked the young man how well shining shoes paid, and when he told
them they offered to show him the ropes of being a newsie. After
all, the pay was better and shelter usually comes with the job.
Reluctant, Arvis agreed, and sold papers for a day, as a trial
basis. Of course, at this time there was a war to deal with, so the
headlines were often good and fed you well. So, after that trial
day, Arvis joined the group of newsboys and, for the first time in
his life, actually had somewhere besides the street to sleep.
His past was still strong with him, and he enjoyed shining shoes,
even if he wasn't paid for it. So, occasionally when it was a rainy
night out and there was nothing to do, Arvis would find himself
shining the other boys' boots. Boots, they nicknamed him, because
his love with his old profession which had now transformed itself
into a hobby. What he found so interesting about it was beyond me,
but whatever made him happy was good enough for us.
We knew he wasn't a permanent newsboy the second he walked through
that door. His heart was more into shining shoes than selling
papers, but he was able to make ends meet selling. Maybe not during
the strike, but for the rest of the time it fed him and kept him
warm, with a bit of money in his pockets. He had had his fun being a
newsboy, and simply felt that it was time to go. Of course, not
before shining the boots of everyone in the lodging house first.
Some people shock you with the person they have become. Not Boots,
with his small shop where he made and sold shoes of all types. Boots
is the name, yet so few people realize it has a double meaning,
referring to the merchandise and the person inside. He still goes by
that name. He's gotten used to it, I guess. Others may not feel he
has the best job the world can offer, but he is content. I still
didn't see what was so interesting about shoes, but whatever made
him happy is still good enough for us.
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There's Boots, hope you like it. You know where I'm off to...
Stretch