Chapter 2
At Tibby's
When the hour got to be too late to be out selling papers, Jack and his newsies could typically be found at Tibby's. This night was no exception. When Spot and Phil entered, they found the room filled with boys talking and joking amongst themselves. Spot approached the middle of the room, but Phil stayed back, still wary. She took the time to look around the establishment. It was a nice little diner with an almost homey atmoshephere. The owner's must have been pretty nice folks to allow all of the newsies to congregate there. Several restuarants didn't allow "street rats" in their establishments, because they felt it was bad for business.
"Look at dis! Spot's here!" One boy, who stood supported by a single wooden crutch, announced. The room became quiet for a a long moment, the boys wondering if Spot was here with good or bad tidings. Spot Conlon had the tendency to make some of the newsies a bit "noivous" sometimes, but upon seeing a disarming grin brightening his expression, the other boys were soon greeting him with cheers and loud calls of welcome.
Phil began to think she was quite forgotten as she watched Spot laugh and joke around a bit with his friends, but in truth, Spot was watching her closely. "Fellas, I'se got someone I'd like yas ta meet." He addressed his comrades when he'd taken time to greet them properly. He waited until the boys were silent before continuing. "I'd like yas to meet my new friend, Phil."
The group all looked around the room, expecting to see one of Spot's usual new Brooklyn buddies. They knew that if Spot was feeling charitable, he sometimes took a boy under his wing and taught them the ropes of 'carrying the banner'. They began looking at each other questioningly, beginning to wonder if Spot had lost his marbles, but none of them daring to ask as much aloud. Finally, Mush spoke up. "Uh...Where is he?"
Spot reached over, hitting Mush upside the head. "Not he, ya numb skull." He walked to Philippa, took her by the arm, and pretty much dragged her into the midst of the group. "This is Phil."
There were low murmurs from the group, too difficult to decipher. They all eyed her closely. The girl's face was slightly smudged with dirt and the boy's shirt and suspendered trousers were all too big for her slender frame, but she was undeniably pretty in a vivid, odd sort of way. She had hair that was a glossy chestnut color and fell down to the middle of her back. Beneath dark brows were those big, violet eyes framed behind incredibly long lashes. Already, many of the young men found themselves bewitched by those eyes of hers. Her crooked mouth was as red as a rose, and for an instant, it formed into a wonderful, crooked smile over small, straight, white teeth.
Philippa's head was practically spinning when Spot began the introductions. Apparently, he thought she should meet each and every one of the Manhatton Newsies. "This is Mush...Racetrack...Specs...Kid Blink...Skittery...Snipeshooter...Boots...Crutchy..." The boy from Brooklyn prattled on. Phil just hoped that she wasn't expected to remember all of their names. She told herself that it didn't matter anyway. She figured that she'd get a nice meal and would be on her way. She was brought back from her thoughts as Spot finished up the seemingly endless introductions with, "And dis here is Jacky-Boy."
Phil found herself struggling to stifle a laugh. "Jacky-Boy?" Her eyebrows arched questioningly.
Jack grinned good-naturedly. "A name only me closest pals can get away with callin' me."
Race surprised Phil by taking her hand and pressing it to his lips, in imitation of the ritzy gentlemen he had often seen at the racetrack. "My my. What a lovely lady we have with is this evenin'."
Philippa casually pulled her hand away, laughing in what seemed to be a blend of embarrassment and nervousness. "I know you ain't talking about me." Race began to reply, but Spot intervened by asking Phil if she was ready to get something to eat. The girl nodded, and he found them a table slightly apart from the others.
So what do ya think about Jack's newsies?" Spot asked, as he eyed the menu.
"They'se seem alright." As she spoke, Spot peered at her from over the top of his menu. There was something unnatural about her speech. It seemed to Spot almost as if she were trying too deliberately to talk like a kid who'd been living on the streets. This succeeded only in heightening his curiousity.
It was at about that time when a waiter approached their table. He was an older gentleman with gentle eyes and a kind smile. "Hello Spot. Its been a while since I've seen you around here." He turned, bobbing his head in greeting to Philippa briefly before focusing once more on Spot. "What can I get for you and your lady friend?" As he referred to Philippa as Spot's 'lady friend', he gave the newsie a consiritorial wink which almost caused the reknowned Spot Conlon to blush.
Spot was not the only one who saw the wink, however, and Phil began to realize that everyone had assumed that she was Spot's girl. She opened her mouth to speak, her eyes flashing angrily, but Spot, recognizing the look as one similar to one he himself got when getting ready to let someone have it, shot her a glance that made her think again. Instead, she ordered a roast beef sandwich and a soda. Spot placed his own order, and the waiter went off to insure that it got prepared.
Philippa's gaze was piercing as she glared at the boy sitting across from her. "Now everyone thinks that--"
"Now listen here. Ya can't go around insulting me chums." Spot interjected. " 'Sides, nobody thinks nothin'." Spot's frowned, glancing at his reflection in the window to his left. He wondered if a girl being involved with him was truly as awful as she made it seem. (AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yes, yes. I know. She's being downright foolish, but Phil is a stubborn little thing. She's yet to realize the greatness that is Spot Conlon.)
Phil leaned back in the booth, crossing her arms over her chest, sulkily. They sat in silence until their food arrived. Fortunately, the waiter was prompt and didn't take long to return. He sat their food in front of them, and for a couple of minutes, Phil just sat there looking at the sandwich, as if waiting for it to disappear. Finally, she picked it up and scarfed it down. Spot, as he had pointed out to his friends once or twice before, had "a brain and more than just half of one." He had more sense than to stare at her less-than-ladylike table manners. He knew firsthand how it was to go for days with little or no food. He began eating his own sandwich.
After a while, he looked across at Phil. "Good?' He asked, the word muffled from the bite he'd just taken from his sandwich.
Phil swallowed the remainder of her food and grinned, "Yeah. It was great." She looked up and her eyes fell upon Spot's undeniably handsome face, but she quickly looked away when he started to bring his blue eyed gaze to meet her own violet one. "Thank you." She murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Spot, in an effort to ease the awkwardness, stood to his feet, motioning to the counter. "I'll be back." He mumbled. She nodded, and leaned back with a sigh as she watched him walk across the room.
When the hour got to be too late to be out selling papers, Jack and his newsies could typically be found at Tibby's. This night was no exception. When Spot and Phil entered, they found the room filled with boys talking and joking amongst themselves. Spot approached the middle of the room, but Phil stayed back, still wary. She took the time to look around the establishment. It was a nice little diner with an almost homey atmoshephere. The owner's must have been pretty nice folks to allow all of the newsies to congregate there. Several restuarants didn't allow "street rats" in their establishments, because they felt it was bad for business.
"Look at dis! Spot's here!" One boy, who stood supported by a single wooden crutch, announced. The room became quiet for a a long moment, the boys wondering if Spot was here with good or bad tidings. Spot Conlon had the tendency to make some of the newsies a bit "noivous" sometimes, but upon seeing a disarming grin brightening his expression, the other boys were soon greeting him with cheers and loud calls of welcome.
Phil began to think she was quite forgotten as she watched Spot laugh and joke around a bit with his friends, but in truth, Spot was watching her closely. "Fellas, I'se got someone I'd like yas ta meet." He addressed his comrades when he'd taken time to greet them properly. He waited until the boys were silent before continuing. "I'd like yas to meet my new friend, Phil."
The group all looked around the room, expecting to see one of Spot's usual new Brooklyn buddies. They knew that if Spot was feeling charitable, he sometimes took a boy under his wing and taught them the ropes of 'carrying the banner'. They began looking at each other questioningly, beginning to wonder if Spot had lost his marbles, but none of them daring to ask as much aloud. Finally, Mush spoke up. "Uh...Where is he?"
Spot reached over, hitting Mush upside the head. "Not he, ya numb skull." He walked to Philippa, took her by the arm, and pretty much dragged her into the midst of the group. "This is Phil."
There were low murmurs from the group, too difficult to decipher. They all eyed her closely. The girl's face was slightly smudged with dirt and the boy's shirt and suspendered trousers were all too big for her slender frame, but she was undeniably pretty in a vivid, odd sort of way. She had hair that was a glossy chestnut color and fell down to the middle of her back. Beneath dark brows were those big, violet eyes framed behind incredibly long lashes. Already, many of the young men found themselves bewitched by those eyes of hers. Her crooked mouth was as red as a rose, and for an instant, it formed into a wonderful, crooked smile over small, straight, white teeth.
Philippa's head was practically spinning when Spot began the introductions. Apparently, he thought she should meet each and every one of the Manhatton Newsies. "This is Mush...Racetrack...Specs...Kid Blink...Skittery...Snipeshooter...Boots...Crutchy..." The boy from Brooklyn prattled on. Phil just hoped that she wasn't expected to remember all of their names. She told herself that it didn't matter anyway. She figured that she'd get a nice meal and would be on her way. She was brought back from her thoughts as Spot finished up the seemingly endless introductions with, "And dis here is Jacky-Boy."
Phil found herself struggling to stifle a laugh. "Jacky-Boy?" Her eyebrows arched questioningly.
Jack grinned good-naturedly. "A name only me closest pals can get away with callin' me."
Race surprised Phil by taking her hand and pressing it to his lips, in imitation of the ritzy gentlemen he had often seen at the racetrack. "My my. What a lovely lady we have with is this evenin'."
Philippa casually pulled her hand away, laughing in what seemed to be a blend of embarrassment and nervousness. "I know you ain't talking about me." Race began to reply, but Spot intervened by asking Phil if she was ready to get something to eat. The girl nodded, and he found them a table slightly apart from the others.
So what do ya think about Jack's newsies?" Spot asked, as he eyed the menu.
"They'se seem alright." As she spoke, Spot peered at her from over the top of his menu. There was something unnatural about her speech. It seemed to Spot almost as if she were trying too deliberately to talk like a kid who'd been living on the streets. This succeeded only in heightening his curiousity.
It was at about that time when a waiter approached their table. He was an older gentleman with gentle eyes and a kind smile. "Hello Spot. Its been a while since I've seen you around here." He turned, bobbing his head in greeting to Philippa briefly before focusing once more on Spot. "What can I get for you and your lady friend?" As he referred to Philippa as Spot's 'lady friend', he gave the newsie a consiritorial wink which almost caused the reknowned Spot Conlon to blush.
Spot was not the only one who saw the wink, however, and Phil began to realize that everyone had assumed that she was Spot's girl. She opened her mouth to speak, her eyes flashing angrily, but Spot, recognizing the look as one similar to one he himself got when getting ready to let someone have it, shot her a glance that made her think again. Instead, she ordered a roast beef sandwich and a soda. Spot placed his own order, and the waiter went off to insure that it got prepared.
Philippa's gaze was piercing as she glared at the boy sitting across from her. "Now everyone thinks that--"
"Now listen here. Ya can't go around insulting me chums." Spot interjected. " 'Sides, nobody thinks nothin'." Spot's frowned, glancing at his reflection in the window to his left. He wondered if a girl being involved with him was truly as awful as she made it seem. (AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yes, yes. I know. She's being downright foolish, but Phil is a stubborn little thing. She's yet to realize the greatness that is Spot Conlon.)
Phil leaned back in the booth, crossing her arms over her chest, sulkily. They sat in silence until their food arrived. Fortunately, the waiter was prompt and didn't take long to return. He sat their food in front of them, and for a couple of minutes, Phil just sat there looking at the sandwich, as if waiting for it to disappear. Finally, she picked it up and scarfed it down. Spot, as he had pointed out to his friends once or twice before, had "a brain and more than just half of one." He had more sense than to stare at her less-than-ladylike table manners. He knew firsthand how it was to go for days with little or no food. He began eating his own sandwich.
After a while, he looked across at Phil. "Good?' He asked, the word muffled from the bite he'd just taken from his sandwich.
Phil swallowed the remainder of her food and grinned, "Yeah. It was great." She looked up and her eyes fell upon Spot's undeniably handsome face, but she quickly looked away when he started to bring his blue eyed gaze to meet her own violet one. "Thank you." She murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Spot, in an effort to ease the awkwardness, stood to his feet, motioning to the counter. "I'll be back." He mumbled. She nodded, and leaned back with a sigh as she watched him walk across the room.
