Twelve o'clock had rolled around and Sarah had now been in labor for three-
and-a-half hours. Sarah lay in the bed in agony while Jack rocked back and
forth in his chair. Jack covered his ears in an attempt to muffle the
screams his wife was uttering but had little luck.
Jack stood up. "I'm gonna check on Racetrack." Jack said over the screams
and headed toward the back bedroom. Jack found his son sitting on his bed,
his eyes wide with terror. "C'mon, kid." Jack led the boy out of the
bedroom. "I'm gonna take Racetrack, Jr. fer some lunch." Sarah gave Jack
a pleading and questioning look. "Don't worry, jist do yer thing and we'll
be back befoah it's ovah."
Jack and Racetrack, Jr. walked down town a short stride to City Hall where
Jack saw many familiar faces. "Heya, Jack! What are ya doin' out and
about?" Mush asked as he spit shook with his old pal.
"Lunch wit my son." Jack said simply. He did not particularly care for
this attention. He was worn out from enduring the screams and in no mood
for chitchat.
"Well, I'd love tah chat but Lindsay's become a newsgoil again and I gotta
go meet her." Mush smiled and slapped Jack on the back. "It was really
good seein' you, Jack. Maybe I'll catch up with ya latah."
"See ya, Mush." Jack said and started walking again. Not a minute later,
Jack ran into Racetrack. "Jack! What 'er ya doin' heah?" Racetrack was
very excited to see his former best friend.
"Takin' lil Race fer a walk." Jack explained, "Sarah's havin' a baby
again."
"An' yer poiposfully not dere?!" Racetrack was surprised, "Ya don't wanna
miss dis one too, Jacky-boy. Don't make 'er name anuddah one aftah me."
Racetrack laughed.
Jack laughed half-heartedly, "Dese tings take a while, don't dey, Race?
I'll be back in time fer dah show."
"Yeah," Racetrack got down to his haunches before Racetrack, Jr. "Heya,
kid, how's it rollin'?" No one had paid any attention to Race, Jr. until
now but the child did not mind--he was too busy staring at his
surroundings. This was his first time out of doors.
"Rollin'." Racetrack, Jr. mimicked and laughed at the word.
Racetrack messed with the kid's hair and stood back up. "Anyways, wheah ya
headed, Cowboy?" Race asked, but put Jack on hold for an answer as he sold
a pape.
"We're goin' tah Tibby's fer some lunch." Jack answered.
"Tibby's, aye. Wouldn't wanna feed a poor newsie, would ya?" Racetrack
tried to look decrepit but could not help but laugh.
Jack pulled the change from his pocket and eyed it for a moment, "I guess
so, Race, but dis bettah be woith my while."
"C'mon Jack, has it been dat long. Ya know any aftahnoon spent wit dis
gamblin' man is woith twice yer while." Racetrack laughed, "Speakin' of
gamblin', I'se gotta game goin' tahnight at dah lodgin' house. Ya up fer
it?"
"Maybe, we'll hafta see how this baby ting goes." The three boys left City
Hall Park and walked toward their old hang-out of Tibby's. It was just
like old times.
