After selling their papes, Mush and Lindsay met up with Blind Dymond and
Tachinya in order to begin their trek to Brooklyn. Lindsay stayed close to
Mush; more than a year had passed since she had last been free to roam the
streets and she was visibly concerned. Upon reaching the docks, the group
caught sight of Spot Conlon. Tachinya seemed surprised to see him,
apparently not realizing that a trip to Brooklyn would mean running into
Spot. Tachinya kept her head down and her mouth shut during the greetings.
"Heya, Spot." Mush started.
"Hey, Mush, how ya been?" Spot was surprised to see a group of Manhattan newsies in Brooklyn. Very few had passed through Brooklyn since the Racetrack-Ritz-Snail incident and those who did avoided visiting the docks. Basically, [though the author hates to put it this way] the situation involving Ritz's infidelity caused some form of hatred between Brooklyn and Manhattan. A good portion of the blame was assigned to Spot for allowing Ritz to carry on as she did and for not telling Racetrack of her promiscuity. A strong friendship was severed because Spot valued Snail more than he did Racetrack. "Is dis Lindsay?" Spot asked, and Lindsay nodded. "I thought ya found a family er somethin'."
"I did, but I have come home, now."
"Well, it's good tah see ya kid." Spot had never known much of Lindsay but tried to put on a pseudo-nice front in hopes to better his name is Manhattan again. As much as Spot desired to be feared, he did not want to be thought of as heartless and cruel. "What all ah ya heah for?"
"We was hopin' tah see Ritz." Blind Dymond spoke up.
"Well, at dis time ah day, she's prob'ly back at dah lodgin' house." Spot explained. "But I gotta warn ya, Snail'll be wit 'er."
Mush and Dymond looked at each other, both knowing the discomfort but Lindsay spoke without counsel. "That's okay." She said.
The group started to leave, "Tachinya?" Spot called to his girl. She turned in response but only glanced at his face before looking away. "Can I talk tah ya fer a bit?" Tachinya did not respond but walked toward Spot and sat on a crate opposite him. "What's wrong wit ya, Tachinya? Why won't ya look at me?"
"What do you think is wrong with me, Spot? You killed my Momoe!" Tachinya's fire was beginning to show through.
"I was tryin' tah stop him from killin' ya!" Spot shouted in return. "An' look what he done tah me!" Spot waved his bandaged arm around causing himself pain which he tried to mask.
"At least you're still alive!" Tachinya retorted.
"Me alive? Yer lucky I was able tah keep YOU alive! All ya care about is dat damn monkey!" Spot was furious at this point.
"I love that monkey!"
"Well, I thought ya loved me, too, Tachinya, or am I wrong about dat?" Spot asked.
"You must be wrong because I could never love anyone who would kill my Momoe!"
Spot was enraged beyond belief now. "Git outta heah, Tachinya. Yer no longah welcome in Brooklyn."
Tachinya was crying by now. She wanted to issue the same ultimatum on Spot for Manhattan, but knew she did not have that authority. "Fine! And you're no longer welcome in…my sight!" With that Tachinya stormed away toward home.
"Heya, Spot." Mush started.
"Hey, Mush, how ya been?" Spot was surprised to see a group of Manhattan newsies in Brooklyn. Very few had passed through Brooklyn since the Racetrack-Ritz-Snail incident and those who did avoided visiting the docks. Basically, [though the author hates to put it this way] the situation involving Ritz's infidelity caused some form of hatred between Brooklyn and Manhattan. A good portion of the blame was assigned to Spot for allowing Ritz to carry on as she did and for not telling Racetrack of her promiscuity. A strong friendship was severed because Spot valued Snail more than he did Racetrack. "Is dis Lindsay?" Spot asked, and Lindsay nodded. "I thought ya found a family er somethin'."
"I did, but I have come home, now."
"Well, it's good tah see ya kid." Spot had never known much of Lindsay but tried to put on a pseudo-nice front in hopes to better his name is Manhattan again. As much as Spot desired to be feared, he did not want to be thought of as heartless and cruel. "What all ah ya heah for?"
"We was hopin' tah see Ritz." Blind Dymond spoke up.
"Well, at dis time ah day, she's prob'ly back at dah lodgin' house." Spot explained. "But I gotta warn ya, Snail'll be wit 'er."
Mush and Dymond looked at each other, both knowing the discomfort but Lindsay spoke without counsel. "That's okay." She said.
The group started to leave, "Tachinya?" Spot called to his girl. She turned in response but only glanced at his face before looking away. "Can I talk tah ya fer a bit?" Tachinya did not respond but walked toward Spot and sat on a crate opposite him. "What's wrong wit ya, Tachinya? Why won't ya look at me?"
"What do you think is wrong with me, Spot? You killed my Momoe!" Tachinya's fire was beginning to show through.
"I was tryin' tah stop him from killin' ya!" Spot shouted in return. "An' look what he done tah me!" Spot waved his bandaged arm around causing himself pain which he tried to mask.
"At least you're still alive!" Tachinya retorted.
"Me alive? Yer lucky I was able tah keep YOU alive! All ya care about is dat damn monkey!" Spot was furious at this point.
"I love that monkey!"
"Well, I thought ya loved me, too, Tachinya, or am I wrong about dat?" Spot asked.
"You must be wrong because I could never love anyone who would kill my Momoe!"
Spot was enraged beyond belief now. "Git outta heah, Tachinya. Yer no longah welcome in Brooklyn."
Tachinya was crying by now. She wanted to issue the same ultimatum on Spot for Manhattan, but knew she did not have that authority. "Fine! And you're no longer welcome in…my sight!" With that Tachinya stormed away toward home.