"So, where's Gil, Laces?" Boots inquired. Laces, Boots, and the other
newsies were now on their way to Tibby's to grab a bite to eat.
"Gil's out at da wharf now. Haven't seen 'im for a few weeks now. Did ya know he went and got married a year ago?"
"Gil, married? Gee, dat's a laugh! I thought he couldn't tell one o' goil from da next!" Boots laughed.
"He couldn't, until now. Last I heard lucky Anne was pregnant. Me olda brohtha bein' a fathah is even more shockin' them 'im bein married!"
"So you'll be a little auntie, eh?"
"Aww, shaddup Boots." Laces said as she jokingly punched him.
"So Laces, how long have you been a shoe shinah?" Snitch inquired.
"It's been about six years now. A little bit o' pocket change never hurt nobody, eh?" She smiled.
"So, ya got ya name from bein a shoe shinah I'm assuming?" Jack asked. Boots and Laces both started cracking up. The others gave them odd looks.
"It's only dat dere's a interesting story behind dat." Boots said. "Tell 'em!"
"Well, I is very picky about how me customers treat me. So, if dey're nice a leave a niceah tip, I shine dey're shoes like dere's no tommorah. But if dey ain't too nice and leave a stinkin' tip, I tell 'em I missed a spot and tie dey're laces togethah! Did dat tah one real snooty guy. Fell ovah flat on 'is face. Course I couldn't see da look on 'is face cause I was runnin' too fast." Now the whole group laughed together.
"So, where's ya little brothah Sam?" Boots inquired.
"Umm...he's out 'n about now.looks like we're here." Laces stammered as they walked up to the restaurant. Boots and Jack both shrugged about Laces' hastiness to respond. Once inside, Boots and Jack led Laces over to a table where several newsies were sitting while Snipeshooter and Snitch plopped down next to Itey, Dutchy, Specs, and Pie Eater at a nearby table.
"Heya guys, dis ere's Laces. Boots is friends wid 'er. Dis is Skittery, Racetrack, Mush, and Kid Blink. Dose ones ovah at dat table you can meet latah. Dey look real busy right now." Jack joked as the other table burst into laughter. "Da uddas are out and about somewheres." The boys smiled and nodded at her. They certainly noticed her mud stained blouse and skirt and her disheveled shoulder length hair. She wasn't a stranger to life on the streets. Just now, Boots had noticed how much more street ratty she had become since the last time they had seen each other, but he made no comment. He simply thought to himself that her family had hit harder times. Oh, how little he knew.
Lunch went on normally with the occasional questions to Laces such as when she had met Boots, etc. She was rather quiet though and would reveal nothing about what had happened in the past three years.
"Well, I gotta go now, duty calls, eh? I'll see ya latah, Boots.guys." She said as she gave Boots another spitshake. This time, it was the other's turn to be shocked at Lace's behavior. Jack only smiled.
"Wanna go ovah to Irving Hall tonight? A few of us is going. Medda lets us sit on da sides for free."
"Sure, I'll meet ya dere. See ya all latah!" Laces smiled as she left.
"So, how long have ya known 'er, Boots?" Racetrack asked.
"Bout six years."
"Lucky kid." Racetrack remarked as he slumped against his seat. "Does she play pokah?"
"Probably, we'se nevah had da time to."
"Hope not. She seems like she would be a good one. I could tell she had a pokah face tru da whole thing."
"You really tink so?" Boots asked, shocked that his friend may have lied.
"I'm a gamblah Boots. I know dese tings."
Well, what do you think? I'm still not sure exactly how I want this story to go, my thoughts about it are constantly changing. Anyway, I'll try to update about once a week with a fair sized chapter, but don't count on it. Of course, I could update every day with a chapter, you never know with me! Reviews are appreciated IMMENSELY!
"Gil's out at da wharf now. Haven't seen 'im for a few weeks now. Did ya know he went and got married a year ago?"
"Gil, married? Gee, dat's a laugh! I thought he couldn't tell one o' goil from da next!" Boots laughed.
"He couldn't, until now. Last I heard lucky Anne was pregnant. Me olda brohtha bein' a fathah is even more shockin' them 'im bein married!"
"So you'll be a little auntie, eh?"
"Aww, shaddup Boots." Laces said as she jokingly punched him.
"So Laces, how long have you been a shoe shinah?" Snitch inquired.
"It's been about six years now. A little bit o' pocket change never hurt nobody, eh?" She smiled.
"So, ya got ya name from bein a shoe shinah I'm assuming?" Jack asked. Boots and Laces both started cracking up. The others gave them odd looks.
"It's only dat dere's a interesting story behind dat." Boots said. "Tell 'em!"
"Well, I is very picky about how me customers treat me. So, if dey're nice a leave a niceah tip, I shine dey're shoes like dere's no tommorah. But if dey ain't too nice and leave a stinkin' tip, I tell 'em I missed a spot and tie dey're laces togethah! Did dat tah one real snooty guy. Fell ovah flat on 'is face. Course I couldn't see da look on 'is face cause I was runnin' too fast." Now the whole group laughed together.
"So, where's ya little brothah Sam?" Boots inquired.
"Umm...he's out 'n about now.looks like we're here." Laces stammered as they walked up to the restaurant. Boots and Jack both shrugged about Laces' hastiness to respond. Once inside, Boots and Jack led Laces over to a table where several newsies were sitting while Snipeshooter and Snitch plopped down next to Itey, Dutchy, Specs, and Pie Eater at a nearby table.
"Heya guys, dis ere's Laces. Boots is friends wid 'er. Dis is Skittery, Racetrack, Mush, and Kid Blink. Dose ones ovah at dat table you can meet latah. Dey look real busy right now." Jack joked as the other table burst into laughter. "Da uddas are out and about somewheres." The boys smiled and nodded at her. They certainly noticed her mud stained blouse and skirt and her disheveled shoulder length hair. She wasn't a stranger to life on the streets. Just now, Boots had noticed how much more street ratty she had become since the last time they had seen each other, but he made no comment. He simply thought to himself that her family had hit harder times. Oh, how little he knew.
Lunch went on normally with the occasional questions to Laces such as when she had met Boots, etc. She was rather quiet though and would reveal nothing about what had happened in the past three years.
"Well, I gotta go now, duty calls, eh? I'll see ya latah, Boots.guys." She said as she gave Boots another spitshake. This time, it was the other's turn to be shocked at Lace's behavior. Jack only smiled.
"Wanna go ovah to Irving Hall tonight? A few of us is going. Medda lets us sit on da sides for free."
"Sure, I'll meet ya dere. See ya all latah!" Laces smiled as she left.
"So, how long have ya known 'er, Boots?" Racetrack asked.
"Bout six years."
"Lucky kid." Racetrack remarked as he slumped against his seat. "Does she play pokah?"
"Probably, we'se nevah had da time to."
"Hope not. She seems like she would be a good one. I could tell she had a pokah face tru da whole thing."
"You really tink so?" Boots asked, shocked that his friend may have lied.
"I'm a gamblah Boots. I know dese tings."
Well, what do you think? I'm still not sure exactly how I want this story to go, my thoughts about it are constantly changing. Anyway, I'll try to update about once a week with a fair sized chapter, but don't count on it. Of course, I could update every day with a chapter, you never know with me! Reviews are appreciated IMMENSELY!