I THANKED ALL YOU ON THE NML!!! Unless some of you aren't on the NML…
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The walk from the lodging house to the World Distribution Office was
brutal. However, the girls could only be thankful that it wasn't
winter, and to enjoy the months in which they weren't dying of cold,
even if they were sweating like pigs by the middle of the day.
Passing through the Five Points, keeping her head low, seeing as the
criminals where still prowling before day break, Stretch had the
strangest feeling she was being followed. Turning the corner,
quickening her pace, her heart started beating a mile a minute and
all she could think was Please don`t hurt me, please don`t touch me.
Whoever you are, just go away, while whispering, "It's just your
head, just keep walkin',". As she neared the block with the
Distribution Center, she felt someone grab her and screamed.
"Damn, someone's jumpy," came Pinch, while Relic and Sneaks laughed
beside her. As Stretch took a minute to catch her breath, the three
girls snicker about "you shoulda seen ya face" and "I thought you
was gonna die on the spot."
"Damn it, I could kill you three," Stretch screamed, before turning
and continuing on her way. She couldn't blame them, it was one of
the few ways someone in their state could keep their sense of humor.
Its not like many things where funny. Their lifestyle certainly
wasn't something to laugh about, though the social elite seemed to
get a kick out of it. They were one step up from the thieves that
stalked the alleys when the lights went out. They were the children
whose souls were damned, because the only times they had ever
heard "Jesus" or "God" spoken was when someone was swearing. No, she
couldn't blame them for nearly giving her a heart attack. They had
to laugh at something.
Waiting for the gates to open, the gathering group of newsies
checked their cheap watches, or the clocks settled high in front of
the office buildings surrounding them. It wasn't long before the
newsboys of Manhattan had joined them, showing off and joking
brashly as boys their age often did, the younger ones laughing as
they looked up at them in adoration. They were gentlemen by no
means, unless yelling perverted jokes back and forth was a way to
win someone's heart. They showed the occasional proof of moral
fiber, smiling kindly to acquaintances and sticking loyally beside
their friends in the worst of times, which in a newsie's life could
get pretty damn bad. Yet, they weren't Casanovas, and this fact was
confirmed as a few of them made crude gestures in front of the gate,
yelling for them to open up already.
"Heya, long legs. Been a while," came the familiar sound of Specs's
voice, Stretch turning to face him.
"Nice way ta get a goils attention, Specs. Real nice," Stretch said
sarcastically, walking up the ramp to pay for her day's worth of
papers. "Remind me, kid, why do I keep ya around?"
"Because I'm-"
"No you're not" she interrupted.
"Well, I'm a-"
"Not that either."
"'Cause I'm one of the few people from SoHo who can speak English,
for we are a rare breed, Stretch m'dear," he finally spitted out,
surprised she didn't speak up once more.
"That's it. Knew there was somethin'. So ya better be careful of
what ya call me, four-eyes, `cause it ain't like you'se so special I
can't live without ya,"
"That hurts, Stretch, real bad. Almost as bad as the last dozen
insults ya said ta me face."
"Just wait `til ya hear the ones I've been sayin' behind ya back."
she retorted, smiling sweetly back before rolling her eyes. It was
well known Stretch had an attitude, almost as well known as it was
that Specs has a big mouth.
A newsie had to find something in common with the people around him,
otherwise he would keep to himself, alienating those around him
before they simply drifted into nothing. You were who your friends
where, which also determined, in this life, where you worked. The
different cities and boroughs had different personalities, and the
children of Manhattan were said to be the loud, sarcastic bunch,
just as Brooklyn was the tough group or Queens were the liars and
cheats.
The boys and girls conversed as they waited to reach the window to
collect their papers, and bits of conversation of Bumlets's pregnant
mother and Scorch's obsession with fire could be heard if one paid
enough attention. Smiling as she heard Bumlets talk of his mother's
health and how her belly was becoming the size of a watermelon,
Stretch asked for her seventy-five papers, and headed back down the
gate and off to Hudson Street, hoping to find better luck there than
the Garment District from the week before.
As she waited to see if Beauti or Sage were going to sell with her,
hoping to have a little company, she caught sight of a young girl
glancing past the iron gates and where some of the newsies where
still waiting to get there "papes". Thinking it best to say "hello"
than just standing there like a blockhead, she made her way over,
introducing herself before asking the young girl her name in return.
"Mary, Mary O'Leary. It's nice ta meet ya. Do ya…I mean…could I…"
the young girl began, her blue eyes suddenly fascinated with her
shoes.
"Spit it out kid, I got woik ta do" Stretch said, as she spotted
Beauti and Sage walking towards her.
"I was wonderin' if I could have a job," Mary finished, surprised by
the older girl's brash words.
"Sure, ya got money?" she asked, Mary holding out two quarters for
Stretch to see.
"Ya might just wanna say "yes" next time. Hold out money like that
and some people's likely ta take it. Now since its ya foist day,
just use one of them quarters. I know ya can sell the papes back,
but it's always a hassle and it is your foist time doin' this. Now,
the man the works the counter is Mr. Weisel, but it's a runnin' joke
ta call him "Weasel", `specially since the strike. Now, he's `sposed
ta give ya 50 papes for a quarter, so make sure ta count them. If ya
can't count, then have someone do it for ya. Do it right there, near
the window, so ya have proof ya ain't lyin'. Then come back here ta
me and ya can sell with me and me friends, seein' as we can show ya
the ropes. Ok?" Stretch said, speaking slower than usual to make
sure Mary got every bit of what she said. As the younger one headed
through the gates and up the ramp, Stretch greeted her selling
partners with a smile.
"Looks like we gotta new one, goils. Wanna help me show her the hell
of woikin'?" Stretch asked, nodding toward Mary. As Beauti and Sage
stated their approval, the three waited near the gate, knowing full
well this Mary was going to remember her first day for the rest of
her life.
~*~*~*~
I hope you liked it! If not…don't kill me…its getting there.