CHAPTER TWO:
In a back alley just a block away, Jack was over at Doc's drugstore trying to convince his best friend, Mush, to join in his plan.
"Riga tiga tum tum." he muttered, drumming his fingers on the wall, "Youse can't say no, buddy-boy, wid-out sayin' why."
"I said no. End of story." Mush replied almost absently. He cocked his head to one side, surveying the newly painted sign on the ground in front of him. He dipped his brush in the paint once more and continued to work on the sign.
"It's me askin' Mush, Jack Kelly!" Jack continued, "Womb to tomb?"
"Sperm to worm." Mush's reply was automatic, and this time really absent- minded. "You sure this looks like sky-writing?" he asked, wiping his hands on his pants as he looked at the sign.
"Mush this is important!" Jack was getting impatient.
"Everything's important."
"What's wid you?" Jack demanded, "Four and one-half years I live wid a guy an' his family. All that time I think I knows a man's character. Buddy boy am I a victim of disappointment in you."
"So pack up an' move out." Mush looked at Jack pointedly, "It'd end your sufferin'."
"Can't. Your ma's hot for me." Jack replied. Mush jumped up and playfully wrestled Jack to the ground. "No!" Jack yelled, "I hate livin' wid my buggin' uncle! Uncle!!"
"Go play nice wid the Jets." Mush said as he released his friend.
"The Jets are the greatest!"
"Were."
"Are. You found somethin' better?"
"No, not really."
"What?"
"You wouldn't dig it."
"Try me."
Mush hesitated and then sighed. "Every single damn night for the past month, I wake up an' I'm reachin' out."
"For what?"
"I dunno. But it's comin'! It's...it's like the kick I used to get from bein' a Jet."
"Or from bein' buddies."
"We're still buddies."
"The kick comes from people buddy boy."
"But not from bein' a Jet."
"No?" Jack was shocked, "When you're wid a gang you walk in twos, threes, fours...and when you're a Jet, you're out in the sun and home free home-"
"Jack, I'm through."
"Mush, you know the Sharks. They bite hard and we need t' stop 'em now. We need you buddy boy. I never ask the time of day from a clock. But I'm askin' you: come to the dance."
Mush turned away, so Jack tried once more.
"I already told the gang you'd be there." he prompted, staring at Mush's back.
Mush was silent for a minute, but then turned back to Jack.
"What time?" he asked, still reluctant.
"Ten?"
"Ten it is." Mush grinned.
"Womb to tomb?"
"Sperm to worm- and I'll live to regret this."
"Who knows buddy boy, maybe what you're waitin' for'll be at the dance tonight!" Jack called over his shoulder as he walked away. Mush nodded.
"Who knows." he whispered.
(He sings)
Could be!...
Who knows?...
There's something due any day;
I will know right away,
Soon as it shows.
It may come cannon-balling down thru the sky,
Gleam in its eye,
Bright as a rose!
Who knows?...
It's only just out of reach,
Down the block, on a beach,
Under a tree...
I got a feeling there's a miracle due,
Gonna come true,
Coming to me!
Could it be? Yes it could.
Something's coming, something good,
If I can wait!
Something's coming, I don't know what it is,
But it is
Gonna be great!
With a click, with a shock,
Phone'll jingle, door'll knock,
Open the latch!
Something's coming, don't know when but it's soon-
Catch the moon,
One-handed catch!
Around the corner,
Or whistling down the river,
Come on-deliver
To me!
Will it be? Yes, it will.
Maybe just by holding still,
It'll be there!
Come on something, come on in,
don't be shy,
Meet a guy,
Pull up a chair!
The air is humming,
And something great is coming!
Who knows?
It's only just out of reach,
Down the block, on a beach...
Maybe tonight...
In a back alley just a block away, Jack was over at Doc's drugstore trying to convince his best friend, Mush, to join in his plan.
"Riga tiga tum tum." he muttered, drumming his fingers on the wall, "Youse can't say no, buddy-boy, wid-out sayin' why."
"I said no. End of story." Mush replied almost absently. He cocked his head to one side, surveying the newly painted sign on the ground in front of him. He dipped his brush in the paint once more and continued to work on the sign.
"It's me askin' Mush, Jack Kelly!" Jack continued, "Womb to tomb?"
"Sperm to worm." Mush's reply was automatic, and this time really absent- minded. "You sure this looks like sky-writing?" he asked, wiping his hands on his pants as he looked at the sign.
"Mush this is important!" Jack was getting impatient.
"Everything's important."
"What's wid you?" Jack demanded, "Four and one-half years I live wid a guy an' his family. All that time I think I knows a man's character. Buddy boy am I a victim of disappointment in you."
"So pack up an' move out." Mush looked at Jack pointedly, "It'd end your sufferin'."
"Can't. Your ma's hot for me." Jack replied. Mush jumped up and playfully wrestled Jack to the ground. "No!" Jack yelled, "I hate livin' wid my buggin' uncle! Uncle!!"
"Go play nice wid the Jets." Mush said as he released his friend.
"The Jets are the greatest!"
"Were."
"Are. You found somethin' better?"
"No, not really."
"What?"
"You wouldn't dig it."
"Try me."
Mush hesitated and then sighed. "Every single damn night for the past month, I wake up an' I'm reachin' out."
"For what?"
"I dunno. But it's comin'! It's...it's like the kick I used to get from bein' a Jet."
"Or from bein' buddies."
"We're still buddies."
"The kick comes from people buddy boy."
"But not from bein' a Jet."
"No?" Jack was shocked, "When you're wid a gang you walk in twos, threes, fours...and when you're a Jet, you're out in the sun and home free home-"
"Jack, I'm through."
"Mush, you know the Sharks. They bite hard and we need t' stop 'em now. We need you buddy boy. I never ask the time of day from a clock. But I'm askin' you: come to the dance."
Mush turned away, so Jack tried once more.
"I already told the gang you'd be there." he prompted, staring at Mush's back.
Mush was silent for a minute, but then turned back to Jack.
"What time?" he asked, still reluctant.
"Ten?"
"Ten it is." Mush grinned.
"Womb to tomb?"
"Sperm to worm- and I'll live to regret this."
"Who knows buddy boy, maybe what you're waitin' for'll be at the dance tonight!" Jack called over his shoulder as he walked away. Mush nodded.
"Who knows." he whispered.
(He sings)
Could be!...
Who knows?...
There's something due any day;
I will know right away,
Soon as it shows.
It may come cannon-balling down thru the sky,
Gleam in its eye,
Bright as a rose!
Who knows?...
It's only just out of reach,
Down the block, on a beach,
Under a tree...
I got a feeling there's a miracle due,
Gonna come true,
Coming to me!
Could it be? Yes it could.
Something's coming, something good,
If I can wait!
Something's coming, I don't know what it is,
But it is
Gonna be great!
With a click, with a shock,
Phone'll jingle, door'll knock,
Open the latch!
Something's coming, don't know when but it's soon-
Catch the moon,
One-handed catch!
Around the corner,
Or whistling down the river,
Come on-deliver
To me!
Will it be? Yes, it will.
Maybe just by holding still,
It'll be there!
Come on something, come on in,
don't be shy,
Meet a guy,
Pull up a chair!
The air is humming,
And something great is coming!
Who knows?
It's only just out of reach,
Down the block, on a beach...
Maybe tonight...