Chapter Two
What's Da Record Again?
All the boys were at the Distribution Office (DO) reading through their newspapers or in line to purchase their papers. "Any ting good taday Cowboy (a.k.a. Jack)?" Crutchy asked Jack.
"Uh, dere's is someting on page four," said Jack.
All boys around Jack turned to page four in unison. Just then Race came up to them with his stack of papers under his arm. "We meetin in front a Medda's tonight" he asked to no one in particular.
"Yeah just like we aul ways do," said Mush.
"Gotta go before somebody takes me sellin spot," said Jack getting up and leaving the now quite large group of boys.
"What stupid ass would do dat?!" Kid Blink (a.k.a. Blink) asked sarcastically as the boy laughed and started walking down the street.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Extra extra, Maya and Chief a Police find tree nude corpses at City Hall, extra," Jack shouted as people walk buy the corner he was selling on. A man in a suit and a bowler hat bought a paper. Of course Jack had to stretch the truth a bit or else no one would buy a paper. The real title of the article read "Mayor and Chief of Police meet at City Hall".
That's the way he had spent the last 10 years of his life, stretching the truth. His mother had died when he was very young and ever since then his father had taken up drinking and one night got himself arrested. When Jack was eight, Mr. Kelly had killed himself in the prison cell he was locked in. Jack was forced to live in the streets. He quickly had learned the ways of a newsie, and just after five years he was named leader after the previous leader, Luke, had become ill and died.
A loud boom had brought him back to his selling; someone has broken something.
After three hours Jack had sold all his one hundred and fifty papers and was headed for Tibby's for lunch. Once he got there all of his friends were sitting down at booths and tables. Some of them were eating, but most of them were talking, and as usual Race had a poker game going on. Boots, Blink, Mush, Crutchy, and Race were playing.
As soon as Jack walked through the door Race saw him and asked, "I's gonna hafta deal youse in Cowboy?"
"Shoura Race why nout," said Jack as he pulled a chair to the table.
Mush looked up at his cards for the first time since Jack walk in. He greeted the leader with a nod of the head, and noticed that Jack didn't have his papers. "Oh my GOD," he said as he put his card face down on the table, "and he does it again, what was it dis toime, hundred-fifty in trity minutes?" he asked Jack.
Jack look up from his newly dealt cards with a look of confusion on his face. "What? Oh dat, no it took me tree hours to sell aul me papers."
"What's da record again, Jack?" asked Blink. "Two hundred an' seventy-five papers in two hours" said Crutchy before anyone could answer. He crept all the top ten scores.
They finished their game and went off in different directions. Race headed towards the racetracks, Mush head towards Queens, Blink and Crutchy towards Brooklyn, and Boots went towards the Bronx. Jack had sold all his papers already so his afternoon was free. Jack walked out of Tibby's and headed towards Brooklyn, maybe he could have a chat with their "notorious" leader, Spot Conlon.
He was in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge when he saw a familiar newsie walking towards him. The seventeen year old had brown hair covered by a gray cap, gray eyes, and a shirt smeared with dirt that once had been white. His pants were gray and held up by red suspenders. He also had a slingshot in his pocket, and a cane in his hand. The boy spit in his hand and held it out, Jack did the same and they both shook hands. Then they began to walk to the docks where the newsboys of Brooklyn slept.
"So what's new Jacky boiy?" Spot asked.
"Nuttin youse?"
"All I's heard is dat Meddas got a new dancer, Rhythm. Know who she is?" Spot asked.
"Nope" Jack answered.
"Well da boiys around heah says she is a real looka".
Jack laughed at Spots response "youse actually believe you boiys about dis kinda stuff? Listen Spot I's seen some a da goils deys been goin out wit and da sight ain't too pretty." He laughed again, and when he stopped he looked at Spot with tears in his eyes.
Spot just glared a Jack. "Fuine (fine) Jacky boiy wanna make a bet?"
"Would love ta," replied Jack now also glaring.
"Five bits."
"Five bits."
Still glaring at each other the two boy spit-shook to seal the deal. Then Jack turned on his heel and walked back towards Manhattan, he had to get ready for tonight.
How do you guys like it so far, review me your answers!!
What's Da Record Again?
All the boys were at the Distribution Office (DO) reading through their newspapers or in line to purchase their papers. "Any ting good taday Cowboy (a.k.a. Jack)?" Crutchy asked Jack.
"Uh, dere's is someting on page four," said Jack.
All boys around Jack turned to page four in unison. Just then Race came up to them with his stack of papers under his arm. "We meetin in front a Medda's tonight" he asked to no one in particular.
"Yeah just like we aul ways do," said Mush.
"Gotta go before somebody takes me sellin spot," said Jack getting up and leaving the now quite large group of boys.
"What stupid ass would do dat?!" Kid Blink (a.k.a. Blink) asked sarcastically as the boy laughed and started walking down the street.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Extra extra, Maya and Chief a Police find tree nude corpses at City Hall, extra," Jack shouted as people walk buy the corner he was selling on. A man in a suit and a bowler hat bought a paper. Of course Jack had to stretch the truth a bit or else no one would buy a paper. The real title of the article read "Mayor and Chief of Police meet at City Hall".
That's the way he had spent the last 10 years of his life, stretching the truth. His mother had died when he was very young and ever since then his father had taken up drinking and one night got himself arrested. When Jack was eight, Mr. Kelly had killed himself in the prison cell he was locked in. Jack was forced to live in the streets. He quickly had learned the ways of a newsie, and just after five years he was named leader after the previous leader, Luke, had become ill and died.
A loud boom had brought him back to his selling; someone has broken something.
After three hours Jack had sold all his one hundred and fifty papers and was headed for Tibby's for lunch. Once he got there all of his friends were sitting down at booths and tables. Some of them were eating, but most of them were talking, and as usual Race had a poker game going on. Boots, Blink, Mush, Crutchy, and Race were playing.
As soon as Jack walked through the door Race saw him and asked, "I's gonna hafta deal youse in Cowboy?"
"Shoura Race why nout," said Jack as he pulled a chair to the table.
Mush looked up at his cards for the first time since Jack walk in. He greeted the leader with a nod of the head, and noticed that Jack didn't have his papers. "Oh my GOD," he said as he put his card face down on the table, "and he does it again, what was it dis toime, hundred-fifty in trity minutes?" he asked Jack.
Jack look up from his newly dealt cards with a look of confusion on his face. "What? Oh dat, no it took me tree hours to sell aul me papers."
"What's da record again, Jack?" asked Blink. "Two hundred an' seventy-five papers in two hours" said Crutchy before anyone could answer. He crept all the top ten scores.
They finished their game and went off in different directions. Race headed towards the racetracks, Mush head towards Queens, Blink and Crutchy towards Brooklyn, and Boots went towards the Bronx. Jack had sold all his papers already so his afternoon was free. Jack walked out of Tibby's and headed towards Brooklyn, maybe he could have a chat with their "notorious" leader, Spot Conlon.
He was in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge when he saw a familiar newsie walking towards him. The seventeen year old had brown hair covered by a gray cap, gray eyes, and a shirt smeared with dirt that once had been white. His pants were gray and held up by red suspenders. He also had a slingshot in his pocket, and a cane in his hand. The boy spit in his hand and held it out, Jack did the same and they both shook hands. Then they began to walk to the docks where the newsboys of Brooklyn slept.
"So what's new Jacky boiy?" Spot asked.
"Nuttin youse?"
"All I's heard is dat Meddas got a new dancer, Rhythm. Know who she is?" Spot asked.
"Nope" Jack answered.
"Well da boiys around heah says she is a real looka".
Jack laughed at Spots response "youse actually believe you boiys about dis kinda stuff? Listen Spot I's seen some a da goils deys been goin out wit and da sight ain't too pretty." He laughed again, and when he stopped he looked at Spot with tears in his eyes.
Spot just glared a Jack. "Fuine (fine) Jacky boiy wanna make a bet?"
"Would love ta," replied Jack now also glaring.
"Five bits."
"Five bits."
Still glaring at each other the two boy spit-shook to seal the deal. Then Jack turned on his heel and walked back towards Manhattan, he had to get ready for tonight.
How do you guys like it so far, review me your answers!!