Chapter Two
The surprise was evident on the faces of Jack, Bobbie, and all the other newsies. Roberta was speechless. All she could do was stare. Jack was the first one to break the silence. "I'se always wondered 'bout my baby sista. You'se was so precious. I'se was two when you'se was born," Jack said with tears in his eyes. Finally, when Bobbie could speak, she said, "I've always wanted a big brother," and with that, she gave way to the racking sobs that she had held in since the death of her father. Bobbie and Jack were both so full of emotion, that all they could do was cry on each other's shoulders. For some reason, every newsie's heart in the building went out to this young girl and their old pal Jack.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that evening, all the newsies were listening with rapt attention to the accounts of Bobbie's days with her father out there in the country. All was going well when Racetrack asked, "How'd your faddah die?"
Bobbie immediately became quiet and withdrawn once again. "He died of tuberculosis. The doctor came two weeks before he died and said that there was nothing he could do." With a tear she added, "He was all I had." At this point, there was nothing she could do but cry, and Jack felt helpless as he drew her into his arms.
"Sorry for askin'. I didn't knows that it was so hard for you'se to talk 'bout it," Race apologized. "I won't ask 'bout it agin."
With a smile, Bobbie smiled at Race and said simply, "It's okay, Race. I need to talk about it. A long time ago, I used to think that I could just hold all my troubles inside, and just pour them all out when I went and rode my horse out—" She was suddenly interrupted by Race.
"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa! You hads a horse?!? By golly, I'se always wanted a horse!" It was plain that this tidbit of information was all Race needed to talk about his favorite subject: horses, especially the ones at the races.
"Yeah, but I had to sell him. We needed the money to pay off all the doctor's medical bills. My father didn't know, but I sold him, cause I knew that we didn't have enough money, so I gave my precious horse up," Bobbie explained. "I think I sold him to a jockey who races up here sometimes."
All the other newsies in the room were just watching in fascination as Race was actually carrying on an actual conversation with a female! It was no surprise that they were talking about horses, but they were surprised nonetheless.
"Well, if ya wanted ta, I could take ya to da races sumtime. It's my favorite place ta go," Race invited.
Before Bobbie could reply, Jack interrupted. "Now listen up heah. No one is takin' my baby sistah anywheres until I gets to show her 'round Manhattan and shows her da ropes, got dat?" As the newsies silently consented by nodding their heads, Jack asked, "Now Bobbie, aftuh I shows you da ropes 'round here, wouldja like to accompany Race to da races?"
A small nod from Bobbie was all Racetrack needed as encouragement to further the talk between him and Bobbie about his favorite horses down at the track. As the newsies continued their conversations with each other, no one noticed Mush sitting in corner. 'Oh, I wish dat I could have a common innerest with this goil,' he silently longed. Later on after everyone retired to their bedrooms, Mush stayed awake long into the night wondering how he could catch the interest of Jack Kelly's new sister.
The surprise was evident on the faces of Jack, Bobbie, and all the other newsies. Roberta was speechless. All she could do was stare. Jack was the first one to break the silence. "I'se always wondered 'bout my baby sista. You'se was so precious. I'se was two when you'se was born," Jack said with tears in his eyes. Finally, when Bobbie could speak, she said, "I've always wanted a big brother," and with that, she gave way to the racking sobs that she had held in since the death of her father. Bobbie and Jack were both so full of emotion, that all they could do was cry on each other's shoulders. For some reason, every newsie's heart in the building went out to this young girl and their old pal Jack.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that evening, all the newsies were listening with rapt attention to the accounts of Bobbie's days with her father out there in the country. All was going well when Racetrack asked, "How'd your faddah die?"
Bobbie immediately became quiet and withdrawn once again. "He died of tuberculosis. The doctor came two weeks before he died and said that there was nothing he could do." With a tear she added, "He was all I had." At this point, there was nothing she could do but cry, and Jack felt helpless as he drew her into his arms.
"Sorry for askin'. I didn't knows that it was so hard for you'se to talk 'bout it," Race apologized. "I won't ask 'bout it agin."
With a smile, Bobbie smiled at Race and said simply, "It's okay, Race. I need to talk about it. A long time ago, I used to think that I could just hold all my troubles inside, and just pour them all out when I went and rode my horse out—" She was suddenly interrupted by Race.
"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa! You hads a horse?!? By golly, I'se always wanted a horse!" It was plain that this tidbit of information was all Race needed to talk about his favorite subject: horses, especially the ones at the races.
"Yeah, but I had to sell him. We needed the money to pay off all the doctor's medical bills. My father didn't know, but I sold him, cause I knew that we didn't have enough money, so I gave my precious horse up," Bobbie explained. "I think I sold him to a jockey who races up here sometimes."
All the other newsies in the room were just watching in fascination as Race was actually carrying on an actual conversation with a female! It was no surprise that they were talking about horses, but they were surprised nonetheless.
"Well, if ya wanted ta, I could take ya to da races sumtime. It's my favorite place ta go," Race invited.
Before Bobbie could reply, Jack interrupted. "Now listen up heah. No one is takin' my baby sistah anywheres until I gets to show her 'round Manhattan and shows her da ropes, got dat?" As the newsies silently consented by nodding their heads, Jack asked, "Now Bobbie, aftuh I shows you da ropes 'round here, wouldja like to accompany Race to da races?"
A small nod from Bobbie was all Racetrack needed as encouragement to further the talk between him and Bobbie about his favorite horses down at the track. As the newsies continued their conversations with each other, no one noticed Mush sitting in corner. 'Oh, I wish dat I could have a common innerest with this goil,' he silently longed. Later on after everyone retired to their bedrooms, Mush stayed awake long into the night wondering how he could catch the interest of Jack Kelly's new sister.