Chapter Five
"So how do ya like Manhattan?" Mush asked Bobbie. He tried to sound normal, but his voice sounded high pitched and nervous to his own ears. Two weeks had passed since Jack had made his proclamation that the Manhattan Newsies were to show her the city and the fine art of selling papes. Mush wondered if his irritability was that obvious. Bobbie had gone selling with Racetrack twice now, and although Race had assured Mush many times that Race and Bobbie's relationship was strictly friendship, Mush had a hard time believing it.
That morning, as Jack had approached him, Mush had thought that Jack would lecture him bout his "bad attitude," but much to his surprise—and pleasure—Jack had told him that it was Mush's turn to escort Bobbie. Bobbie's reply brought him quickly back to the present. "Oh, wow! Yes, I like it a lot. It's very different from the country but city life is so exciting! The people are so full of life and energy, and—oh. I'm sorry. I'm talking too much."
Mush, enthralled by her vigor and passion, only stuttered, "uh…nah…you'se is okay. It's very innerestin' ta heah ya talk." The evident look of relief on her face only made Mush go even weaker in the knees than he already was. 'That smile, those eyes,' mush thought to himself. There were plenty of pretty girls in Manhattan who had been interested in Mush, but he was never really interested in any of them, but now! Now that Bobbie was hear, it was hard for him to keep his wits about him. No other girl had ever toyed with his emotions the way Bobbie was right now, even as she was doing in unintentionally. It only made things worse when Bobbie and Race had developed a friendship, leaving Mush very nervous and clumsy whenever all of them were together, which was quite often.
Relieved, Bobbie replied, "Oh, okay. Are you ready?" At Mush's nodded response, they both started walking down the streets of Manhattan. 'Mush is very nice-looking,' Bobbie thought. Very conscious that she was walking very close to him as they weaved through the narrow crowded streets, she tried her best to cover her emotions that had begun to stir inside of her. Ever since the first day she had seen him, she had immediately been aware of him. His apparent shyness and withdrawn demeanor had attracted her immediately. After Jack's announcement, Jack had told her who would be escorting her each given day and she found herself counting down the days until she could sell papers with Mush. He head was so up in the clouds, that she did not notice Mush's sudden stop, so she ran into him. "Oh, I'm so sor-," her apology died on her lips when she saw the look on Mush's face. It was a mixture of fear, anger, and protectiveness. "Mush, what's going on?" Bobbie asked with fear in her voice. His short, but quiet reply, was, "The Delancey bruddas."
"So how do ya like Manhattan?" Mush asked Bobbie. He tried to sound normal, but his voice sounded high pitched and nervous to his own ears. Two weeks had passed since Jack had made his proclamation that the Manhattan Newsies were to show her the city and the fine art of selling papes. Mush wondered if his irritability was that obvious. Bobbie had gone selling with Racetrack twice now, and although Race had assured Mush many times that Race and Bobbie's relationship was strictly friendship, Mush had a hard time believing it.
That morning, as Jack had approached him, Mush had thought that Jack would lecture him bout his "bad attitude," but much to his surprise—and pleasure—Jack had told him that it was Mush's turn to escort Bobbie. Bobbie's reply brought him quickly back to the present. "Oh, wow! Yes, I like it a lot. It's very different from the country but city life is so exciting! The people are so full of life and energy, and—oh. I'm sorry. I'm talking too much."
Mush, enthralled by her vigor and passion, only stuttered, "uh…nah…you'se is okay. It's very innerestin' ta heah ya talk." The evident look of relief on her face only made Mush go even weaker in the knees than he already was. 'That smile, those eyes,' mush thought to himself. There were plenty of pretty girls in Manhattan who had been interested in Mush, but he was never really interested in any of them, but now! Now that Bobbie was hear, it was hard for him to keep his wits about him. No other girl had ever toyed with his emotions the way Bobbie was right now, even as she was doing in unintentionally. It only made things worse when Bobbie and Race had developed a friendship, leaving Mush very nervous and clumsy whenever all of them were together, which was quite often.
Relieved, Bobbie replied, "Oh, okay. Are you ready?" At Mush's nodded response, they both started walking down the streets of Manhattan. 'Mush is very nice-looking,' Bobbie thought. Very conscious that she was walking very close to him as they weaved through the narrow crowded streets, she tried her best to cover her emotions that had begun to stir inside of her. Ever since the first day she had seen him, she had immediately been aware of him. His apparent shyness and withdrawn demeanor had attracted her immediately. After Jack's announcement, Jack had told her who would be escorting her each given day and she found herself counting down the days until she could sell papers with Mush. He head was so up in the clouds, that she did not notice Mush's sudden stop, so she ran into him. "Oh, I'm so sor-," her apology died on her lips when she saw the look on Mush's face. It was a mixture of fear, anger, and protectiveness. "Mush, what's going on?" Bobbie asked with fear in her voice. His short, but quiet reply, was, "The Delancey bruddas."