Disclaimer: We don't own newsies.
The first time Mush noticed the new kid, he was leaning against the gate to the distribution center, his hands in his pockets, his head facing downward. No one seemed to notice him, but the few people who did notice didn't seem to care.
A hard jab to the right side of Mush's chest interrupted his observation. "Whatsa mattah, Mush?"
Mush turned to face Jack Kelley, the leader of the Manhattan newsies and smiled. "Just waitin' foah da papes," Mush answered, somewhat lazily. Jack nodded and moved to the front of the crowd to insure that he was the first in line as usual.
Mush turned back to see where the new kid had gone, and spotted him near the back of the crowd. The boy looked no older than Mush, maybe sixteen, but one feature stood out. His left eye was covered with a patch.
Curiosity instantly struck Mush. Most of the boys, he bet, would start rumors about it. They all loved a good action story where a poor boy got into a brawl and came out missing a limb, or in this case, an eye.
As the gates opened, Mush hurried to the front of the line, only three behind Jack. No one would argue. He was one of the "older" newsies.
One by one, the boys purchased their papers and headed out into the noisy city. Mush hung back for a few minutes, curious to see what the new kid would do. He set himself up on a barrel and opened the newspaper, using the pretense that he was browsing it for a catchy headline.
The new kid bought fifty papers and then uncertainly entered the crowd of lingering newsies. Mush watched him approach Racetrack, with an air of determination. "Mind if I sell wit youse?" the new kid asked Racetrack. Racetrack stared at him for a moment, giving him a once over, and then shook his head.
"I sell alone," he answered plainly, then stuck his cigar in his mouth, tucked his papers under one arm, and then disappeared through the gates, leaving the new kid alone with a dejected look about him.
The new kid watched the rest of the newsies began to leave in groups of two or three.
Mush folded his paper back up, climbed off the barrel and approached the new kid. "Me name's Mush," he said.
The kid jumped, startled and then turned to face a smiling Mush, who held out his free hand. The kid shook it, gratefully, and then said, "Most people just call me Blink."
"Well, den, dat's what I'll call youse too. I'se in need of a sellin pahtnah. You interested?"
Blink smiled.
"Dis your foist day on da job, ain't it," Mush stated as he and his new partner walked down the crowded street. Blink nodded, fiddling with his papers.
"I needed da money real bad," he explained quietly. Mush looked at him curiously, but didn't press the matter, knowing Blink sounded as though this was a touchy subject, so he changed it.
"Well, Blink, I can teach ya all dat I knows about bein' a newsie. I'se afraid I ain't da best out heah, dat'd be Jack, but I do knows a t'ing or two."
Blink laughed. "Dat'd be great."
"The foist thing," Mush's smile grew, "you gotta be actin' real unfortunate like. People can't say no to a poor sick orphan boy." He paused to look around and then whispered, "Obsoive."
Blink watched closely as Mush made his way to a group of rich ladies waiting for a trolley on the corner. They seemed cheerful enough to Blink. Mush walked casually up to them, but gave his stride a pathetic limp.
"Oh dear," gasped one lady, grasping her purse closer to her as Mush approached. The two other ladies turned to see what had made the first gasp, and then both uttered their own small gasps of horror.
"Buy a pape," groaned Mush, nearly falling into the lady closest to him.
"Get away from me!" The woman shrieked. She began hitting him repeatedly with her purse and Mush had to put his hands over his head to protect himself. The other two ladies began to cry out for help and move in on him. Mush, fearing the onslaught of two more hand bags, bolted.
"Now we run," Mush said, grabbing Blink's arm and pulling him into the crowded street once more.
Out of harm's way, Mush stopped to catch his breath. "Dat wasn't exactly da best example," he said through deep breaths.
Blink laughed, and amused expression on his face. "Mind if I give it a try?"
Mush grinned. Blink slowly made his way toward a business man, dressed in a nice suit who stood on the sidewalk, reading his pocket watch. He waited until he was right beside the man and then shouted, "Maniac escapes prison! Read all about it!"
The man looked startled and then began to rummage through his pockets for change. "Is that true, boy?"
"Read it foah yourself mistah." He tucked the man's money into his own pocket and then hurried away. "Page seven!" He shouted over his shoulder. Mush looked at him in awe as Blink returned two pennies richer.
"You're a natural," Mush said.
"T'anks, but I done dis befoah, Mush."
Mush looked a little disappointed but Blink patted him on the back. "Don't worry, I'm sure I still have a lot of loinin' ta do."
"So kid," Mush began after they had started walking again. "You got a place ta stay tonight?"
"No," Blink responded, feeling the money in his pocket. "Know of a place?"
"Sure I do. You can stay at da lodge wit us! Dere's loads a newsies dere and Kloppman makes da best chicken soup."
"Dat sounds good to me," Blink said. He pushed past Mush and walked a little ways ahead of him, shouting headlines.
Mush scrunched up his face and hurried after him.
Midday crept up and Mush and Blink had sold more than half of their papers. They had gotten t know one another pretty well by now, and could laugh and joke around with one another freely.
Blink's stomach growled loudly. Mush laughed as his friend clutched his stomach, a bashful expression on his face.
"I'se gettin' a bit hungry meself," he explained. "Follow me."
Blink obeyed and Mush led him to a section of town that was nearly empty except for a crowd of young boys and a wagon full of nuns. The nuns were passing out bread and water, and Mush led Blink closer so that they would get some before it was gone. "Dey's heah everyday," Mush explained.
After their meager lunch, the boys hit the streets once again, their remaining papers diminishing slowly. The sun was starting to set, casting an orangish glow upon the city, when Blink noticed how silent Mush had become.
Looking up at his friend, he followed his line of vision to a girl walking toward them in a light blue dress. She winked at Mush who cleared his throat. It took a moment for Blink to realize that Mush's gaze had fallen upon him once again. "I'se got ta walk her home," Mush blurted out.
"Oh," Blink blushed as the girl finally reached them. She handed Blink a nickel, took a paper and then said "Keep the change," as she linked her arm through Mush's.
Mush turned back and mouthed, "Sorry," and then disappeared around the corner. Blink's pockets felt much heavier as he made his way back to the distribution center. It had been very nice of Mush to invite him to stay with the other newsies, but Mush had forgotten to tell him where the lodging house was. Blink ran a frustrated hand through his hair, and then grumbled, "Thanks for nothin', Mush."
He sat down with his back against the metal bars of the gate. As darkness fell upon him, he fell asleep.
He was aroused a few hours later when a pair of loud voices drew near. "Come on, Skitts. Youse gotta use your feet. I can't carry ya all da way."
"Just leave me heah to die," moaned another voice.
"I can't do dat. Kloppman would be mad." There was the sound of shuffling feet, a heavy thud and a pathetic, "ooowwww."
"You okay, Skitts? Didn't mean ta drop ya like dat."
Blink stood up and made his way over to the shadowy figures, one was hunched over trying to help up the one who had fallen over.
"Need any help?" He offered, stepping closer.
"Who's dat?" the boy on the ground asked, his speech slurred and almost incomprehensible.
The standing figure ignored the question and turned to Blink. "If youse wanna help, I'd be grateful."
Blink took hold of one of the fallen boy's arms, and together, the two boys hoisted him up.
"Let go a me. I can walk by meself." He took two steps and was on the ground again.
"Sorry 'bout him. He's had a rough night."
"Dat's alright. I have dose all da time." "Who are ya kid?"
"Blink."
"Nice ta meet ya. Dey call me Snoddy, but I don't know why," he added wiping his nose with his sleeve. Blink had a pretty good idea of why, but kept silent.
"Dis punk heah, is Skittery."
Skittery was laying on the ground silently and Blink wondered if he might be sleeping, until he began mumbling again.
The boys hoisted him up again and ignored his quiet pleas to just "kill me and be done wit it."
"Are ya goin' ta da lodgin' house?"
"Yeah."
"Good. Dat's where I'se supposed to be goin' but my pahtnah left wit some goil, and didn't tell me how ta get dere."
"Mush your pahtnah?"
"Yeah, how'd ya know?"
"Lucky guess." Snoddy grinned.
The lodging house wasn't far from the distribution center. Kloppman was waiting for them just inside the door as they entered. He looked stern, but forgiving and after a quick lecture, ushered the boys up to bed.
Carrying a boy almost a foot taller than him was a little difficult for Blink, especially since they were going upstairs. When they entered bunk room they were greeted with loud shouts a few snores from the few boys who were actually asleep, and Racetrack's whoops as he won another round of poker.
"Dis heah's Blink," Snoddy announced as he dropped Skittery just inside the door. Skittery groaned.
The room grew silent as all eyes found Blink. Some of the boys muttered hello, but most just stared. For the first time in a while Blink felt somewhat embarrassed by the eye patch, but there was no way he would remove it in front of these strangers.
"Where'd you find him?" A taller boy asked. He wore a black cowboy hat and a red bandana.
"Out by da gates. Said Mushie's his pahtnah."
"Well, if he's good enough foah Mush, he's good enough foah me. Jack Kelley," he said, sticking out a hand which Blink shook.
Eventually things settled down and the boys climbed into their bunks.
"Dere's a free bed next to da wall dere, above Racetrack," Snoddy whispered.
"T'anks," Blink whispered back, making his way in the almost pitch black room to the far side. He felt the bed to make sure no one was in it before he climbed in. He listened as Snoddy had difficulties with Skittery a few beds down.
"Dis ain't my bed," Skittery said, a little too loudly.
"It is foah tonight," Snoddy whispered. There was a creak as Snoddy settled in, and then silence for a moment, and then Skittery's voice came again.
"Snoddy," he said quietly falling into sleep, "I hate all dem goils."
"I know Skitts, ya told me," Snoddy said gently.
"But I showed her, didn't I, Snoddy? Didn't I show 'er?"
"Yeah, you showed her."
Blink smiled as the room once again fell into silence.
The first time Mush noticed the new kid, he was leaning against the gate to the distribution center, his hands in his pockets, his head facing downward. No one seemed to notice him, but the few people who did notice didn't seem to care.
A hard jab to the right side of Mush's chest interrupted his observation. "Whatsa mattah, Mush?"
Mush turned to face Jack Kelley, the leader of the Manhattan newsies and smiled. "Just waitin' foah da papes," Mush answered, somewhat lazily. Jack nodded and moved to the front of the crowd to insure that he was the first in line as usual.
Mush turned back to see where the new kid had gone, and spotted him near the back of the crowd. The boy looked no older than Mush, maybe sixteen, but one feature stood out. His left eye was covered with a patch.
Curiosity instantly struck Mush. Most of the boys, he bet, would start rumors about it. They all loved a good action story where a poor boy got into a brawl and came out missing a limb, or in this case, an eye.
As the gates opened, Mush hurried to the front of the line, only three behind Jack. No one would argue. He was one of the "older" newsies.
One by one, the boys purchased their papers and headed out into the noisy city. Mush hung back for a few minutes, curious to see what the new kid would do. He set himself up on a barrel and opened the newspaper, using the pretense that he was browsing it for a catchy headline.
The new kid bought fifty papers and then uncertainly entered the crowd of lingering newsies. Mush watched him approach Racetrack, with an air of determination. "Mind if I sell wit youse?" the new kid asked Racetrack. Racetrack stared at him for a moment, giving him a once over, and then shook his head.
"I sell alone," he answered plainly, then stuck his cigar in his mouth, tucked his papers under one arm, and then disappeared through the gates, leaving the new kid alone with a dejected look about him.
The new kid watched the rest of the newsies began to leave in groups of two or three.
Mush folded his paper back up, climbed off the barrel and approached the new kid. "Me name's Mush," he said.
The kid jumped, startled and then turned to face a smiling Mush, who held out his free hand. The kid shook it, gratefully, and then said, "Most people just call me Blink."
"Well, den, dat's what I'll call youse too. I'se in need of a sellin pahtnah. You interested?"
Blink smiled.
"Dis your foist day on da job, ain't it," Mush stated as he and his new partner walked down the crowded street. Blink nodded, fiddling with his papers.
"I needed da money real bad," he explained quietly. Mush looked at him curiously, but didn't press the matter, knowing Blink sounded as though this was a touchy subject, so he changed it.
"Well, Blink, I can teach ya all dat I knows about bein' a newsie. I'se afraid I ain't da best out heah, dat'd be Jack, but I do knows a t'ing or two."
Blink laughed. "Dat'd be great."
"The foist thing," Mush's smile grew, "you gotta be actin' real unfortunate like. People can't say no to a poor sick orphan boy." He paused to look around and then whispered, "Obsoive."
Blink watched closely as Mush made his way to a group of rich ladies waiting for a trolley on the corner. They seemed cheerful enough to Blink. Mush walked casually up to them, but gave his stride a pathetic limp.
"Oh dear," gasped one lady, grasping her purse closer to her as Mush approached. The two other ladies turned to see what had made the first gasp, and then both uttered their own small gasps of horror.
"Buy a pape," groaned Mush, nearly falling into the lady closest to him.
"Get away from me!" The woman shrieked. She began hitting him repeatedly with her purse and Mush had to put his hands over his head to protect himself. The other two ladies began to cry out for help and move in on him. Mush, fearing the onslaught of two more hand bags, bolted.
"Now we run," Mush said, grabbing Blink's arm and pulling him into the crowded street once more.
Out of harm's way, Mush stopped to catch his breath. "Dat wasn't exactly da best example," he said through deep breaths.
Blink laughed, and amused expression on his face. "Mind if I give it a try?"
Mush grinned. Blink slowly made his way toward a business man, dressed in a nice suit who stood on the sidewalk, reading his pocket watch. He waited until he was right beside the man and then shouted, "Maniac escapes prison! Read all about it!"
The man looked startled and then began to rummage through his pockets for change. "Is that true, boy?"
"Read it foah yourself mistah." He tucked the man's money into his own pocket and then hurried away. "Page seven!" He shouted over his shoulder. Mush looked at him in awe as Blink returned two pennies richer.
"You're a natural," Mush said.
"T'anks, but I done dis befoah, Mush."
Mush looked a little disappointed but Blink patted him on the back. "Don't worry, I'm sure I still have a lot of loinin' ta do."
"So kid," Mush began after they had started walking again. "You got a place ta stay tonight?"
"No," Blink responded, feeling the money in his pocket. "Know of a place?"
"Sure I do. You can stay at da lodge wit us! Dere's loads a newsies dere and Kloppman makes da best chicken soup."
"Dat sounds good to me," Blink said. He pushed past Mush and walked a little ways ahead of him, shouting headlines.
Mush scrunched up his face and hurried after him.
Midday crept up and Mush and Blink had sold more than half of their papers. They had gotten t know one another pretty well by now, and could laugh and joke around with one another freely.
Blink's stomach growled loudly. Mush laughed as his friend clutched his stomach, a bashful expression on his face.
"I'se gettin' a bit hungry meself," he explained. "Follow me."
Blink obeyed and Mush led him to a section of town that was nearly empty except for a crowd of young boys and a wagon full of nuns. The nuns were passing out bread and water, and Mush led Blink closer so that they would get some before it was gone. "Dey's heah everyday," Mush explained.
After their meager lunch, the boys hit the streets once again, their remaining papers diminishing slowly. The sun was starting to set, casting an orangish glow upon the city, when Blink noticed how silent Mush had become.
Looking up at his friend, he followed his line of vision to a girl walking toward them in a light blue dress. She winked at Mush who cleared his throat. It took a moment for Blink to realize that Mush's gaze had fallen upon him once again. "I'se got ta walk her home," Mush blurted out.
"Oh," Blink blushed as the girl finally reached them. She handed Blink a nickel, took a paper and then said "Keep the change," as she linked her arm through Mush's.
Mush turned back and mouthed, "Sorry," and then disappeared around the corner. Blink's pockets felt much heavier as he made his way back to the distribution center. It had been very nice of Mush to invite him to stay with the other newsies, but Mush had forgotten to tell him where the lodging house was. Blink ran a frustrated hand through his hair, and then grumbled, "Thanks for nothin', Mush."
He sat down with his back against the metal bars of the gate. As darkness fell upon him, he fell asleep.
He was aroused a few hours later when a pair of loud voices drew near. "Come on, Skitts. Youse gotta use your feet. I can't carry ya all da way."
"Just leave me heah to die," moaned another voice.
"I can't do dat. Kloppman would be mad." There was the sound of shuffling feet, a heavy thud and a pathetic, "ooowwww."
"You okay, Skitts? Didn't mean ta drop ya like dat."
Blink stood up and made his way over to the shadowy figures, one was hunched over trying to help up the one who had fallen over.
"Need any help?" He offered, stepping closer.
"Who's dat?" the boy on the ground asked, his speech slurred and almost incomprehensible.
The standing figure ignored the question and turned to Blink. "If youse wanna help, I'd be grateful."
Blink took hold of one of the fallen boy's arms, and together, the two boys hoisted him up.
"Let go a me. I can walk by meself." He took two steps and was on the ground again.
"Sorry 'bout him. He's had a rough night."
"Dat's alright. I have dose all da time." "Who are ya kid?"
"Blink."
"Nice ta meet ya. Dey call me Snoddy, but I don't know why," he added wiping his nose with his sleeve. Blink had a pretty good idea of why, but kept silent.
"Dis punk heah, is Skittery."
Skittery was laying on the ground silently and Blink wondered if he might be sleeping, until he began mumbling again.
The boys hoisted him up again and ignored his quiet pleas to just "kill me and be done wit it."
"Are ya goin' ta da lodgin' house?"
"Yeah."
"Good. Dat's where I'se supposed to be goin' but my pahtnah left wit some goil, and didn't tell me how ta get dere."
"Mush your pahtnah?"
"Yeah, how'd ya know?"
"Lucky guess." Snoddy grinned.
The lodging house wasn't far from the distribution center. Kloppman was waiting for them just inside the door as they entered. He looked stern, but forgiving and after a quick lecture, ushered the boys up to bed.
Carrying a boy almost a foot taller than him was a little difficult for Blink, especially since they were going upstairs. When they entered bunk room they were greeted with loud shouts a few snores from the few boys who were actually asleep, and Racetrack's whoops as he won another round of poker.
"Dis heah's Blink," Snoddy announced as he dropped Skittery just inside the door. Skittery groaned.
The room grew silent as all eyes found Blink. Some of the boys muttered hello, but most just stared. For the first time in a while Blink felt somewhat embarrassed by the eye patch, but there was no way he would remove it in front of these strangers.
"Where'd you find him?" A taller boy asked. He wore a black cowboy hat and a red bandana.
"Out by da gates. Said Mushie's his pahtnah."
"Well, if he's good enough foah Mush, he's good enough foah me. Jack Kelley," he said, sticking out a hand which Blink shook.
Eventually things settled down and the boys climbed into their bunks.
"Dere's a free bed next to da wall dere, above Racetrack," Snoddy whispered.
"T'anks," Blink whispered back, making his way in the almost pitch black room to the far side. He felt the bed to make sure no one was in it before he climbed in. He listened as Snoddy had difficulties with Skittery a few beds down.
"Dis ain't my bed," Skittery said, a little too loudly.
"It is foah tonight," Snoddy whispered. There was a creak as Snoddy settled in, and then silence for a moment, and then Skittery's voice came again.
"Snoddy," he said quietly falling into sleep, "I hate all dem goils."
"I know Skitts, ya told me," Snoddy said gently.
"But I showed her, didn't I, Snoddy? Didn't I show 'er?"
"Yeah, you showed her."
Blink smiled as the room once again fell into silence.