Bitter looked at the rundown building. She could barely make out "Brooklyn Newsboys Lodging House", from the weathered sign. Spot took her hand and pulled her inside the building.
"Heya Kloppy! I'se brought us a new newsie from Manhattan. I'se gunna take her upstahs and show her 'round. Ise'll settle'er financial situation when I'se is done," he said to the man behind the counter. Bitter noticed he looked astonishingly like the Kloppmann at the Manhattan House.
"Hey…that guy…he kinda looks familiar…" Bitter commented, looking back at him.
Spot smirked. "So you'se noticed. Yeah dey'se is broddahs. I'se don't know hows they both started runnin' houses aldough dere's rumors dat dey both used ta be really great newsies back in deir day."
Bitter laughed trying to imagine either men being young at some point. She didn't have much time to think about it though because Spot finally brought her to the Brooklyn bunkroom where most of the newsies had been gathering, since it was almost dark. She stood in the doorway, completely frozen. The Brooklyn boys didn't seem shocked at all to see Spot with a girl in his room, in fact it seemed to happen all the time.
"Heya Spot welcome back! It's 'bout time you'se showed up 'roun heah! I'se didn' know how long I'se could take dat uptight Jack bossin' us 'roun." He paused in his speaking to look Bitter up and down. "I'se guess I can see what kept ya 'n Manhattan dough. Dis one's prettier dan da rest, Spot. I'se hopes you'se keeps dis one 'roun fer awhile; I'se wouldn't mind seein' her poirty face heah ev'ry moinin'." He smiled at Bitter and stuck out his spit-on hand. "Hey. I'se Cards. It's a pleasure to meet any frienda Spot's, 'specially since deys da prettiest goils I'se evah gets ta meet."
She attempted to smile and tentatively moved to shake his hand. Spot stopped her though saying, "Look boys dis goil ain't like none a da oddahs and you'se bettah get used ta treatin' her wid all da respect you'se gives me or else you'se gunna have a deal wid me." He paused and made eye contact with a couple of the boys that had the nerve to smile at his threat. "An' you'se definatley don't wanna deal wid me. We'se gots a understandin'?" The boys that had been smiling stopped and took a quick breath, then nodded with the rest of the boys.
"Wese'll be poifect gentlemen's Spot. Youse'll see. I think dat Fox wanted ta see you'se soon as you'se got heah. Ya want me ta go get him?" Cards told Spot.
"Nah, dats okay. Ise'll go see him. Hows 'bout you'se settle Bittah inta da top bed a me bunk fer me?" Spot asked. He didn't wait for a reply, but walked out of the room to a smaller room and shut the door.
Bitter didn't realize how comforting it was to have Spot in the room. She suddenly felt very scared sitting in a room of over twenty very strong and intimidating boys. She looked around and noticed that everyone was still staring at her not talking anymore. Bitter was just beginning to think that maybe it wasn't such a good idea leaving Manhattan and subconsciously edged closer to the door.
Cards finally said, "Bittah, right? You'se can come ovah heah wid me. Ise'll show you'se yer bed and give you a tour if ya's likes?"
Bitter smiled and nodded, picking up her small bag and gripping it tightly. She followed Cards to the bunk closest to the window.
"You'se is supposed ta take da top bunk, but you'se can jest throw yer stuff undah da bed." He waited until she had done so. "All right good, now would ya like to meet some a da boys? I don't 'spect youse'll remembah mosta dem but I would hate ta be rude and not have propah introductions." He smiled and continued to walk around the room pointing out everybody and relating his title to her.
Cards noticed she was kind of shy and asked her if she would like to go outside on the fire escape and get some air. Bitter readily agreed and almost ran to the window.
"So can you'se tell me how a nice goil like you'se got mixed up with a boy like Spot?" Cards asked once they were situated on the fire escape.
Bitter smiled. "Well one minute we were fightin' an' da next we were a couple…literally. Da boys thought it would be a good idea ta lock us in da bathroom together. Luckily, fer dem, it worked."
Cards laughed heartily at hearing this. "You'se the goil dey locked in wid him. I'se been hearin' all sorts a stories 'bout you. You'se got quite a reputation 'roun heah. You'se just bettah be able to live up to it."
"I'll try me best not ta disappoint ya all," she said giggling. "Can I ask ya a question?" she asked.
"You'se jest did, so back to my questions." Card teased.
Bitter hit him playfully. "Oh ya know what I mean" she said.
"All right lets heah it." Cards said while pretending to nurse his 'mortally wounded arm'.
"Okay I was jest wonderin' how close you an' Spot are. I noticed dat ya weren't nearly as afraid a him as da other boys. I mean da other boys nearly passed out when he glared at dem an' you ran up ta greet him," Bitter pointed out.
"Oh dats easy. Spot an' I grew up togeddah. We'se always been like broddahs ta each oddah. He ain't got much family an' so sometimes he jest needs someone ta be dere fer him and watch his back. Afterall he is human…regardless what da rumors are," he explained to Bitter.
"Dat was heartbreakin' Cards. I'se tearin' up ovah heah," came the joking voice of Spot from the window. Before Cards and Bitter had turned around they already knew Spot was smirking.