I'm ba-ack! ((scary, Chucky, Psycho type music)) Be afraid...be very afraid.
SHOUT OUTS!
Sprints 100: Tibby is so cool. I wanna hang with him! In my experience, old men are either cool or creepy. Tibby goes in the cool category. Thankies for the review! Hope you enjoy the new chapter!
XbeLLaViTaX: Well, being home sick is bad, but making your day is good! ((is happy)) I'm at work on your birthday fic. I think you'll enjoy it. I made Blink your best friend because I think he's cool. I did get your response to my survey! And I loved your comments on my loving of Davey. I'm waiting for you to send me one on Spot. ((taps foot)) Gotta love that Irish boy. Except when he's an ass. Tibby is freakin' awesome. I wish I knew him. Yeah, I hate Caitlyn too. Is it just me, or does she have Mary Sue potential? As for Mush getting beaten up, weeeeeell... you'll have to wait and see. Are you telling me to store Mush in a morgue? ...Alrighty then. Well, I don't write a lot of fics. I only have..seven? ((tries to remember)) Yes, it is seven. You know I always welcome reviews. Update One Of Those Days soon! Thankies for the review! Hope you enjoy the new chapter!
racetracksdealer: The Bronx rocks hard! Man, I need to see Ragtime! ((makes mental note)) Sounds like a blast, kid! I don't know why I just called you kid... Maybe because I'm in a rat pack mood today. Ah well, it don't matter. Thank you! Here I am, writing more. No need to make threats, now. ((nervous laughter)) Thankies for the review! Hope you enjoy the new chapter!
ducks-go-quack-00: Thank you! Yep, it's going to be about all the newsies and their problems. All of it will take place within Tibby's Diner, through the eyes of Tibby himself. Well, it is quite the cool name. Tibby's hard core. I love that old man. Thankies for the review! Hope you enjoy the new chapter!
Elphie: Really? Now what would give you that feeling, dearest? I know what clandestine means because of The O.C. And then I listened to Wicked and I was like "Ohhhhh! I get it now!" So...you see the thought process...yeah. I like using the word "wicked" to describe people. It makes me feel happy. Yep, he's Irish all right. If only I were Irish... Yeah, uh huh, I'm afraid you'll have to leave the diner now, ma'am. That's right, move along. I want to live in Tibby's all the time and hang out with the newsies and Tibby and Craig and it'll be so much fun! ((dances joyfully)) Okay, I'm calm now. I love that you love calling me Mofo. You'se the only one, so it's even funnier for some reason. Thankies for the review! Hope you enjoy the new chapter!
Brunette: Well, I didn't figure you were the first one to come up with it, I just got the idea from your fic because I haven't read any other fics where Spot's girl cheated on him. I really liked the idea and I thought it was a good way to kick off the story. ((makes mental note to see Steel Magnolias)) I should write it down on my list... Well, I suppose you'll find out what they were talking about eventually. Got to leave a little mystery in the story. Oh yeah, Mush is ever so brilliant. ((sarcastic eye roll)) Yay! I get another quote! There's three from me! ((is insanely happy)) Thankies for the review! Hope you enjoy the new chapter!
Wow. I have nothing to say. This is new. How many times have I been at a loss for words? Very few, I'm sure you agree. Whoa. This is so weird.
David: ((appearing from nowhere)) She keeps Moet et Chandon in her pretty cabinet!
What?
Racetrack: ((appears in puff of smoke)) "Let them eat cake" she says, just like Marie Antionette!
You guys, really, what are you doing?
Jack: ((drops from sky)) A built in remedy for Khrushchev and Kennedy!
Really, guys, I have to get on to the fic.
Skittery: ((slides in, doing air guitar)) And anytime an invitation you can decline!
Guys, this isn't fair! You know my weakness for Queen!
Snipeshooter: ((is blown out of cannon)) Caviar and cigarettes, well versed in etiquette!
WHOA! Where did we get the cannon?
Les: Extraodinarily nice!
Aww...cute Les!
All newsies: ((synchronised head banging)) She's a killer queen! Gunpowder, gelatine! Dynamite with a laser beam!
Ah, I give up. Guaranteed to blow your mind!
Newsies: ((strike poses)) Any time!
Recommended at the price! Insatiable an appetite!
Spot: ((raises eyebrow)) Wanna try?
Spot Fan Girls: ((faint))
((still headbanging)) Read the fic, guys! SHE'S A KILLER QUEE-EEN!
Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies or any of the characters. I own Craig and Caitlyn. And also, any other characters I may have mentioned who you don't recognize from the film. So I dare you to sue me! Go ahead! Try!
At dawn the next morning, I can hear footsteps below, coffee being poured and the door opening. Just like that, in a small, quiet flurry of sound, Jack Kelly is done. Now that I've heard him go, I can't get back to sleep. It's just as well anyway. My bladder has plans for us. I throw the covers off and toddle off to the bathroom as fast as my feet can carry me.
I manage to get down the stairs fairly quickly this morning, but Craig is already sweeping quietly. It's lucky he has a spare key to the restaurant. I don't know what I'd do without him.
"I swept last night, you know," I tell him, heading for the coffee pot.
"You wouldn't know it," Craig replies, not looking up. "Someone must've gotten in here last night. Muddy footprints everywhere."
"Yes, I supposed someone did break in last night," I lie, taking a sip of coffee. It's like heaven. Craig stops sweeping and leans on the broom, grinning.
"So, who'd you let in?" he asks knowingly.
"What makes you think I let someone in?" I ask, faking an indignant tone.
"Because I know you, Joe. You're not one to kick a kid out on the streets," he says. "So who was it this time?"
"Jack Kelly. Run in with the Bronx," I reply. Craig whistles.
"Yeah, I wouldn't want to get on the bad side of those guys," he says with a grin, and continues sweeping. He starts humming to himself absent mindedly, still smiling. Probably looking back on his days as a newsie. He was only a kid when he started here and I wasn't much older. Trolley, they used to call him. Craig always hated it, but didn't have a real name to go by, so I gave him my late best friend's name.
"Hey mister. Can I stay here for the night?" he asked me innocently. How could I say no? As a thank you, Craig started washing dishes for me as a second job and by the time he was nineteen, he worked here full time. Craig took a liking to that Kelly kid.
"He reminds me of me," Craig would say with a nostalgic smile. Perhaps it's because of Craig that I always take pity on the newsies. As Craig sweeps the last of Jack's dried footprints into the dust pan, I turn over the sign to indicate that we're open and go behind the counter to start brewing more coffee.
"Hey, Tibbs? Ever wonder what you'd be doing if you didn't own this joint?" Craig asks suddenly. I pause. "Tibbs?"
"Yeah, sure I do," I say, nodding.
"What would you be doing?" Craig asks.
"Probably the same thing I'm doing now," I answer. "I love this job."
"But is this what you thought you'd be doing as a kid?"
"Well, no," I admit. "When I was a kid, I wanted to be the captain of a ship." Craig smiles.
"Sounds like a nice dream," Craig comments, leaning on his broom.
"Yeah, but that wouldn't work out. I get seasick," I say with a chuckle. "What about you Craig? Did you have a dream?" Craig goes quiet.
"I used to," he answers softly. "But dreams don't come true in this place."
"What was it?"
"I don't remember," he mumbles, as the bell alerts us of approaching customers.
"Gimme a coffee, waitah. I'm feelin' lucky!" says a voice, the rich New York accent filling the room. Racetrack Higgins strode into the restaurant, followed closely by David Jacobs and his younger brother. I pour a cup of coffee as the boys seat themselves at a booth by the window.
"So, how's Mush doing?" David asks worriedly. "Jack told me about his run in with Spot." My ears perk up and I go into my invisibility mode. I place the mug of coffee on their table; Racetrack takes it without glancing at me.
"I dunno. The poor guy looked pretty bad," Racetrack answers, shaking his head.
"Really?" David says with surprise. "I would have thought that Mush could hold his own against Spot."
"Me too. But Spot came at him and he just stood there. Didn't fight back or anythin'. We were draggin' 'im back to dah lodge and he kept mumblin' somethin' 'bout deservin' it." Racetrack furrows his brow. "I figger Spot hit 'im so hard he messed 'im up."
"David, can I have a hot dog?" the little one whines, interrupting Racetrack.
"Not now, Les. Maybe at lunchtime," David tells him.
"Spot musta gone mad too. No one could make out what he was sayin', but Snoddy told me latah dat Spot was screamin' 'bout his goil," Racetrack continues. I freeze, midway through washing a mug.
"Really? Oh God, do you think...?" David trails off, sudden realization crossing his face.
"Wha'?" Racetrack demands, his face still blank.
"Do you remember our conversation here the other day, Race when Blink was telling us about Spot's girlfriend?" Racetrack's face remains blank. "About her cheating on him?" Racetrack's mouth forms a perfect 'o'.
"Oh God, d'ya think Mush was da stoopid bastard screwin' Spot's goil?" Racetrack asks.
"Race!" David cries, gesturing to Les. Les looks around innocently. "Les, why don't you go find Jack and bring him back here?" Les nods dutifully, hops out of the booth and marches toward to door. After he leaves, David and Racetrack lean in closer, keeping their voices down. I strain to listen, but their voices are too quiet and my hearing isn't what it used to be. Soon, Les reenters the restaurant with Jack in tow. He still looks half asleep; I imagine he didn't get much sleep the previous night. These chairs and benches are not the most comfortable. I should know. Jack slides in next to Racetrack while Les reclaims his seat next to David.
"Heya fellahs," Jack greets them, reaching for Racetrack's coffee, which has not yet been touched. Racetrack takes no notice, simply rubs his forehead wearily.
"How's Mush doing?" David asks. Jack shrugs.
"Not great," he answers. "I had tah force him tah stay at da lodge tahday. Kloppman's lettin' 'him stay free 'a charge tahnight."
"What even happened, exactly?" David asks curiously.
"Heah's what I heard from Shiner down in Brooklyn," Jack begins, leaning in toward them. David and Racetrack lean in even further and Les obliviously makes a ball out of his napkin and tosses it from hand to hand. "Dey say Mush's been wid dat Caitlyn goil foah two months now. I don' know what it was, but Caitlyn went tah Spot last night and told him she wanted to be wid Mush, not him. Spot exploded and Caitlyn told 'im all about it. So Spot came ovah tah Manhattan, tracks down Mush and beat the shit outta him." The boys are quiet briefly. I'm so intent on listening that I forget to keep my grip on the glass I'm holding and it slips from my hands, shattering loudly on the floor. The boys look up, but don't see me, as I'm bent behind the counter, sweeping up the mess. Their voices pick up again and I have to strain to listen and sweep at the same time.
"So wheah's Caitlyn now?" Racetrack asks.
"No idea. Aftah Spot left Brooklyn, she took off. She could be anywheah. Spot's lookin' foah her, though. I don' wanna think about what he's gonna do tah her when he finds her," Jack answers.
"What do you think possessed her to tell Spot about her and Mush?" David wonders.
"Got no idea. I don' think Mush told 'er tah do it. He's a hell of a fightah, but he likes tah avoid...confri...confra..."
"Confrontation," David informs him.
"Yeah, con-fron-ta-tion," Jack agrees. "I gotta go, guys. Carryin' the bannah, eh?"
Racetrack, David and Les accompany Jack and leave the restaurant. Racetrack's coffee remains untouched and unpaid for. I finish sweeping the broken glass and stand to see Craig sipping the boy's coffee. He flips me two pennies and comes behind the counter, standing beside me.
"So. Do you want to kill that Caitlyn girl as much as I do?" Craig asks, taking a sip. I smile at him.
"Every bit."
One more verse! To avoid complications, she never kept the same address!
Itey: ((collapses)) Water...water...please...
Aw, you guys are wusses! Come on, someone finish the verse!
Pie Eater: ((wearily)) Fine, I will, just to SHUT! YOU! UP! In conversation, she...spoke...just...like...a... ((collapses on top of Itey)) uhhh...bar...o...nessss...
Fine! I'll finish it myself! ((dances like Garth)) Met a man from China!
Specs: ((slides on knees, dressed like Freddy Mercury)) Went down to Geisha Minah! Then again incidentally if you're that way inclined!
...Specs, you're my new favourite.
Review, please!
newsiesmoseph