A Strike, a Letter and a Kiss
The next morning, Erik and Nora crept downstairs early in the morning to head off to work. Erik placed a finger to his lips and shushed Nora then turned back to head for the front door.
"AHH!" Mrs. Lowenstein called out from the parlor in her robe and a plate of eggs. Nora giggled at the wince Erik's face made and how he defeatedly took the eggs and quickly ate them with a fork right there in the hall. The Lings came down the stairs agruing loudly not caring about disturbing anyone before they headed out to the door for the day. Nora was barely containing her laughter at the situation while Erik handed her his empty plate and Mrs. Lowenstien handed him a brown paper bag saying with a triumphant smile,
"Thank you!"
"No thank you!" Erik said dryly as he led Nora out the door. They weren't out the door two seconds when they saw Izzy, Fritzy, Emilio and the black boy Henry running with a small pine tree with Officer Doyle on their heels.
"HOLD up! And just where do you think you're goin' with that tree?" Izzy replield,
"We ain't stealin' it! I swear! We're just taking it over to Tavish's!" Fritzy piped up,
"Nobody else wanted it!"
"It's ours! Free and clear!" Henry stated as Emilio nodded.
"Oh it is, is it? Well, we'll just have to see about that! In the meantime, I'll be taking it!" Doyle said taking the tree from their hands. Erik walked over and interrupted,
"I beg your pardon Officer. But these are very harding working children. And if they say they haven't stolen that tree, then I believe them." Doyle answered skeptically,
"Oh I see! They've got you fooled now too, haven't they?" Nora folded her arms and glared at the policeman,
"Now look here Doyle!"
"Nora..." said Erik with a warning tone. Nora softened,
"Officer Doyle! Look, I promise I won't kick you no more okay? " Seeing his reluctance, Nora threw in, "Okay I won't throw no more eggs at ya either. Now can we have the lousy tree?" Doyle hesitated but he looked aside at the tree and said,
"Well it is a bit of a scrawny old thing, isn't it? Take it!" Smiling at how Doyle handed the tree off to Izzy, Erik nodded as the children stepped to the side to chat,
"Thank you Officer." Stopping him from turning, Doyle said to Erik,
"Uh Mr. North! I was wondering Sir, seeing as to how you take on to the children so, perhaps you'd like to buy a ticket for the policemtn's benefit. It'll be on over at Foley's Saloon and besides...we can't have you spend Christmas Eve by yourself." Answering truthfully, Erik said,
"Well...it wouldn't be the first time. But it sounds delightful. And I'll take two tickets." As Erik pulled out his spare change, Doyle said,
"Oh good. That'll be fifty cents Sir." Handing him the coin, Erik said,
"Uh-huh...and there's something you could do for me Officer."
"Sir?" Suddenly realizing that he never had the respect from an authority figure before, Erik went on,
"You see the second ticket is for my landlady, Mrs. Lowenstein. And I'd like very much for you to deliver it to her...personally."
"Me? Oh I don't think herself want's much to do with me, Sir." Doyle replied shaking his head.
"I wonder it she might be a little afraid of you?" Erik suggested. Realization dawned on Officer Doyle,
"Afraid of me? Oh..." Looking aside to Nora, he continued, "...well I wish to God some of it would rub off on that one!"
"I told you Doyle, I've reformed!" Nora told him. Nodding, Doyle replied,
"Oh yes! I'll believe that when I see it! Well, I'll do that for you Sir! Good day to you now!" As Doyle continued his beat, Nora beckoned Erik over to the group,
"Come on Erik! I was just tellin' the kids about your idea!"
"Well Sadie gave me the notion. Now today...we all work as slowly as we possibly can!" Erik told them seeing them grin at the sheer simple brilliance. Nora added,
"It'll drive Tavish crazy! So that's the plan ok? Today as slow as molasses! Everybody got it?"
"Got it!" they all responded.
"But...what if Tavish gets mad?" Fritzy asked with a nervous look on her face. Eyes wide with terror, Henry asked,
"What if we get scared?"
"Then all you have to do is whistle!" Erik said.
"Whoo-oo!" The kids responded.
"And I'll be there holding your hand! When life..." Erik said leading them to the factory.
"Whoo-oo!" They whistled following behind him with the tree.
"Doesn't go the way that you planned..."
Meanwhile, in a immaculate upscale suite uptown, Christine De Changy sighed as she sat at the writing desk looking out the window. A knock came to the door followed by the voice of Raoul De Changy,
"Christine?"
"Come in!" she sighed. Raoul came in with a disappointed tone,
"Christine! You aren't even dressed! I was going to take you ice skating in the park!"
"I'm sorry, Raoul." she said with the ghost of a smile.
"You're thinking of him again aren't you?" Raoul asked a hint of jealousy flaring up. Even knowing him to be a man of flesh and blood, Christine was still haunted by the Opera Ghost!
"If only I'd taken the time to tell him what he meant to me." she said thinking about it. An idea popped into Raoul's head,
"Why don't you tell him now?"
"Now? But I don't even now where he is!" Christine told him. Taking out a pen and paper, Raoul told her kissing her head,
"Maybe just getting the words on paper would help. Just a thought." And with that, Raoul left Christine staring at the pen until she took it in her hand and dipped it in the inkwell. Christine spoke her words aloud as she wrote them,
"Angel of Music,
Guide and guardian. Who were you strange...Angel?
I...only wish...I knew...your secrets...
Where have you...been...hiding?
You taught me how...to sing...
You taught me how...to shine...
all the while you had been wishing...
that...you...were...mine.
Angel of Music guide and guardian...
Where have you gone...Master?"
On Avenue A, the church bells rang the hour as Officer Doyle walked up the steps to the Lowenstien Boarding House. He tipped his hat to Mr. Ling as he and his family passed. The Lings stopped arguing long enough to smile at Officer Doyle and bow in respect. Doyle returned the gesture clumsily before turning inside while the Lings went back to their constant heated debates.
Inside, Mrs. Lowenstein was stitching on some finishing touches to the gown she had been making when she said to Sadie with a dry tone,
"My fancy customer from uptown? So...now she decides she don't want red after all. Will clash with her hair my foot! Everything clashes with her. Prima Donna indeed!" Sadie shrugged then returned to her book when a knock came to the door. Sadie got up to answer it marking the place. Upon the opening of the door, Officer Doyle took off his helmet and asked,
"Oh...Sadie. Uh... I was wondering...is your mother in? Oh, Mrs. Lowenstein!" The woman in question separted Sadie from him, eyes wide in fear,
"Officer Your Honor! She's a good girl! She didn't mean to start nothing!" Stepping into the parlor with a smile, Doyle said,
"Well from what I hear, she started plenty!" Mrs. Lowenstein looked as if she was about to faint,
"Oh no...NO!"
"She had my own mother up there at Union Square to hear all of them cheering for your Sadie! Oh...she's a regular Susan Mac Anthony, that one!" Doyle said cheerfully and with admiration. Mrs. Lowenstein was stunned with surprise as Sadie told her,
"See Mama?"
"Oh, by the way Mrs. L...Somebody bought you a ticket for our Precinte Christmas Party. It'll be on over at Foley's Saloon, so it will." explained Doyle trying to find the ticket.
"Who is this to have done such a thing?" asked Mrs.Lowenstein.
"Well...let's just say it's your own secret Santa! And it'd be giving myself...and the lads at the precinte a great joy if our favorite hostess would attend!" Doyle said producing the ticket. Pointing to herself, Mrs. Lowenstein asked,
"Me you're talking about?"
"Sure who else?" he said handing her the ticket. "We'll be seeing you Christmas Eve then?" Clutching the ticket to her bosum Mrs. Lowenstein nodded then blushed when he left with a wink, "Good day to you both!" Mrs. Lowenstien shut the door behind him then looked at the ticket in amused confusion. She looked to Sadie who shrugged.
The Tavish Toy Factory was usually a place of great smoke seeping up from the smoke stacks and hurried and hazard young workers trying to earn their ten cents an hour. But today, everyone worked slowly. They were sewing slowly, painting slowly, hammering slowly. Even Emilio was sweeping the floors slowly. Erik walked around, (slowly of course) before bending over to one group of workers at their table and saying,
"No my friends...I think a proper slow down would be even slower." Then he walked around a bit before stopping some boys with a supply bin, "Slowly!" As they slowed their pace, Erik said to Emilio, "That's perfect Emilio...fine!" Fritzy asked Henry,
"You think this is really going to work?"
"It's better than doing nothing and freezing!" replied Henry. Erik came over to them,
"But we must stick together like glue, Fritzy. You can't have an opera with only a soprano...no matter how good and beautiful she is..." This last part was more said to himself, but the children still gave him puzzled looks.
"Long story." he said. Then hearing a door shut, Erik shushed the children while Tavish came down cheerfully,
"And how are my little elves...today..." His face fell,"What...is happening here? Busiest week of the busiest season and I see...four...five...SIX trains...THREE teddy bears!" He looked to Erik, "Mr. North, I demand an explanation at once!" Tavish tapped his cane to which Erik replied non-chalantly,
"I would be happy to give my opinion sir, but first, I'd like your opinion on these toys I took the liberty in designing for the New Year." He produced a black notebook and Tavish took it up and skimmed through the bright and colorful designs of wonderous magical toys that almost jumped from the page in a burst of glitter. Tavish snapped the notebook shut and said threatenly,
"Mr. North..." Smirking as if he was running the Populair again, Erik said,
"I believe it's the cold air that's slowing us down Mr. Tavish. Prehaps some coal on the fire would pick up the pace." Tavish smiled with annoyance,
"I'm on to you Mr. North. This little slow down is your handiwork, isn't it?"
"Oh not just mine, Sir! But all of us together!" said Erik as the children gathered around and shouted out,
"Yeah!"
"That's right!"
"Together!" Tavish smiled, showing how thin and gaunt his white face was, his pitch black hair slicked back.
"Well then! It is my pleasure to inform all of you...together...that you'll be spending Christmas Day right here!"
"NO! NO!" cried the children. Erik was outraged,
"Oh wait just a moment Mr. Tavish! What possible use could the children be to you on Christmas? I mean all the toys would have been delivered!" Coldly, Tavish explained,
"Clean up Mr. North! A good scrubbing down of all walls...and the floors!"
"NO!" cried the children rushing back to their tables and working at breakneck speed with Erik and Nora looking about in disbelief.
"Children! Remember what I said about the opera!" Erik pleaded.
"Glue please!" called one child.
"I'll let you off an hour early for Christmas if you tell me did Mr. North put you up to all of this?" Tavish called out. Izzy stood up nearly knocking off his bowler,
"Yeah he's the brains behind the whole thing!" Izzy spoke up,
"He made us do it!" Henry called out,
"Yeah! It was him!"
"Then he took Christmas away from you didn't he? Shall I let him go?" Tavish asked.
"Yes!" they chorused.
"Hire a new supervisor?"
"YES!" Erik glared at the man in hate while Tavish just smiled smuggly and said,
"There you have it Mr. North. Democracy in action! Now...GET OUT!" Erik took up his coat, threw down his apron and was about to turn, when Nora stood and protested,
"You cruel, mean man! He was only tryin' to make things better for us! Better for this whole company! He should start his own toy factory just to run ye outta business!"
"Nora!" warned Erik. Tavish sneered,
"You're fired!"
"I quit!" Nora told him storming out. Erik made to follow when Tavish smiled and held out the notebook,
"Au revoir!" Erik snatched it up and looked sadly around the place before marching out with his head held high. He found Nora outside who was sadly putting her shawl over her head.
"Nora...I'm so sorry..." Erik apologized.
"Oh it's not your fault. To tell you the truth I wouldn't mind working on Christmas. I hate Christmas anyway." Nora said. Taking her by the arm, Erik said,
"You don't mean that Nora."
"I'm afraid I do. Without me mother here it's just another day of the week." Nora said as they sat on some crates.
"I know just what you mean...believe me! But Christmas or not people shouldn't have to work under those conditions. Well, thank you for standing up for me with Mr. Tavish. That took moxy!" Erik told her gving her a smile.
"Well...I best be lookin' for another job...or we'll never have enough to bring me mother and my baby brother over." Nora said. Erik shook his head looking at the factory,
"When I think of those poor children working so hard...They're fingers turning to icicles...Nora something must be done!" Nora gave him a weak smile and began to sing,
"Whatever rut you get...stuck in..." Erik joined her,
"You'll feel me...pulling you through...and...then and forevermore, you'll hear me whistling for you!"
"Whoo-oo!" whistled Nora before hugging a surprised Erik around the neck. He chuckled and said,
"Come! I think we have to find Sadie!" He helped her to stand and then took off down Avenue A with Nora trying to keep up to his long strides.
Foley's Saloon was closed for the day so Mr. Foley could pull down his Christmas decorations and get ready for the party on Christmas Eve. Katie was on a ladder hanging a wreath whistling and singing,
"And you'll find me holdin' your hand..." Mary came up under her and asked,
"You're in a right fine mood. What happened last night night?"
"Nothin'. I'm just feelin' good." Katie said.
"Liar. Santa's goin' to be puttin' coal in your stockin'!" laughed Mary.
"Can't a person just enjoy herself?" Katie asked dryly.
"It's that handsome Frenchman who was here the other night defendin' your honor like a fine and proper gentleman isn't it? You fancy him don't you?"Mary grilled her.
"I may have been enchanted with the way he played around with me and Nora last night at the vaudeville..." Katie admitted.
"More than enchanted, Lassie!"
"What do you want me to say Mary? That I want to jump a man I've only known a grand total of three days, marry him and live happily ever after?" Katie said climbing down.
"Yes." said Mary point blank.
"Mary!" groaned Katie.
"I'm just sayin'...it's Christmas...miracles happen...and if you ask me...fallin' in love's about as big a miracle that it can get." Mary said before walking to the back leaving Katie alone with the decorations. Picking up a sprig of mistletoe, Katie sighed and said to herself,
"Snowy days and frosty nights
Everything looks cold and white
Hangin' round the mistletoe
Hangin' round the mistletoe
Christmas Day will soon be here
And everybody's full of cheer
Hangin' round the mistletoe
Waitin' for you dear
Well, I've waited all year long
Now the year is almost gone
Hangin' round the mistletoe
Hangin' round the mistletoe
But if that's what I got to do
Just to get a kiss from you
I'm hangin' round the mistletoe
Waitin' for you dear
Christmas is a special time
To give and to receive
For every little kiss you give me
I will give you three
You ain't gonna miss one kiss
That's one thing you'll never miss
I'm hangin' round the mistletoe
Waitin' for you dear
I've had my eyes on you
For a long, long time
So I'm asking Santa please
Make that Frenchman mine!
I've waited till I'm cold and blue
Just to get a kiss from you
Hangin' round the mistletoe
Waitin' for you dear
Hangin' round the mistletoe
Waitin' for you...Erik...dear."
Erik jumped down silently from the open factory window he just opened and went to the door to let Nora in.
"You've got to tell me how ya do that!"
"Well now isn't the time!" Erik said creeping over to duck behind some crates.
"Anybody see ya?" Nora asked following.
"Not yet." Erik told her looking out. Out on the floor, Henry sighed and said aloud,
"We should have stuck with Mr. North."
"Then we'd be out of our jobs!" Fritzy told him.
"Yeah but at least we wouldn't be freezing!" Henry shivered. Izzy yelled at him,
"Ah quit your belly achin'! It didn't work because..."
"It didn't work because we didn't believe in ourselves enough!" came Erik's voice in a echo all around them. When he and Nora stepped from the shadows the children cried,
"Mr. North!"
"Mr.North!"
"What are you doing here?" Fritzy asked.
"Yeah better not let Tavish catch you."Izzy said.
"Tavish don't scare us! Does he?" Nora asked Erik proudly.
"The only way to succeed with Tavish is if you children stand together." Erik told them.
"Oh not that again!" Izzy said with a roll of his eyes. Erik looked at him, man to man,
"Oh yes that again! And not just the children in here. But the entire city! What if you told every boy and girl in New York that Tavish Toys fall apart the day after Christmas? What if everyone knew...that little children suffered to make them? I'm talking about a strike! And a boycott! Citywide! Who is with me?"
"Mr. Tavish ain't going to like that." Fritzy said.
"He'll just fire us and hire other kids." Izzy told him.
"Not when they find out how shabbily you children have been treated." Erik said. Henry said sadly,
"Nobody cares for kids from Avenue A!"
"Well I care Henry!..."Erik paused realizing that he did care. Over the course of the last few days...he had let himself care for others...and it was a wonderful feeling. He smiled and stated strongly, "And I care very much. And I'm sure others will too. Now who will join me?"
"I will!" said Nora.
"Big surprise!" Izzy said dryly. Erik walked around a bit,
"And what about the rest of you? Will someone else say strike?" When no one answered, Erik asked again,
"Who will help get Tavish Toys off the shelves?" Now Emilio was a small boy that no one ever paid attention to. But this small boy got up on a table and said in a very big voice,
"STRIKE!"
"He talked!" Nora cried in delight as everyone gasped and Erik grinned.
"If Emilio's in, then I'm in too! And I say strike!" said Henry standing. Fritzy stood,
"Me too!"
"Hey move over! You're not in before me! Strike!"
"STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!" chanted the children.
The next two days were filled with cries of,
"Take Tavish Toys off the shelves!"
"Don't buy Tavish Toys!"
The streets were filled with the children protesting outside Tavish Toys, taking the defective toys from the helpful store owners and preparing to send them back where they came from. Mr. Foley even let the children use his saloon during the day to take inventory of all the returned toys. Sadie followed Katie with a pad and paper as Katie counted,
"Twelve drummers..."
"Twelve drummers..." Sadie repeated writing it down.
"Eleven pipers..."
"Eleven pipers."
"Ten leaping Lords..."
"Leaping Lords..."
"Nine dancing ladies..."
"Ladies..." said Sadie as Erik walked up to them,
"Thank you so much for your help, Ladies. This is going to make such a difference." Sadie walked up to him and smiled,
"We're happy to help Erik! To fight injustice, to work for the little guy! Giving voice to those who have been beaten down by a cruel patriarcal society that..."
"Sadie! Sadie! Get off the soapbox and go help Marcello bring in that sack of toys." Katie interrupted pushing the other woman towards the door where Marcello was struggling with a huge bag of broken toys. Erik and Katie watched for a moment as Sadie giggled and helped a very grateful Marcello set the bag down, even daring to give him a peck on the cheek. Erik and Katie sighed at once, wishing for something they didn't think they'd ever get. Erik smiled aside at Katie,
"Looks like those two found each other." Katie huffed going over to count sorry looking bears,
"Finally! Father Callahan started a pot bettin' on when they'd get together. Looks like I'm out two bits!"
"Hmm...seems nice doesn't it?" Erik asked her. Katie paused,
"Guess the Father knew what he was talkin' bout when he gave the greatest gift of love."
"Love is patient...love is kind...and all of that..." Erik paraphrased.
"Yeah...speaking of gifts I better go downtown and pick up the one's I got for Nora and Da." Katie said.
"Gifts?" asked Erik.
"Yeah, you...do know 'bout exchangin' gifts during the holidays don't ya?" Katie asked.
"My mother celebrated my birthday only once in my life. Having gifts on Christmas day wasn't even a thought I entertained." Erik told her. Katie tensed and took a breath,
"Would you...like to go shoppin' with me tonight?" Erik looked at her awestruck,
"You and me...together...alone?"
"Well Lands Sakes I don't bite! What do you say?" Katie laughed nervously.
"Sure. Sounds pleasant enough." Erik agreed.
"Alright...we'll go shoppin' then after I finish up here." Katie told him.
"Sounds good." Erik nodded.
"Good." nodded Katie turning from him and not seeing Erik's eyes fill with terror. He was spending time alone with a woman he hated to admit he was attracted to. And she had consented of her own free will! But would his old, possessive ways return to haunt him?
Erik didn't have much to worry about. They left Foley's twenty minutes later and took the trolley downtown where shoppers were everywhere in the major department stores. Erik had never seen so many things in his life. And if Katie wasn't helping him, he'd had never found gifts for Nora, Sadie, Mrs. Lowenstein, Marcello and the children from the factory. Then if occured to him that he wanted to buy something special for Katie. But he had no clue as to what. A dress to bring out her eyes? No, too personal. Jewerly? Too personal and too expensive. Then Erik wondered why he wanted to shower her with expensive gifts. Brushing the question aside, Erik felt bold enough to ask,
"What do you wish for Christmas Katie?" Katie gave him the most odd and soul tingling look. Then she looked out amoungst the gently falling snow and stopped in her tracks looking ahead. Erik followed her line of vision to a couple exhanging a passionate embrace. Katie smiled sadly,
"Do you really want to know?" Erik smiled empathically,
"I want the same thing."
"Aye...but...you know if it hasn't happened by now then...most likely it isn't going to happen." Katie said as they continued.
"Oh come now Katherine! You're a beautiful, strong passionate woman. Any man would kill to have you by his side. It's people like me no one wants to spend their life with." Erik informed her.
"Ah please! I'm stubborn, picky and it would take a team of wild horses to tame me! What's your excuse?" Katie asked.
"I'm a moody, obsessive perfectionist who can barely control his temper. And I'm unattractive as well! Would you want me?" Erik asked only to be met with silence. He took that as an agreement, but then Katie said,
"We're both attactive...and impossible to live with. And if we don't think we can fall in love...maybe we're not meant to fall in love."
"Perhaps." Erik said. Katie sighed again,
"I guess I'm not meant to...fall in love.
It's...never gonna be that way...
No flowers or chocolates, jewels and romantic ballads...
...for me...
Why should I be lucky to...fall in love?
I'll take my life come what may!
A life without love won't be so bad...
It's just not meant to be." Erik added,
"I guess I'm not meant to...fall in love.
"I'll never know anothers...touch.
I'll never romance, captify or mystify.
"Now woman would ever want me...
What should I be lucky to...fall in love?
No matter...how...much...
"I've always dreamed I'd catch someone's eye...
It's just not meant...to be..." Together they said in total agreement,
"I guess we're not meant to...fall in love.
It's foolish to hope and...pray.
We've not given up, we've just given in...
It's foolish to believe...
That we could ever fall in love..." They caught each others glance and became captivated with the look in each other's eyes. Reflectivly, they both said,
"It's just not meant...to be..." Katie went to stand in front of a store window and Erik looked up and down her figure a moment before asking,
"But...Don't you ever long...for longing?
Desire for desire?
Are you ever passionate for passion?
Romance the idea of romance?
At least...every once in a while?" Instead of answering, Katie asked him instead,
"Do you ever feel for feeling?
The ignition of that fire?
Do you ever long to soar in such a fashion?
To let you heart...free!
At least...does the thought ever make you smile?" They sighed and said,
"I guess we're not meant to...fall in love.
It's foolish to hope and...pray.
We've not given up, we've just given in...
It's foolish to believe...
That we could ever fall in love..." They had begun to walk a bit when someone bumped Erik into Katie's shoulder. Looking at each other curiously, they both said,
"It's just not meant...to be..." Erik went a little ahead of her decribing the picture in his heart with wide hand gestures,
"I used to dream I'd be standing in a room...
And she'd be across the way...
standing like the angel she is.
And then I would dare ask her to...dance...
But..."He paused and looked at her sadly, "I'll never get...the chance." Katie looked up to the stars and smiled,
"I use to dream he'd come and take me...away,
every inch the prince charming he is...
But princes don't fall for girls like me..." They exchanged looks,
"It's just not meant...to be...
"I guess we're not meant to...fall in love.
It's foolish to hope and...pray.
We've not given up, we've just given in...
It's foolish to believe...
That we could ever fall in love..." Katie tripped and fell into Erik's arms. They froze and said,
"It's just not meant...to be...
But...
If we're not meant...to fall in love..."
"Then why...do I feel?" Erik asked.
"The way...that I feel?" asked Katie as Erik's lips came closer to hers.
"When I'm...with...you...?" They closed their eyes upon feeling their lips touch. The kiss was gentle then firm the impassioned. An elderly woman passing by with her nurse said,
"Isn't it nice to see couples kissing under the mistletoe?" And sure enought, over their heads on the lamppost was a stray sprig of the evergreen plant.