"Up! Everybody up! Sell the papers!" Hail awoke at Kloppman's voice. Glancing out the window, she noted the sun was barley up; how could it possibly be time for work already? "Melody, Hail! Outta bed! Stick with Cowboy today, he'll show you what to do." Defeated, Hail forced herself out of bed, grabbed her clothes and headed for the washroom.
Upon arrival she could see how the room had gotten as messy as it had been before she cleaned it. The guys were fooling around, splashing water, and throwing whatever they could get their hands on at each other. Hail hastily dressed in a stall and, as she exited, received a wet rag to the side of the head. She looked up to see who threw it and spotted Kid Blink and Pie Eater laughing hysterically. Not feeling anything was funny this early in the day, Hail hurled the rag back at them, hitting Blink square in the face. Then, she turned on her heel and retreated back to the bunkroom.
"You don't enjoy mornings much, do you?" Melody asked, noting her friend's sour mood.
"I'm starting to think it was a mistake to come here," Hail muttered.
"All right ladies, are yous ready to head out?" Jack asked as he walked over. "Do you have any money?"
"Yeah, what for?" Melody replied.
"Ya hafta buy some papes before you can sell them. Bring twenty cents, if you got it; we'll start off with only a few papers 'til you get the hang of it," Jack instructed. The girls obeyed and rummaged through their belongings to come up with the money. The other newsies had begun to file out around them, so they followed suit with Jack bringing up the rear.
Jack explained the art of selling papers as the group made their way through the streets of Manhattan. Hail listened, but also tried to take in her surroundings so she could find her way back. As Cowboy discussed the importance of making customers feel sorry for you, the newsies came upon a group of nuns passing out bread to the hungry children.
"Ahh breakfast," Jack interrupted what he was saying and stepped forward to accept the nuns' charity. Melody and Hail did the same and thanked the sisters politely.
"Are they always here?" asked Hail when they had continued walking.
"Nah, only once or twice a week, but it's great when they do come. They're some of the only people who actually care what happens to us," he told them.
Before long, the pack of newsies reached their destination.
"This, ladies, is the distribution office," Jack said, leading them up a ramp to a window with iron bars. "And this is Mr. Weasel, the man who sells us our papes and tries to cheat us everyday."
"It's Wiesel, Cowboy! Ugh I don't know why I bother…" the fat, greasy man groaned. "What is this? Yer bringing me girls now?"
"They's our newest additions and they'll be havin' twenty papes each. Here, give Weasel yer money and make sure you count how many you get. The usual for me Weas," Jack instructed.
"Thank you Mr. Wiesel," Hail said courteously as she received her papers.
"Yeah yeah, you got your papers, now keep the line moving," Weasel abruptly hurried her along.
"Don't pay him no mind," said Jack as they left to start selling. "He's nothing but a lousy crook, always trying to stiff us outta papers."
"Why don't they get rid of him?" inquired Melody.
"They fired him once, but the whole system's corrupt and he was back within the month. The newspapers will do anything to make a buck, that's why we went on strike a few months ago," Jack explained.
"Hey I read about that. You were involved in that?" Mel asked Jack.
"Started it," he answered. "But enough talk, we gotta get selling."