Here's another prompt from the wonderful ChibiDawn23, they requested a peek at what life was like when little baby John from the Waiting in the Wings for You 'verse rolled into New York. Thank you so much for the prompt, this was a fun one.
I had to slow down to pay the toll to get off the highway and my car stuttered, "come on, baby, come on, come on, almost there, just…" it died as I approached the toll booth, "come on! Are you fucking serious?"
Horns droned on at me and the woman in the toll booth looked at me in disgust, I stepped on the gas and managed to start my car up again, rolling it to the woman. She asked for my money and I scrounged change off the floorboards. Driving in the city was unlike anything the south had to offer, my poor car grunted the whole way, but only died once more. I didn't know where I was going, so I followed the struggling GPS on my phone to Broadway.
There wasn't street parking, I laughed at myself, "of course there's no street parking available, Jackie, it's fucking New York," I squealed in delight at saying it out loud, "I'm in New York, I'm here, I made it, I did it! New York!"
I found a paid lot and passed on it because… it cost… a whole hundred fucking dollars. I blew out a breath and thought about just abandoning my car, not like I'd really need it now. Because I was in New York. I was really here, and more importantly, I was seven hundred and forty-eight miles away from my dad. Sitting in Broadway traffic I realized how tired I was, and hungry, the trip had taken me fifteen hours and I was beat. Waiting for the light to turn and the traffic to move forward I reached into the 'family sized' bag of Sour Patch Kids I'd bought along the way, it was half gone now and tossed the yellow and green ones back in the bag, missing the traffic inching forward, getting honked at again. The next block had a lot for eighty bucks, that seemed way better and I went for it. First step was food. I needed food. There was a diner visible from the lot. I still had about two grand on me, thanks dad's 'secret' emergency stash. I could definitely spare enough for breakfast.
I went inside and sat down on cracked vinyl, an older woman greeted me, "coffee?"
"Oh, uh, no, thank you, ma'am, coke?"
She nodded and walked away, I looked outside at all the people, jumping when she brought my drink.
"What can I get you?" I noticed her accent and grinned, she sounded like New York!
"Biscuits and gravy, a full order, with eggs, and… and sausage."
"Don't do biscuits and gravy,"
I pursed my lips, I guess this wasn't the south anymore, but come on! I mean, this is New York, they have everything here, don't tell me it's easier to get a shawarma than it is to get a damn order of biscuits and gravy, "pancakes, please, still the, um, eggs and sausage."
"You want two or four?"
"Four, please, and the eggs scrambled… with cheese."
I waited for my food to come out and pulled a notebook out of my bag and looked at the to-do list I'd made before I left.
Get A Job
Find A Place to Live
Go to shows on Bradway
Kiss cute Boys
I stared at the list and then realized my spelling error and tried to fix it, making the whole word unreadable. My food came out and I looked up at the waitress after thanking her, "do you, um, know where I could find a job?"
She chuckled softly, "with all that shit in your face, I'd say be a bouncer, but you probably weigh, what, a buck ten?"
I shrugged her off and frowned at my pancakes, spinning the hoop in my nostril with my finger absentmindedly. I spread butter between each layer of pancakes and then poured syrup until they started to fall apart. Then, I reached for the hot sauce and covered my eggs. The food was so good, it restored me, making me feel human again. I gulped at my coke, hoping it would give me energy, wishing I liked coffee just for the caffeine, usually I was energetic enough not to need coffee. Once I was done with my breakfast the waitress brought my check, I balked at the twenty dollar price tag, back home this would run me like ten dollars max… and there would've been biscuits and gravy, but this is New York. I repeated that to myself and counted out enough cash.
Outside people whirled around me and I wanted to break into song, but then I got shoved, not mean, just I was in the way, right. Gotta move fast here. I started walking toward one of the theatres and tried to open the door, ready to have my magic moment of the doors opening and then someone with avant garde fashion sense giving me a job. It was locked. No magic moment to be found.
Blowing out a breath, I gave myself a pep talk, "keep trying, keep trying, you're here, you made it."
I walked down the block and found another theatre and tried the door, it was locked.
"What are you doing, kid?" A man down a little ways with a cup of coffee in his hand and a badge around his neck squinted at me.
"I'm, um… well… I'm trying to get a… job…"
He laughed to himself, "I see. So you're just knocking on theatre doors until someone lets you be an actor. I like your panache, kid."
"Oh… I don't want to be an... actor. I want to be on the crew."
He quirked an eyebrow at me, "huh, you're lucky then, I'm the head light tech at this theatre. Say, where you from, kid, got a helluvan accent."
"I'm from South Carolina, sorry, uh, John Laurens." I stuck my hand out to shake his and he shifted his coffee into his other hand.
"Thomas Paine."
"It's nice to meet you, sir."
"Likewise, Mr. Laurens, gotta say, meeting someone from the south is a nice change of pace, everyone's an asshole up here."
"Everyone I know's an asshole too," I sighed, "are you really the head of lights? That's… my dream job.
"Sure am. Say, kid, how's about I take you out for a cup of coffee? Talk a little shop."
"Are you for real?"
"Yeah, why not?"
"Holy shit, I mean, yes, please."
He laughed and walked me further down the block and we turned in to a little cafe, he gulped down the rest of his coffee and approached the counter.
"What'll you have, kid?"
"Um… a small hot chocolate, please."
He ordered another coffee for himself and paid for us both. We got our drinks and sat at a table in the corner.
"Jesus, alright, so how'd you even wind up here?"
"I drove."
He lifted an eyebrow, "long drive."
I laughed, "my car's a total piece of shit, too. I'm amazed I made it."
"When did you get here?"
I looked at my watch, "two hours ago?"
"Goddamn, and you're already beating the streets?"
"Well, yeah, I mean, that's why I came here."
"Your folks know you're here?"
I stared into my mug, "not… really."
"I see."
"Yeah… that's kinda why I came. I mean, I really came because I want to be in theatre… I mean I have to be… but… that's why I left the way I did."
"Got it," he sighed, "where you staying?"
"In… my car? I haven't really figured that part out yet."
"Ah, Jesus, kid. Alright, I tell you what. You wanna see a show?"
I could feel my eyes lighting up, "of course!"
"I'll get you into the matinee, then how's about you come home and let my wife cook you dinner, stay with us for a couple nights."
"Whoa… are you… are you sure, sir?"
"Sir, psh, call me Tom. Yeah, I'm sure."
"Whoa…."
"Now, kid. I gotta ask you, did it hurt getting all that metal in your face?"
I laughed, "the nose was pretty rough… the top of my ear wasn't great."
"Goddamn, there's more?"
I laughed nervously and pulled my hair back to show off my ears, "yeah."
"Kids, these days." He said with a wink.
We went back to the theatre and he let me in the door behind him. I stared in awe at backstage, there was a real green room and dressing rooms and wigs on mannequin heads. He walked me back to a closet bursting with wires and cables and got a headset out, clipping it to his belt, putting the headset around his neck.
"Alright, kid, there's your backstage tour, go get your seat and come find me at the stage door afterwards."
"Thank you, Tom!" I did a weird bow-curtsy thing that I immediately hated myself for and then went to get my seat.
I stared at the playbill and wondered if my new friend was going to kill me. I mean, he could totally be a serial killer, but then I remembered the bruise on my ribs, my own dad could have killed me, so fuck it, fear is useless. I let out a breath and watched the show, crying almost the whole time. I, John Laurens, was watching a Broadway show, I'd made it out of South Carolina, and I was going to be alright.
Once the show was over I went to the stage door and waited, wondering if he would actually come out, just as I was starting to feel silly about waiting there, the door opened and Tom appeared.
"Hi! You're here. That's so awesome." I sighed with relief.
"Yup, I'm here, ready to get some food in your belly? I bet you're hungry after your trip."
"Yes… and… well, thank you so much. I don't know why you're doing this, but I'm really grateful and… just hope you don't kill me." I pulled at the string of my hoodie and mentally kicked myself for being so awkward.
"Wasn't on my agenda for today." He chuckled.
I followed him to the subway station, like a real, actual subway station.
"You got an MTA card?" Tom asked me.
"Um… no… I've never taken the subway."
"Christ, kid, you're killing me." He wheeled around to a kiosk and showed me how to get a pass, I opted for a month long pass, again, horrified by how much money everything here cost.
We found a place to sit on the train and I was amazed that people could stand up, many of them not even holding on, it moved so fast, how do you not fall over?
Tom lived in a nice little apartment about fifteen minutes away from the theatre. He let me into his home and I was greeted with the smell of cooking food.
"Hey, Lizzie! It's me, I brought the kid with me."
A slender woman came through the kitchen into the entryway and I gasped, "you're… you're you, you're Elizabeth Ollive… The Elizabeth Ollive… one of the greatest producers of our time, and I'm in your house." What the fuck! Don't do the weird bow-curtsy thing.
She dried her hands on the towel over her shoulder and reached to shake mine.
"Nice to meet you, John, right?"
"Yeah, that's me, John Laurens."
"Welcome, John. Please make yourself at home. Supper is almost ready. Nothing too fancy."
"That's plenty fine, ma'am, may I help you at all?"
"You cook?"
"I love to."
Tom piped in, "I'm starting to think that there's nothing this kid can't do."
Elizabeth Ollive… asked me to grate cheese for dinner. I grated it as if I were shaving gold or truffles or… something else really valuable.
"So, John, fill me in. Tom said you just got into town from South Carolina. What's the plan?"
I felt my cheeks flame red, "I'm just trying to find work. I really want to work in a theatre, but I'll do anything."
"He says you seem pretty driven, I have to say I agree."
"I just want more from my life than I was ever going to get."
"I admire that." She smiled sweetly and handed me a bowl of salad to set on the table.
Tom worked behind us to set the table. Elizabeth had prepared a lovely pasta with a light cream sauce with chicken and mushrooms, the salad, and a hearty, crusty bread.
"Thank you so much, both of you, for having me." I took a cautious bite of my food, feeling guilty for invading.
We all talked theatre and it seemed like I surprised them with my extensive knowledge especially compared to my lack of experience. I explained having to hide doing theatre and getting in trouble anytime that my dad found a script. They offered to let me stay in their guest room until I got on my feet.
"Tell you what, kiddo. Tomorrow, I'm going to talk to Ben and see what he thinks about giving me an intern, maybe even a paid one. How's that sound?" Tom suggested.
"Ben?"
"Yeah, Ben Franklin, that's his theatre I'm at."
"Oh, right, gotcha, wow, okay. Really? That would be amazing."
I helped wash the dishes after dinner and then they showed me to my room, it was small, but comfortable, a bed with a desk in the corner.
"Got what you need?" Tom asked in the doorway.
"It's perfect. Thank you, really. I still don't know why you're being so kind to me..."
He smiled at me, "these are the times that try men's souls. I was young and unemployed once, myself. I've been where you are. Goodnight, kid."
I smiled back at him, "goodnight."
He shut the door and by this point I was mostly convinced that I wasn't going to be killed. Elizabeth Ollive wouldn't kill someone. I balled up my fists to silently freak out that I was actually sleeping in Elizabeth Ollive's house and then stripped down to my boxers and tank top, falling into bed and sleep the deepest I think I ever had.
In the morning, I was offered a cup of coffee by Elizabeth and denied.
"You get into theatre and you'll like it," she smiled slyly.
"I don't know. I've always been pretty energetic," I shrugged it off and she laughed at my naivety.
Tom instructed me on where I could park my shitty car near their apartment and I rode the subway in with him to retrieve my car while he was at work.
"Alright, so, hopefully Ben agrees and lets me really make you my problem, other than that, you keep yourself busy for the day, alright? There's plenty to do. Go see the museums or something."
I nodded, "okay. Thank you. Thank you so much."
We parted ways and I managed to fire up my car, the gasoline smell permeating the vehicle. I was pretty sure that I knew how to get back to his place and I started the drive through the crazy traffic, Sour Patch Kids in hand. Once I'd found a place to park by the apartment I decided to hit the streets try to find a museum. I went down into the subway station that we got off at and then tried to find the right route to the museums… but it was down for maintenance, so I tried to find an alternate. I got on the train and hoped I was headed in the right direction.
I was not headed in the right direction. I took a different train and then just ended up finding it easier to walk the two miles. I stepped inside Central Park and looked around. It was so beautiful, this part looked like home a little bit… in the way that it had… trees. I found a bench to sit and pulled out my sketchbook, opening it to a page of my page sister, half sketched. I felt the homesickness set in and pulled my phone out, there were dozens of missed calls from my dad and my sister.
I really wanted to talk to Martha, to hear her advice and I called her from the bench overlooking a pond.
"Jack! Oh, my God, Jack. Where are you?" She cried into the phone.
"Hey, Martha… I'm fine, I'm… in New York. Sorry to scare you."
"Jack, when are you coming home?"
I heard my father's voice in the background, "is that John?"
"Yes, daddy, he's safe. I'm asking him when he's coming back." Martha replied, not particularly into the phone.
"He isn't!" My father boomed, "stealing from me, painting on my walls, painting p-pornography on my walls. This home no longer welcomes him."
"It's okay, Mar, I'm safe, I'm fine, I like it here." I tried to comfort her.
"I have to go, Jackie. I love you."
"I love you, too, Mar. Tell the kids."
"Of course."
I felt the tears starting and pulled my hood up, wanting a shroud of anonymity as I cried.
"Hey, this seat taken?" A man's voice startled me from my silent crying.
I looked up to see a young guy, little bit older than me, cheekbones sharp enough to cut and a strong upturned nose.
"No, I don't think anyone wants to really sit by me right now, though."
He sat down anyway, "you sort of looked like you could use a friend."
I sniffed to compose myself, "I'm John,"
He stuck a hand out, "Tadeusz, but just Tad is fine. Where are you from?"
"South Carolina," I noticed a strange accent in his own voice, "you?"
"Poland. The accent gives me away."
"How did you end up here?"
"Columbia. I'm a student, how about yourself?"
It sounded dumb in my head, "I came up here to find work on Broadway."
"Difficult job."
I smirked and nodded.
"What has you so down, my friend?"
"My dad's a piece of shit."
He quirked an eyebrow, "I see."
"I just… called home for the first time and… it didn't go super well."
"He does not approve of your being in the theatre?"
"That's putting it lightly…" I wondered if I could say that I was gay here, to this almost perfect stranger, if it was safe, fuck it, fear is useless, "he doesn't approve of anything I do, including like boys."
Tad chuckled to himself, "it's not an easy path, liking boys."
I laughed deep in my throat at this, "nope, it sure isn't. I don't want to talk about my shitty dad, what are you studying?"
"Ethnic Studies, basically just trying to figure out how to get racial equality."
I felt my eyes light up, "that's so cool. Don't go to the south… ever… it's not good down there."
"So I hear. Did you draw that?" He gestured to my sketchbook and suddenly I felt self conscious.
"Um… yeah, it's my baby sister."
"She's cute. You're very talented."
I smiled at the ground, "thank you."
"Would you like to go get some lunch?"
I thought about it, "um, sure. Yes, please."
We strolled to a nearby deli, he claimed it was one of his favourites in the area and we ordered our food, paying separately, even though I felt like I should probably pay for his because, well, was this a date?
"This has to be my favourite food right by campus. You have to try a bite." He held his sandwich out to me and I took a small bite, it was delicious and put my own sandwich to shame.
Throughout lunch we made small talk and then decided to go back to the park and take a walk, both of us talking about ourselves, he was interested in the military, still on the fence of whether or not he'd try to work alongside them in an equality coalition. I thought that sounded amazing. I wasn't sure what to talk about, not wanting to drone on about my shitty dad, but also not wanting to talk sports and come off like a total jock, that wasn't really who I was anymore. I mostly talked about my art and my favourite theatre shows and told him that I'd hopefully be apprenticing. We stopped on a bridge crossing one of the bodies of water and he took my hand, wheeling me around to face him.
"Would it… would it be alright to kiss you?"
I bit my lip and nodded, taking the initiative to peck at his lips, he was the first to part his lips and deepen our kiss. My stomach flipped and my hands found the small of his back, his hands settling on my hips, my backpack in the way.
Eventually we broke apart, "I can't believe we just did that. Out in the open, broad daylight. Holy shit."
"Welcome to New York," he took my hand again and we walked to the gates of the park where we exchanged numbers, I told him what theatre I was hoping to work at, knowing my dad would shut off my phone at any moment.
"I want to see you again." I said.
"I want to see you again, too, John."
I placed my finger under his chin and tipped his head back to kiss him one last time and then we parted ways, me doing my best not to jump up and down. I hurried back to the train station and went to the theatre to wait outside. I didn't care that I had to wait a few hours, I wanted to tell Tom, my only friend here, about what had happened.
Eventually he came out and I jumped up and down, "Tom!"
"Slow your roll, kid, hi, got good news for you."
This sobered my mind, "really? What did Mr. Franklin say?"
"You are officially my problem, Mr. Laurens. Go in for paperwork tomorrow."
"Oh, my God!" I hugged him, "oh, my God, thank you!"
"Easy kid, now what did you want to tell me so bad?"
"I kissed a boy! Just like in the movies, right in Central Park. In the middle of the day!"
"Look at you go! Come on, let's head home and you can tell Lizzie all about it."
Over dinner I eagerly filled my hosts in on the details of meeting Tad, that we wanted to see each other, that we held hands in the open and no one even said anything to us.
"That's wonderful, John, we are so happy for you."
"Thanks, and hey, I was thinking, um, since I have a job now, and you're letting me stay here for a little bit, I'm totally happy to pay rent to you."
"Tell you what, John. You cover your groceries and you're good to go." Tom winked.
"Are you for real?"
"Save your money to find a nice place of your own, John, it's tough out here." Elizabeth agreed.
"Thank you… I… wow! What a day!"
I did the dishes, feeling it was the least I could do and then went to take a shower, realizing just how dirty I felt. After I dressed myself in pajamas I pulled out my notebook and reviewed my to-do list.
Get A Job
Find A Place to Live
Go to shows on Bradway Broadway
Kiss cute Boys
I got a job, I found a place to stay for awhile at least, I saw a show, I kissed a cute boy. New York was going to be alright. I made myself sleep, wanting to be well resting when I started my apprenticeship as a light tech.
