Bryan took in the early morning from the rooftop of the boarding house. He watched the sun come up over the rooftops of the tall buildings. He sure missed seeing this everyday.
He smiled remembering that girl from Metta's last night. He couldn't keep his mind off of her.
"A female reporter...She's got guts!"
Bryan smiled as the remembered how adorable she looked when she got angry at him.
"I betcha she's pretty feisty when she gets worked up."
He wished he could have gotten her name, but after the show let out he and Jack walked Les and Davey home. Crutchie was safely in his bed at the lodging house when they arrived. With it being late Bryan slept in Romeo's empty bed. That boy must have gotten more than dinner from a lucky lady last night.
Bryan wondered how these boys could get around like that. He never took advantage of that lifestyle. He secretly didn't want to end up like his Pa. His father Walked out on his Ma when he was just a baby. He saw how hard she worked to make his life better. Bryan never wanted to put a lady in that position. Not that he was a saint, he had been with ladies but he just couldn't have a different girl for each night.
He did fall in love once.
Her name was Vanessa and he was head over heels for her. They couldn't have been more different. Bryan a 21-year-old trying to make it as a photographer's apprentice, and Vanessa a young socialite of a very well off family. They conducted their affair in secret, at her request. She would sneak out of her room and meet him in bars, Metta's, or even his place. Her parents forbid her to see him, and that only made her want to see him more. That was until she got bored. He found out that she was just using him to make her parents upset. She dropped him once a rich stockbroker proposed to her and he fell to pieces.
He spent his nights at Metta's trying to numb his pain with whiskey and some girls. Thank God Metta and Jack were there to pull him out of his depression. He never thought he'd feel anything for a girl that again. But that spirited young lady sure brought up some old feelings.
"Hey ya shoots! I thought you mighta snuck home early."
"Mornin' Cowboy. How ya feelin? Yous had quite a few last night."
"Fresh and ready to hawk some papes. Thanks for helping me get Les and Davey back last night."
"They seem like good kids. Yous better take good care of em, they aren't as crafty as you in swindling cash outta the public."
Jack smiled at Bryan.
"I just embellish a little, not my fault they believe what I say. I just have a face you can trust."
Jack brought his face up to Bryan's smiling obnoxiously. Bryan laughed and slapped him away.
"Ok Cowboy, let's go find some breakfast before we hit the day."
...
Jack and Bryan walked to the circulation gate munching on their bagels. They could see Newsboys standing around arguing about something.
"That ain't even fair! I'll be out sleepin on the streets!"
"You already sleep on the streets!"
"But in a worse neighborhood."
"Hey what's going on?"
All the boys came running up to Bryan and Jack.
"Jack! Shoots! They raised the price of papes."
Jack stepped forward to the circulation desk.
"Fellas! It's gotta be some sort of gag….You've sure got these fella's scared eh Weisel? So give me a hundred and I'll be on my way."
Jack looked back at all the boys smiling. Sure that this was just a joke. The man behind the counter looked up at Jack and scoffed.
"A Hundred will cost ya 60."
Jack's head shot back around to him in shock.
"Look I ain't payin' no 60!"
Weisel pushed Jack's money back at him.
"Then make way for someone who will!"
Jack snacked back up the money and walked away. All the other news boys crowded around him.
Bryan looked around. He could see the scared look in the boy's eyes. He couldn't believe what was happening. The price of newspapers have never been hiked up this much at once. These poor boys were barely making ends-meat as it is. The extra ten cents might not seem like much to Pulitzer, but to these boys it is a matter of eating that day or not.
Crutchie hobbled over to Bryan
"Shooter are they allowed to do this?"
"I don't know Crutch. But I'm going to see what this is about."
Bryan left the boys outside and went to go get some answers from Joe himself.