Chapter 4: He wanders South

Night came quickly to New York, the streetlamps flickering on quickly. The poker game had wound down, with Racetrack winning a hefty sum. Jack had played a few hands, but without interest. He soon quit the game to lay on his bed, staring to burn holes through the card. He lay like that for about an hour, deep in thought, before sitting up suddenly and bundling up.

"Hey Skits, can I borrow ya Mittens and hat?" he asked.

"Sure Cowboy, but why?" Skittery asked as he tossed them to Jack.

Jack defly caught them, "I've gots me someone to see. Its Valentine's Day, and I don't want dhem ta know its me."

"Don't do nuthin' I wouldn't do!" Kid Blink called and Jack answered with a wink and disapeered down the stairs.

"Hey Kloppman, I'll be out for a while."

Kloppman didn't look up, simply waved and smiled to himself. That boy was going to romance. Ah to be young.

With night the wind had died down, and gently huge snowflakes where floating down from the dove gray sky. They fell so slow them seemed to be suspended in the air, as if time had stopped. These crystals softened the street lamps' light, so that the city glowed. In this weather, Jack wandered in a generally Southern direction.

He played out scenarios of his plan, some making him smily gently, others laugh, and others awakened a fire. So deep within his thought play was he that he passed completely by Tibby's. He'd skipped lunch and was hungry.

Muttering curses to himself, Jack turned to double back, but a general store's window display caught his eye. It had the same sugary, lacey, and girly look as the valentine's card folded and stuck in his pocket.

Poifect

Grinning broadly with his hunger forgotten he entered the store and headed for the display. From the selection he choose the gaudiest card he could find, picked up a candle and matches as well and brought his items to the clerk.

"You've gots ya a special goil, if this is wha' ya gettin' hoir." The Clerk said casually.

"Oh, she's one of a kind. Got a somet'in' ta write wit'?"

The Clerk raised his eyebrows as if to question Jack's literacy, but with a nearly imperceptable shrug handed him a fountain pen.

Jack began writing, using his arm to block the Clerk's view. He concentrated hard, at one point sticking his tounge out the side of his mouth the very image of a studious ten year old.

After eight words Jack laughed to himself, thanked the Clerk, and exited the store back into the gorgeous snowy night. With a slightly more determined stride he returned to his Southern Route reaching the East River about twenty minutes later.

Here it was slightly colder, and the wind blew softly causing the snow to dance. The lapping of the river seemed muted by the snowfall, and the glow of the street lamps was gone, but not the feeling of warmth.

Excited about his devious plan, Jack crossed the Brooklyn bridge, pulling Skittery's hat down farther and hunching slightly, pretending to be cold, all the while willing his body to walk like Skittery. Skits had a girl in Brooklyn, so his crossing of the bridge at night wouldn't be so unusual. Naturally, Jack managed to cross the bridge without running into anyone.

"So far, so good" Jack thought, and hurried off to the Brooklyn newsboy's lodge.

There were no lights on in the upstairs "Poifect."

He entered boldly, quickly closing the door. The owner looked up, "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, can ya give dis ta Spot when he gets back?"

The owner eyed Jack suspicious when he saw what he was holding.

"Don't tell him it was me. Me an' da boys have sumt'tin' planned."

The owner nods, he was always fond of practical jokes.

"And if he axs, hes gettin' da card 'coz its Valentine's Day."

Author's Note,

I definetely accidently went into present tense for the majority of this chapter. Luckly, though, I caught that before posting!
One more chapter to go!

I've been getting a lot of hits, which makes me happy! But are you guys enjoying this so far?
Have you figured out Jack's plan yet?
The irony would be if you hadn't, because then you'd be about as confused as I am in my boyo situation : ( (and the situation isn't all that confusing, I'm just bad at reading signs)