Wolves. That's what I think whenever someone says Brooklyn. I read a science journal Jackson had that was all about wolves. It had a lot of words I didn't understand so Jackson helped me a lot.
The closer we got to the docks where Spot and the other newsies can be found, the more emotionless we became. It was an instinct, if Spot doesn't feel like talking, we had to tuck our tails and get away. If Spot wants to talk, we have to lick his muzzle until he gives us something. But before we could do that, we had to be perfectly emotionless.
David sensed our lack of emotions. He leaned over to me.
"Why are you guys giving blank faces?" I looked at him with my blank face.
"I suggest you get one too, emotions are frowned upon in Brooklyn." I looked at him. "And, as they say, 'When in Rome, do as the Romans.'"
He nodded like it made sense and put on a bored expression. We walked on in silence until the docks came into view. I walked beside Jack to show my standing, second in command. Boots walked behind Jack on his left side and David walked behind me on my right side.
The docks had the common smell of dead fish and sweat. The newsies had the run of this particular dock. Everywhere you look, there are half-dressed newsies jumping off the hot dock into the cool water. We were halfway down the dock when I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was David.
"Pretend they're not there Davey, it comes with walking in unexpectedly." I didn't have to turn around to know some of Spot's boys were following us. Probably excited at the potential of a soaking.
A newsie pulled himself out of the water. He had on white underwear that was now see-through and clingy. I stared straight ahead trying to avoid the uh, view.
No such luck, he stopped right in front of us in a threatening manner. David tensed behind me. I recognized Spot's second, Howler. Now, unfortunately, I will now recognize Howler's bottom half. I made a point of staring at his eyes.
"Goin' somewhere Kelly?" Jack ignored him and continued toward Spot's usual place.
Howler saw David and his scared expression. He smirked and started towards David. I stepped in front of Howler with a slight warning in my eyes. The meaning was clear, back off. Howler sneered at me.
"New pet Pittie?"
"New underwear Howler?" I grabbed David's arm and dragged him back up to Jack and Boots. Jack was just entering Spot's field of vision. He was on top of a pile of crates. He held himself as if it were a throne.
"Well if it ain't Jack be nimble, Jack be quick." He smirked. He reached for his cane. That was not a good sign. Spot was wearing his brown trousers, blue checked shirt and usual red suspenders. His checked hat hid his blonde hair. The top buttons on his shirt were unbuttoned and his under shirt was unbuttoned a little too.
"Saw ya moved up in da world Spot," Jack jumped to the lower dock. We all followed. "Go a river view and everythin'?"
Spot jumped from the crates and landed in front of Jack. Jack smiled and spit in his hand. Spot smiled in return and spit in his hand. They spit-shook and Jack patted Spot on the back. He noticed the little party.
"Miss Murphy, a pleasure ta see ya," He tipped his cap. I tipped mine. He always made a show of being one of the few people who knew my real name. "Dis ol' cook treatin' ya right?"
When I first left my apartment in Brooklyn, I stayed in Spot's lodging house for a couple of weeks. I followed him around like a lost puppy. He showed me the ropes and, he's actually the reason I got my name. Some guy got handsy while Spot was selling a pape to someone. I did the only thing I knew how and bit him. I didn't let go either. So Spot dubbed me Pitbull.
That night, the bulls asked if they knew anything about a missing girl. I hid while Spot and Howler answered his questions. I would have stayed in Brooklyn, had my neighbor not been so worried. She came to the house every night looking for me. Spot said it might be best to move me to Manhattan for awhile, until she gave up. He took me to his girlfriend's lodging house. The only problem was that he broke up with her a week later and his girlfiend blamed me.
That's when I started lodging House hopping and happened upon the Duane Lodging House.I fit in better with the Manhattan newsies than with the Brooklyn newsies so I stayed. Spot stops by every now and then to "Check-up on me". I think he just really likes Manhattan.
"Yeah, he's treating me alright." I answered with a smirk. I walked to stand next to Jack.
"Heya Boots, how's it rollin'?" Spot tucked his cane back into his suspenders and the newsie
s that were following us finally left.
"Yeah yeah, I got a couple of real good shooters here!" Boots reached in his pocket and pulled out some marbles. Spot pulled his slingshot from his back pocket.
"Yeah," Spot took a marble and loaded his slingshot. "So Jackie-boy, I've been hearin' things from little birds." I was surprised the news had traveled so quickly. Jack wasn't apparently.
"Yeah?" Spot took aim with his slingshot. Right above David's head. David hurriedly stepped out of the way.
"Things from Harlem, Queens," He fired the marble at an abandoned beer bottle. Jack boots and I watched as the top half shattered. David was startled at the sound and whipped around to see it. "All over. Dey're chirpin' in my ear. Jackie-boys newsies playin' like dey goin' on strike."
Jack kept his cool. "Yeah, we are."
"Well, we're not playin'. We are going on strike." David stepped in front of Spot when he talked. Spot returned the gesture by getting in David's face. I tensed.
"Oh, yeah, yeah?" Spot was mocking David. His eyes never left David's face. "What is dis Jackie-boy, some kinda walkin' mouth?" Spot was trying to see if Jack approved of David. David looked back at me and Jack but thought better than to turn his back on a stranger for too long.
"Yeah it's a mouth, a mouth with a brain." Jack came up and patted David's shoulder. "And if you got half a one, you'll listen ta what he's got ta say." David looked frightened at the prospect of having to talk to Spot.
Spot walked to one of the many crates littering the dock and sat on it. Then he turned his attention to David with a scary look in his eyes. I touched David's shoulder.
"Go on, tell him." I patted it and went to stand with Jack.
"Well, we started the strike, but we can't do it alone so we've been talkin' to other newsies around the city." He sounded really nervous. I felt bad for him, I really did. But, he's gotta do this himself.
"Yeah, so dey told me. But what did dey tell you?" Spot didn't want to hear the heartfelt stuff; he wanted to know why they were in Brooklyn on his dock. Jack put on his cowboy hat.
"They're waitin' to see what Spot Conlon does. You're the key!" I hid my smirk as best as I could and Jack lowered his hat to hide his face. Spot knew what David was doing, but he let himself be flattered anyway. "That Spot Conlon is the most respected and famous newsie in all of New York. And probably everywhere else too. And if Spot Conlon joins the strike, then they'll join the strike. Then we'll be unstoppable! You gotta join the strike because- Well, you gotta!" He was shamelessly begging in the last sentence.
Spot was smirking and thoroughly amused when he turned to Jack. "Yeah, ya right Jack. Brains." I shot David a smile which he returned. Spot took out his cane and Boots, David, and I tensed. Jack seemed at ease. "But I got brains too, and more dan just half a one." He knocked David's nose lightly with the tip. He turned to Jack.
"How do I know you punks won't run the first time some goon comes atcha with a club?" He turned to David and used his cane for emphasis. "How do I know ya got what it takes ta win?"
"'Cause I'm tellin' ya Spot." Jack got Spots attention back on him. Spot looked down then looked back at Jack.
"Dat ain't good enough Jackie-boy. Ya gotta show me."
So we walked for an hour to get help that won't help. Great. Maybe the other guys got some luck.
A long way off, the bell signaling the start of the afternoon edition sounded. Spot started up the docks.
"Howler and Rabbit, escort 'em out." He called over his shoulder. "And Howler? Put on some damn pants, there's a lady present."
Howler was fully dressed now. He sidled up to me.
"Heya Pittie, how's 'Hattan treatin' ya?" Howler was one of the nicest Brooklinites I know. His shaggy brown hair and friendly brown eyes make me think of a dog when I see him.
"Treatin' me well, I got bumped up to second in command." I told him proudly.
We started towards the start of the docks. Jack and David were talking and Boots and Rabbit, a newsie Boots's age, were comparing marbles. I stared at David. He got so animated when he talked. It amused me.
Howler seemed to notice. "How long have you been makin' googly eyes at the Walkin' Mouth ovah there?" I hit him.
"Shh! What if he heard you?" I whispered, checking to see if he heard Howler. He was still talking to Jack.
"Aw, lay off. You and I both know ya can't hear nothin' ovah Jack." I looked at the ground.
"So, how long?"
"Two days." It didn't sound impressive, even to me. I mean, two days is hardly enough time to judge someone's character. Maybe I don't like him. Maybe I just like the way his sparkling blue eyes show what he's thinking or-
"Ya always did fall fast." Howler said with a knowing smirk. I blushed.
"I did not like Spot like that!"
Howler's smirk widened. "So ya didn't kiss his cheek before ya went ta 'Hattan?" My face was a tomato, I could feel it. "Don' sweat it, lots a girls had a crush on Spot."
"I meant for that to be sisterly!" I argued. Howler snorted but thankfully, he didn't revisit the subject.
I went back to my earlier thoughts. Did I like like David? No, I couldn't, I've only known him for two days. Besides, he probably doesn't like me. I hang out with guys and wear trousers, not exactly something to bring home to the folks.
"He keeps sneakin' looks at ya." I blinked.
"What?"
"The Mouth, he keeps sneakin' looks at ya in the corner of his eye."
I smiled and bit my lip. We reached the start of the bridge.
"Alright fellas, thank for escortin' us." Jack shot Howler and Rabbit a grin.
Rabbit put his marbles back in his pocket and Howler patted me on the back. David walked up to me.
"So, what were you and Howler talkin' about?" David sounded like he was trying too hard not to care. I don't know why, but that filled me with giddiness.
"Nothin' really." I told him. Oh, if he only knew.