Rella's POV
The next morning, we all grumbled good-naturedly as we got outta bed and began preparing for the work day. Some things never changed, I thought bitterly. I may have left Nanthia but I'm still getting up at the crack of dawn.
"That's my cigar," Buttons called to Tommy Boy.
"You'll steal another," Tommy Boy replied.
"Hey, bummers, we got work to do," Finch called.
"Since when did you become me mother?" Romeo asked.
"Aw, stop your bawling," Davey muttered.
We all glared at him and snapped, "Hey! Who asked you!"
Jack grinned and said, "Try Bottle Alley or the harbor..."
"Try Central Park—it's guaranteed," Les added.
"Try any banker, bum, or barber," I called.
"They almost all knows how to read," Crutchie called.
"It's a crooked game we're playing—one we'll never lose, as long as suckers don't mind paying just to get bad news," Henry pointed out.
We grinned and crowded into the bathroom. Jack grabbed the towel first.
"I smell money," Finch grinned.
Crutchie dramatically pinched his nose shut and shot back, "You smell foul!"
"Met this girl last night," Kid Blink called.
"Move your elbow," Henry said to me.
"Pass the towel," I called to Jack.
"For a buck, I might," he called back.
I rolled my eyes and we raced to out to get to our starting point, where we waited for the distribution office to open.
"Ain't it a fine life, carrying the banner through it all? A mighty fine life carrying the banner tough and tall. When that bell rings, we goes where we wishes. We'se as free as fishes. Sure beats washin' dishes. What a fine life, carrying the banner home free all."
After we arrived, I asked, "Hey, Crutchie? What's your leg say? Gonna rain?"
He shook his bad leg and said, "No rain. Aha! Partly cloudy—clear by evening."
Romeo smacked my arm and called, "Ha! And the limp sells fifty papes a week all by itself."
Crutchie glared at Romeo and responded, "I don't need the limp to sell papes. I got personality. It takes a smile sweet as butter—the kind the ladies can't resist."
"It takes an orphan with a stutter," Jack began.
"Who ain't afraid to use her fist!" I finished.
"Summer stinks and winter's waitin'—welcome to New York! Boy, ain't nature fascinatin' when you gotta walk?" we called.
We all chilled and talked about how great it was to be a Newsie.
"Still, it's fine life carrying the banner. It's a fine life, carrying the banner. A mighty fine life, carrying the banner with me chums. A mighty fine life, blowing every nickel as it comes. Hey, what's the holdup? Sittin' makes me antsy. I likes livin' chancey. Harlem to Delancey—what a fine life carrying the banner through the slums... Curdled coffee... Just give me half a cup... Something to wake me up... Concrete donuts sprinkled with mold... I gotta find an angle... Jack says to change my spot... I gotta sell more papes... Wish I could catch a breeze... All I can catch is fleas... God, help me if it's not! Somebody help me, please ... If I hate the headlines, I'll make up the headline and I'll say anything I hafta 'cause at two for a penny—if I take too many, Weasel just makes me eat 'em afta. I got a feelin' about the headline. I smells me a headline. Betcha dinner it's a doozy 'bout a pistol-packin' floozy who knows how to make a newsie's day! If you wanna moon the next edition, give us an earthquake or a war!"
"How 'bout a crooked politician?" Specs suggested.
I took Crutchie's crutch and hit Specs over the head with it as the rest of us all said, "Ya nitwit—that ain't news no more!"
We all got up and began stretching to begin our walk around town, stating, "Uptown to Grand Central Station down to city hall, we improves our circulation walking 'till we fall. We'll be all there, carrying the banner man to man! We're always out there, soaking every sucker that we can! Here's the headline: Newsies on a mission! Kill the competition! Sell the next edition! We'll be out there, carrying the banner! See us out there carrying the banner! Always out there carrying the banner! Ah! Ah! Ah! Go!"