Spot. Even thinking his name made me smile. I saw his face in my dreams that night. I wished he hadn't left so soon after the show. I spent most of my next day trying to think of an excuse to go see him.
I knew it was a very unwise idea, I knew it wasn't safe to cross the selling borders; I'd seen what had happened to several boys who had been recognized. Some boroughs like Brooklyn and Queens didn't even care enough to let you explain if they saw you. It was too risky as a Manhattan Newsie to move around their part of the city without a valid reason. I would just have to wait things out.
The day after the show, I had finished selling my papers and headed over to where Mush was selling across the square. The sun was beating down on us, and the heat was almost unbearable. He was leaning against a pillar near the fountain. I sat down a few feet away from him and leaned against the cool stone. I removed my cap from my head and stuck it under the spout of water that sprayed up from the centerpiece of the feature. After it had mostly filled I flipped it onto my head. It felt wonderfully refreshing to have the cool water pour down the sides of my face. I knew it was only a temporary solution, but for the moment it was great.
When Mush sold off his last paper he came over to sit next to me.
"Ya like the show last night Kid?"
I looked over at him and scrunched up my face as I replied. "It was good enough for what it was."
"That's cause ya didn't stay for the whole show, Ya such a prude, always get goofy when ya sees a bit of ankle. If it's too much for ya we could always go to the kiddie show next time and see the guy with the talkin' dummy." He started laughing and gave me an overzealous elbow to the ribs, which helped bring me back out of my thoughts.
"I ain't a prude ya twit."
He laughed and handed me his cigarette and said, "Prove me wrong."
I took the almost finished end of the cigarette and twirled it between my fingers, then brought it up near my mouth and just before it reached my lips, I flicked it into the fountain. As it flew I saw Mush's mouth fall open in shock.
He turned back to face me and growled, "I'll soak ya for that."
He made a playful dive towards me as I danced out of the way. I started running back toward the lodging house with him close behind.