"So... U-Um... How have you been?"
My fingers twitched and fiddled with the frayed materiel I used as a shirt, my nervousness and apprehension clear in the tone of my voice. I didn't know how this was gonna go, it was like starting all over again and it made my stomach flip over and turn into knots with uneasiness.
"Good." Came his short reply. He was walking silently beside me with his hands in his pockets, head facing the ground as he scuffed his boots on the dirt packed bricks below us.
I fell silent after that, not wanting to make the tense and awkward situation any worse than I already had.
We walked for what seemed an eternity but it was probably a mere few minutes, only stopping when the occasional person would pass by and Jack would causally 'offer' them a paper, a dazzling smile playing over his lips and a few ear bending almost truths being the only things that left his lips.
After he had succeeded in smooth talking the customer in circles, the man or woman would walk away with a smile on their face and a paper in their hand, their pocket weighing a penny or two lighter then it had been before. He would fall silent again after that, directing me to where we were headed quietly with a gesture of his hand or a jerk of his head.
I had lost track of how we were getting there but ultimately, I knew where we were going so I kept silent and let Jack direct me through the maze of back ways and alleys that we called home.
"I." I considered my words and took in a reassuring breath, I needed to know.
"I-I need to know where you want this to go. What are you getting out of this? You being so... nice. It doesn't make sense."
I was genuinely confused as to why Jack was so adamant on helping me. There really was not one thing that he could get out of helping me.
He stopped walking and turned to look at me. I stopped too and looked him in the eyes with only a little difficulty, leaning unconsciously to the left slightly as I tried to not put to much weight on my bad leg.
I saw a flash of pity cloud over Jack's eyes as he noticed what I did but it was gone before I could get annoyed.
"Because..." He said slowly, trailing off before he finished. This time it was Jack who dropped his gaze, taking a sudden interest in his worn brown leather shoes as they scuffed along the brick.
"Because... I can help you..." He said at last, and I had to lean forward to catch his words he said them so quietly. As soon as I processed what he had said my mouth opened and I took in a sharp breath, ready to bite back with a venomous reply of how I didn't 'need' his help, but before I could he had already started to continue.
"You're doing so well by yourself but I know I can make it easier for ya. Don't think dat I don't know how hard it is trying to survive on da streets alone. I was just like you Crutchie, all alone but but hell would freeze over before I would let myself give up. I-I was... I was able enough to keep myself alive, I wasn't a 'lost cause' so da poor houses wouldn't take me. But, I still wasn't 'good' enough to actually get myself a real job. A kid like me, a kid like you. We just slip through da cracks. I don't want that to happen to you, I know you could be so much more with just a little help. I got lucky, I found myself a family and I want to be able to help give dat to others. More specifically you right now."
He took in a slow breath and looked me in they eye. "I just want ta help, please jus accept it. Da boys'll get used to you. They're all protective of our family see, we don't ever let anyone into our family." He smiled and swiped the hat off my head, giving my hair a gentle ruffle.
"If you still want..." He suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "You'd make a good Newsie, you'd sell quite a few papes with dat limp a'yours. I'm sure da boys'll warm up ta you to. You've got a good heart, dey'll see dat. Or i'll make dem see it." He added, smirking at me and popping his knuckles. That made me laugh and his smile widened when I did.
"Okay, i'll try." I said, smiling up at him while my shoes scuffed against the ground. To be honest, I couldn't have been happier. Like I had said before, I had always wanted to work as a Newsie, and now I got a chance to work for the famous Jack Kelly and his band of Newsies that ruled over da Manhattan streets. This was a dream come true, I didn't care if the other Newsies hated me. This was a step up in the world for me.
I didn't want to sound to eager, I was still a little upset at him for letting the others do that to me. I really had trusted him and than that had happened. It was just another reason why I didn't trust people that often, they always disappointed. But then... He came back, he wasn't upset or angry, it puzzled me. But it made me smile to, so I was going back.
"Why would..." I trailed off, trying to think of the best way to word my question. "Why would my limp help me sell papes?" I couldn't see how my limp could help me, if anything I would think dat it would be a disadvantage. I mean, what good was a paper boy that couldn't get around and sell his papes without limping like the cripple that he was.
Opps, I guess I was being pessimistic again. Positive thinking back on.
Jack glanced over at me with a quizzical look on his face, his hands in his pockets and a bit of his hair sticking out of his tweed cap. "What'da mean? Pity is just about da best weapon us Newsies can use. See, let me explain dis to you."
He turned to me and pulled his hands out of his pockets, holding them out as if he was going to explain it to me.
"So, if you was gonna buy a'pape and there was two Newsies sell'in on da sidewalk. One of'em looked jus fine right, pardon da few dirt smudges. And den let's say da'oda one is... Wear'in a sling around there arm say. Which one'a them would you buy a'pape from?"
I thought about his question and pictured it in my head, really thinking about what he was asking me; My teeth clicking together a couple times as I thought. I puffed out a slightly amazed breath and a wide smile slowly stretched over my face.
"Da one with da sling around their arm, I would buy a pape from them." I said slowly, my head nodding in understanding.
This was brilliant. Why didn't I think of this before?
"That's..." I began, about to tell him how genius that was.
"Da art of business, a day in da life of a Newsie. Presented to you today by yours truly."
Jack winked and swept his hat off his head with his hand, performing a low bow to me and I chuckled softly.
"Like I was saying, if you could really sell dat limp you could be hawkin' at least a hundred papes a day. These people are real suckers for what dey perceive as da 'needy'." He rolled his eyes. "It makes'em feel good, like dey really did something impactful in da lives of us poor souls." Another eye roll.
"If dey really wanted to do some good dey could provide us wit real jobs an better pay, heaven knows we're willing enough." He muttered to himself and shook his head, running a hand through his mahogany colored hair before he replaced his hat on top of it.
"But... What if dey catch on one day?" I wondered, it was a thing that I was concerned about. Not like I really cared but wasn't that cheating?
Jack shrugged his shoulders and we continued walking.
"Well, I suppose you could see it dat way but how I see it is dat we're just using all our assets. I mean, if you was a well respected business man and you was doing the same thing if you was really hurt wouldn't you say that was okay? We only do something like dis if we actually have it. That's why you'd make such a good Newsie see? You was born with it."
That got me thinking. I did have a limp, but I had never used this to my advantage it had always hindered my life, not helped it. This was like telling a blind man that he could suddenly make a living from being blind. It sounded to good to be true.
I guess it was time to find out.
"Yeah, I see." I was quiet for a few seconds.
"How does one go about becoming a Newsie?"
Comments (0)
See all