The next morning when I woke up, no one else was even awake yet. I slowly crept out of my bunk and tiptoed into the washroom. I unbraided my hair and sat down on the counter. Wetting my fingers, I ran them through my hair until all the tangles were out and then I quickly parted it down the middle and deftly braided it into two braids. I looked in the mirror, and decided to try a different approach to the day. I straightened my kneepants and my shirt, and twisted my hair into a little crown on my head. Then I stuck my hat on top of it all to hide the braids. I really looked like a boy now.
"Hey theya." I said quietly in my deepest voice. I sounded absolutely stupid. I decided that my voice was fine, the people would just think I was a really young, boy newsie. I smiled to myself, wondering what the boys would think when they came into the washroom to find a strange boy who looked suspiciously familiar sitting on the counter next to the sink. I perched myself on the edge of the counter and tried to look male. That was not easy.
I contemplated what they did so much differently than girls. I couldn't really think of what to do, but I told myself that whatever I did, I couldn't smile when they walked in. That's because I smiled like a girl. (Of course I did. I was a girl after all. Don't ask me about my logic here, because I don't know what it was) I heard the voice of the old man, he was called Kloppman, I'd picked up somewhere, yelling at the boys to wake up and sell their papes. I laughed quietly to myself.
One of them complained noticeably loud, I think it might have been Jack, but I still didn't know him, or any of the other boys, too well, so I couldn't tell from the voice. I heard footsteps approaching the washroom, and repeatedly told myself not to smile. This was going to be such fun! The boy with the curly, dark hair- Mush I think his name was, came into the room. I guess it was still pretty dark or something, because he didn't notice me at all. That was a little disturbing, but I figured if I waited a little longer someone else would come in. At some point, someone had to notice me.
The next person in there was a really tall guy with dark hair. I had no clue who he was. He turned and looked at me funny, and then said, "Hey Lynn, why's ya sittin' on da counter?"
"What? Me? I? Uhhh.." I spluttered.
Mush turned around and saw me, "Whoa! I didn't even notice you there, Lynn, you are such a little girl!" He said playfully. Even so, I was slightly insulted, and took the towel and whacked him across the back.
He stood up with a smile on his face that lit up the room as he laughed. "Lynn, youse knows I was kiddin'." He said, and put an expression of mock-pain on his face.
I turned with the towel and with a smile said, "Watch it theya, partna', or I's gonna hitcha again!" We all laughed, and I hopped down off the counter and cartwheeled into the other room. Obviously the boys in there thought it was pretty weird to have a girl dressed as a boy come cartwheeling out of the back room, because they all sort of sat up and turned to see me.
I fell flat on my face and my hat came off, so my braids flopped down my back. I guess I must have looked pretty funny, because all those groggy boys started to laugh to some degree. I think it was the fastest they'd ever woken up. I'd have to remember that. Well, there I was, lying on my stomach on the floor in the middle of the room, my braids out to the sides of my face, and sort of coming undone, my hat on the floor behind me, and I was absolutely bright red. I had not meant for any of this to happen the way it did.
Everyone recognized me when I thought I looked like a boy, and then I had fallen flat out on the floor in the bunkroom. This was not a good way to start the day. I totally started to shake. I had no idea whether to laugh or to cry. I pushed myself up on my hands, twisted my braids back up and stuck my hat over them, and sat there, cross- legged on the floor. The guys were laughing at me, my face was bright red and I was still shaking, trying to decide if I should cry or laugh. I was sitting like that when Mush and the other boy came out of the washroom. Mush absolutely burst out laughing.
"What happened hea?" He asked, while laughing so hard I was amazed he could still talk. Jack sat up and laughed.
"She came in hea', spinnin' 'round like a cartwheel, an' she all'v a suddin she fell down on 'er face on da floor. We's all started ta laugh, an' we prob'ly shouldn't've, but it was so funny, an' den she started shakin' an' turnin' all red, so she put 'er hat back on an' sat up. Den youse came in." Everyone was laughing again, including me, because the way he put it was the funniest thing I'd ever heard. Most of the boys sluggishly got out of bed and headed for the washroom. I guess I was the best alarm clock yet!
That day, I followed the boys to the place where the newspaper people sold "The World" to all the newsies. I was getting much better about understanding what to do, what I was selling, and how to sell.
Jack had told me not to try to sell the papes for their headlines. He said, "Headlines don't sell papes, newsies sell papes." He also told me that making up the headlines wasn't lying, it was only improving the truth. Well, I said I'd try, and here I was going to the place where they bought the papes. I was afraid to go back up there, because of the way they'd treated me last time, but then I remembered my hat. I tucked all my hair back up into the cap, (some had come out, despite my best intentions) and started to bravely walk towards the line where the newsies were waiting. I stood in line with my seven pennies, and waited. As I walked by, a few of the boys wished me luck, and a few made low whistles at me. I ignored the whistlers, even thought it made me burning mad.
Was it so obvious that I was a girl, even though my hair was tucked up and I was wearing pants? I hoped not, because I didn't want to hear about it from that guy up there selling the papes again. When I got up there, the man studied my face. I scowled at him, tossed my pennies onto the table and asked him for fourteen papes.
He laughed as he said, "Go back ta yer momma, litta' goyl, an' don't come back hea'." He took my pennies, but didn't give me any papes.
I said, "You theya! I don't know yer name but dat's downright mean of ya ta take my money. I's a newsie! I needs da papes an' it's dishonest of ya ta not give me da papes if youse took my money." He only laughed at me and stuck his face up by mine, I backed way, way up.
He whispered, "pretty litta' things like youse oughta be playin' wit' dere dollies, not comin' 'round 'ere ta sell 'Da Woyld' an talkin' like da newsie street trash." I got incredibly angry. How dare he call me and my best friends 'street trash'. I really wanted to do something to him, but I was totally helpless. I couldn't do anything to the man to make him give me the papes, but I really needed that money, even if he wouldn't give me my papes. He also wouldn't listen to me. I vowed that from then on, I'd get someone else to buy my papes for me, but I'd still give them the money to buy them, of course.
I turned around and looked at the line of people waiting. They did not look happy that I was holding up the line for them. I turned the other way and saw Jack talking to Specs with a very angry look on his face. Specs nodded his head and took Jack's papes on top of his stack. Like the wonderful person he was, Jack came to my rescue.
"Youse betta' give dis litta' goyl 'er papes an' you'd betta' do it now, Weasel." He said, with a growl to his voice. The name Weasel made me want to burst out laughing, but for obvious reasons I didn't.
"Da litta' goyl shouldn't be hea' sellin' papes, youse oughta know dat," he said, with a really sickeningly sweet tone to his voice.
Jack told the nearest newsie to "go an' get da police, dey'd know what ta do wit' da man who won't give de honest newsie 'is papes." The man looked like he might change his mind if the boy didn't go for the police, so Jack told the man that he'd take the papes and sell them himself, and that "the girl" wouldn't do any of the work at all. The man smiled at me in triumph, as I glared back at both he and Jack.
How could he do this to me? Why did he call me "the girl"? Jack took the fourteen papes and walked down the steps to where the rest of the newsies were standing. I just stood there. What was wrong with Jack? Was he trying to help me? I had no idea what was going on, so I went and sat next to the wall of the building.
I tucked my knees up under my chin and wrapped my arms around them, making myself as small as possible. I sat there and thought of what I was going to do if Jack had only been putting me on, making a show of it all. Maybe all he wanted was to show off his courage, fighting for the little wimp of a girl. Maybe when he'd talked to me he hadn't meant anything at all about us being friends. I had no idea what he was driving at. It bothered me, so I closed my eyes and tried to forget the world around me.
I was startled within a few minutes by someone kicking me in the side, not hard, but it was not comfortable either, "Move it, goyl, whatsa matta wit' you? Why's you sittin' dere on da ground all curled up sleepin' durin' da day?" He kicked me again, and I looked up at him. I didn't know this guy. He looked like he was taller than me, but not much. I got up and looked around. All the newsies were still sort of milling around near the newspaper thing, so I knew I hadn't been sitting there long.
I got to my feet quickly, and then leaned back against the wall. I must have gotten up too fast, because my head sort of blanked out and I felt very dizzy for a few minutes. "Hey goyl, whatsa matta' wit' you? Eh? Why's you standin' dere?"
Still leaning against the wall, I turned to him, "I's jus' a bit dizzy, in a few seconds I's gonna be all right." I said, and of course, I was fine in a few seconds. I stood up and started to walk away.
"Hey dere, you goyl? Youse can't jus' park youself in my pathway an' den not 'spect me ta wanna know who youse are an' where youse goin'." The boy said to me.
I said, "My name's Lynn, an' I's tryin' ta find Cowboy, 'cause he took my papes."
The boy said, "oh, so youse one a dem newsies?"
"Yeah I am, an' don't give me a hard time 'bout bein' a goyl, 'cause it's not yer problem anyhow. Do youse know where Cowboy is? Tall blond kid wit' a cowboy hat on 'is back, an' a bandanna 'round 'is neck?" I asked, he pointed to the large group of newsies in the street and said,
"Prob'ly out dere, but you don't wanna fight 'im or nuttin, 'e's a lot bigga' den youse." I thanked the boy and started to walk towards all the newsies. I spotted Jack pretty quickly. A scowl on my face, I approached him. I noticed very quickly that he was a good, I'd guess nine, ten, maybe a few more inches taller than me, still, I glared at him.
"Can I have my papes back, an' den can you jus' leave me alone?" I asked him, defiance in my voice. Suddenly I just didn't know what to say, and I was almost going to cry. This was definitely not good. I stood there, fighting back tears, and couldn't speak.
Jack took one look at my face and all of a sudden he looked really, well, kind. He told me to follow him, and I have no idea why I did, since I was so mad, but he looked so sweet, and I couldn't say anything without bursting into tears anyway, so I just followed him. He went and sat down on the curb of a less busy street, and motioned for me to come sit next to him. I think he knew that I couldn't beat him or anything, so I would have to listen to him talk, and try to discuss everything with him. I sat down, and burst into uncontrollable tears.
Jack patted me on the back, "Don't cry, Lynn. Lynn, don't cry. Whatsa matta'?" He asked. I buried my face on his shoulder and cried. He put his hand on my back and helped me sit up. "Lynn, whatsa matta'? Do ya want yer papes? I's got 'em right here, I was gonna give 'em to ya but youse went off somewheres an' I couldn't find ya nowheres!"
I was still crying, even though I wasn't upset with Jack anymore. Now I was mad at myself, for ever thinking that Jack would do that to me. He was my real friend, and so were all the guys at the Lodging House. I was so mad at myself that I was crying. I looked up to see Jack's face. He looked so sad. I felt simply terrible and choked out,
"Can I have dem, please? Da papes?" I looked up at Jack with a half-smile on my face while tears streamed down my cheeks. He put the papes next to me and put my hand on top of the stack. "Thanks," I said. Somehow it made me feel better to have my hand on my papes. Slowly I stopped crying, and scrubbed my face on my pants to get the tears off. My face was red and my eyes puffy, I could tell even without seeing myself, and I didn't want to face any of the guys. Not Jack, not anyone. I started to stand up, but, like the last time, I got a little dizzy and sat back down again.
I turned to Jack, "thanks. Thanks for being my friend." I said, he looked at me in a rather intrigued way, like he wanted to know what had happened to me, but I didn't tell him. It was something I didn't tell him for a long time. Slowly I stood up again, and as soon as I had my balance I picked up my stack of papes, breathed in and out once, and began to walk with Jack, and chat with him a bit.
"Jack, from now on can I give youse da money an' ya can buy me papes for me? I don't like dat man up dere." I said to him, when we'd started to walk back towards the main streets of Manhattan.
Jack snorted, "Weasel? He ain't nuttin ta be afraid of, but I don't want youse goin' back up ta him anyhow, he may get ideas we don't wan' 'im ta get. Yeah, I's gonna buy youse papes for ya, I was gonna say dat anyway." He smiled very kindly at me, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thanks. Can I sell near youse today? I don't wanna get into anudda problem wit' a man like dat Snyda." He said that would be okay, and I went to stand on a street corner across from Jack, making up headlines like, "Ellis Island is sinking into the ocean!", and other pointless and strange things. Soon, I'd sold all fourteen of my papes. At least lying about them did work to sell them.
I found Jack and handed him ten of my pennies. "No Lynn, I gave ya dat money. Youse needs it more anyhow." I forced it on him, telling him that I could make my own money, now that I'd learned from the best how to sell the papes. I was putting the four remaining coins in my pocket when a blond haired newsie came over to Jack from the other side of the street.
"Hey Jack, ya knows dat..." The conversation trailed off as they walked away together. Well, of course I wanted to know what they were talking about. I tried to think of what it could be, but failed. I stood on the street corner for some time, just watching people pass by. Some looked at me strangely. My braids had come out from under my hat again, so I assumed it was the fact that I was a girl dressed as a boy, and a newsie at that. Maybe the hat got them all riled up. I don't know what it was.
"Hey, Lynn." said a voice behind me. I turned sharply to see Racetrack standing there, I was startled because I hadn't seen him coming, but at least I knew who he was.
"Hi Race. How was yer day sellin' papes?" I asked.
"Oh, it was all right. How'd ya do?" He replied, sounding very nice and genuinely interested. I told him that I'd sold all my papes, and paid back my debt to Jack.
"Dat's great news, kid. Come on, I'll walk ya back ta da Lodgin' House." He took my hand and we walked back. He told me about how the day was at the horse races, where he always goes. I thought it sounded interesting, but I never wanted to go there myself. Too many people would wonder what was wrong with me. A girl, dressed as a boy, a newsie at that, not to mention at the races? I'd rather not even think of what they'd say.
Well, when we got to the Lodging House we went inside. I took off my hat and threw it on my bunk, and let my braids hang down. It was nice to get my hat off my head, because all day I'd been so hot with my hat on, unable to take it off for fear that people would think I was worse of a lunatic than they already did. Well, it had been a really nice day. Think about it. I'd had a nice talk with Jack, and a nice walk home with Race. Everything was turning out just great. I couldn't wait to see what the evening would bring.
I sat on my bunk bed, hitting two of my four pennies together, making a rhythm. Clink cla clank clank clink cla clank clank.
Finally, Race turned to me, "What in da woyld are ya doin', Lynn?" I blushed and stuck the pennies in my pocket.
"Umm, well, uh... nothin'." I answered.
Race laughed, "well, it was gettin' a litta' bit annoyin', all right?" I nodded my head yes. I couldn't think of anything to do, so I watched the door to the bunkhouse, to see who would come in. There were only about five of us in the bunkhouse at the time, and everyone was busy with something, even if it was only staring off into space, like Jack was, or clicking pennies, like I had been.
There was a scuffling noise outside the door, and it opened. Mush stepped into the room, shaking his head.
"Ugh! It's rainin' like crazy out dere! I's surprised I could sell me last two papes, dey were stickin' together dey was so wet!"
I looked up in surprise, "really?" I asked, because I hadn't heard any rain.
"Yeah, really. Believe it. Here." He splashed the water off his hands at me, getting little droplets of cold water on my face.
"Oh ick!" I exclaimed, "that was cold!"
"Yeah Lynn, but do youse believe it's rainin'?" Mush asked, laughter in his eyes.
"Yeah, all right?" I replied, a little angrily, because I didn't like getting all wet, "if I's wantin' ta get wet I'd 'a stepped outside 'a my own choice." I said.
"All right." Mush laughed back at me. I had a feeling that he wasn't sorry at all, but I really didn't care anyway.
I wiped off my face with my sleeve and sat back on my bed, cross-legged, and heard Jack laugh and say, "Yeah Mush, but da wedda' don't sell papes, newsies sell papes." Which seemed to be a line he got a lot of use out of. I guess his attitude was a little bit, oh, arrogant sounding, like newsies were the only important thing in the world, but the truth of the matter is, well, he was right.
The rest of the newsies trickled in that evening, wet and cold. Most of them went into the washroom and changed clothes, and I was glad that I was one of the few who'd finished selling papes in time to come back to the Lodging House before the rain hit. Now I could certainly tell it was raining. The sound of large raindrops hitting the roof were loud, and the thunderclaps outside sounded terribly nearby. Even the lightning was big and bright.
I had always been a bit scared of the rain when I was little, I wasn't now, unless there was a big storm, like this one was, or at least that's what I kept telling myself. I decided to give it another try, because during a rainstorm I'd never been inside a building, surrounded by really nice, safe people, and out of the wet and cold. Maybe rainstorms weren't so bad, but still, I wasn't exactly comfortable with them yet, I mean, it's hard to outgrow a lifelong fear in just a few minutes, you know?
So I sat there on my bed, looking at the doorway, listening to the thunder and watching the lightning. Sometimes the thunder would be so loud the Lodging House would shake. That was what scared me the most. But I would not show that I was afraid, because all those boys would just laugh at me. I sure did hope that none of the newsies were still outside as the storm intensified.
I laid down on my bed, and closed my eyes. I wasn't going to go to sleep or anything, for the lights were on, and a roomful of boys isn't exactly quiet, not to mention there was an incredible storm raging outside which I was scared of, despite my best intentions. I was lying there for about ten minutes when I heard someone who I thought was talking to me. I sat up and opened my eyes, and looked around the room. Jack looked at me as if he were expecting an answer.
"Um, whatid ya say?" I asked him, acting as if I hadn't been, well, resting.
"Lynn, do youse wanna come wit' me ta look for Dutchy? He's still outside an' if 'e's tryin' ta sell 'is papes 'e should come in now, it's too wet and stormy for anyone ta be out who wants ta do anythin' but get home, includin' buyin' a pape." This simple question, so kindly put, made me think. Of course I didn't want to. I would do anything to stay out of that storm. Still, if Jack wanted me to...
"Um, why do ya wants me ta go?" I asked.
"I thought it'd be a nice way for youse ta learn 'bout da streets out deya," he said.
"But I's only got dis one change a clothes, an' I can't sleep in wet clothes!" I protested, at least I hadn't been forced to start making up lies for excuses yet.
"Oh Lynn, one 'a da boys'll let ya wear somethin' 'a dere's, right?" Almost every guy in the Lodging House made some sort of affirmative gesture, whether a murmured "yes" or a nodding head. Well, I figured I couldn't win.
"How 'bout if I put on someone else's jacket, or somethin' before we goes out?" I asked, "youse all a lot bigger den me anyhow, it'll prob'ly keep me from gettin' all wet." One of the taller boys loaned me a jacket. "Thanks." I said, and then I turned bravely to follow Jack.
He opened the door, and I looked out and was all but shaking. I do not like rainstorms. Especially when I could be inside a nice, warm room with a bunch of nice guys, and not looking for one called Dutchy out in a storm. Well, I supposed that I had no choice, and stepped out into the rain. It beat against my hat, which I supposed would dry over night. It hit on my shoulders, pelting hard and fast, and it actually felt like someone continually tapping me on the shoulder.
"Where're we goin', Jack?" I asked, in a very small voice.
He looked down at me, and I must have had my 'I am incredibly scared' look on my face, because he bent down to look me in the face and said, "There's nothin' ta be scared of, I's gonna take care 'a ya, all right?" I smiled and took his hand, and we marched into the rain. It was very cold out, especially for the middle of the summer, but the rain could easily be to blame for this, and the wind too. It was like nails driving the rain into my back. I was very glad we weren't walking the other way, and prayed that when we turned to walk back to the Lodging House the wind would have changed too.
We walked down the street and up the next. Jack acted like he knew where he was going, so I trusted him. I realized that the rain had drenched the jacket, and gotten me all wet.
I said to Jack, "I's shouldn't 'a borrowed dis jacket, 'cause I's all wet anyways." Jack laughed, "It'll keep ya warm!" So we plodded on through the rain. Suddenly, Jack turned sharply left, catching me off guard and sending me flat out in a puddle. I yelped in pain, and Jack, who had turned around when I'd slipped, came over to help me up.
"Hea', take me hand. I's gonna help ya up, an' youse can dry off back in da Lodgin' House," he said. I gave him my hand, and with little effort he helped me up from the puddle. I felt hot with humiliation, wet with the rain, and cold with the temperature. Believe me, I was not enjoying this.
"Well, Lynn, I's guessin' youse all wet now," Jack said, kindly, not meanly at all, nor did he laugh at me. "I's sure one 'a da guys'll let ya borrow somethin' dry 'a dere's, an' if dey won't I will, even though it'll be a litta' big," he said. I said nothing, and just took his hand and walked. It was terribly miserable, because I was as wet as I could be, rain was driving into the side of my face, and my braids were dripping water down my back. I noticed that Jack seemed to see something ahead, and he began to walk a little faster. However he did warn me before he sped up, so that I would fall in any more puddles. That was so embarrassing. It wouldn't have mattered if I had fallen, because I was already dripping wet already.
Soon, we met up with the blond boy Jack had talked to earlier, carrying a few dripping papers over his head in a fruitless effort to stay dry.
"Jack! I's jus' comin' back ta da Lodgin' House. Youse didn't hafta come lookin' for me!" He practically had to shout to be heard above the thunder and pounding rain.
"Hello? Who's dis?" He bent over to look me in the face. (Okay, so I was short. Jack was still taller than everyone else though) "Lynn? Jack, why'dya take Lynn out inta dis storm?" Dutchy asked, as if he were worried about me. I mean, I was worried about me, but it was nice to know someone else did too.
I didn't want to make Jack feel bad, so I said, "It's ok Dutchy. I can wear
somethin' else tomarrow and I's not too cold." Jack smiled at me, almost gratefully, and I
knew I'd said the right thing. Jack took one of my hands and Dutchy the other, and we
started off for the Lodging House.
To part
3!