First impressions are nothin'. They don't matter none. People will think whatever they want ta think. Then they'll say whatever they want ta say. But its the ones that wait ta know who ya really are, those ones, yea, they make all the difference, cause in the end they know the real you, and then there ain't no need for pretendin'. Midge is sick of acting out her life, so that's why she's been alone, but will stayin' at the Harlem Lodging House really make a difference?
It was a breezy morning, but it was just the way Midge liked it. The sun had yet to rise, when she plopped herself down on the stairs of a building. After traveling aimlessly around Harlem all night she decided to relax. She bunched up her jet-black hair underneath her cap and pushed the flyways behind her ears. She took in a deep breath of air and coughed. Unsurprisingly the air wasn't as fresh as she always imagined it to be. She stretched out a leg and her arms and sat there motionless. Time had passed by and Midge lay sprawled on the steps with eyes closed when she heard a stampede of footsteps. She reluctantly got herself to sit up and open her eyes. At just that moment a group of girls rushed out the door of the building. Midge moved to the side and looked up at the sign above the building, which read: Harlem Newsgirls' Lodging House.
Grabbing a girl by the arm she asked, "What's going on?"
"We gonna go get our papes ta sell," the girl answered and rushed away.
Midge decided to follow the crowd of girls scurrying down the street. They all passed through a gate. Midge looked through the bars, and saw girls of all ages buying papers and scoping the headlines. Looking at
"Hey! Check this out!" One of the girls yelled, pointing at an article.
"Headlines ain't so bad taday," another replied.
"Ain't like it really matters," a girl with thick black hair in a French braid added. Everyone stared at her for a moment. "Well, we're newgoils ain't we?"
"YEA!" they all roared.
They all flooded out into the streets, knocking into Midge who had been watching the whole time.
"Hey! Watch it!" she called as she was pushed quite a few times. She quickly turned and collided with yet another newsgirl. However, this time she sent papers flying through the air. "AW!"
"Sorry," a girl with bouncy golden curls said as she bent down to pick the papers up.
"Its okay. Lemme help ya," Midge bent down putting some loose papers back together again. "So what's this all about newsgoils and all? I wasn't aware Harlem had a goils place, too."
The girl stared straight at Midge with her blue eyes and then asked, "Are you serious?"
Midge nodded, "Yea."
"Yep, Harlem got a newsgoils place, too. We all live in a dat lodging house and sell papes," she answered.
"Oh. Do you make a lot of money in dese parts," Midge's eyes widened with hope.
"Not much, but enough to keep a roof over our heads and enough ta eat. Well if I wanna have any of that stuff I betta get ta sellin'," the girl said flashing a smile.
"Right, well I'm Midge," she said and extended her hand.
Gave her a surprisingly strong shake, "Belinda. Stop by the lodging house or something if ya need a place." She picked up the last pape and walked away.
It had gotten warmer and it seemed the newsgirl frenzy had died down, as each one finished sellin' their bundle of papes. Midge sat down on the curb and turned out her pockets. A ball of lint and some change fell out of one pocket and crumbs from the other. She picked out whatever change had been there and sat in deep thought for a while. Her eyes roamed. She gazed at the tall structures, the sky, and back down to the black asphalt. She watched the children playing, the people scurrying about their busy lives, and some newsgirls playing a card game on the stairs of the Harlem Newsgirls Lodging House. It buzzed in her ear like an annoying fly. The lodging house: Was it the place for her? She may have made it seem she knew nothing about these houses, but she'd heard a few things along the way. They said it could bring money, fame, trouble, or ever-lasting friendships. She didn't want to be greedy, but all she wanted was some money, a bed, and a decent meal. She pushed herself up and crossed the street.
"You deal," one of the girls, said, as Midge passed her. Then the three girls' eyes glanced at Midge, as she opened the door and walked in.
Midge found herself the center of attention, as she strolled up to the front desk. She peered around looking at the bunks in the back and gazing at the amount of girls just laying around.
"Can I help you?" The lady sitting at the desk asked.
"Yea, I think ya can," she replied.
"Well, I'm Mrs. Victoria Evans. Have a seat, won't you?" she asked.
"Thanks," Midge sat down and the interrogation began.
"Is that it?" Midge asked after the series of questions had been asked.
"Yes, now I'll introduce you to the leaders of the Harlem Lodging House. Flash! Blue!" she called back to the bunkroom and two girls appeared into the hall. "Girls we have a new newsgirls. This is Midge Gambino. I'll leave you here," she said to Midge and then went off about her business.
"I'se Flash McAllen, and dis is my partner in crime, Blue Skies Costello," a girl around 5'4" with brown hair and eyes said.
"I can introduce meself," the girl she had seen before with the French braid said and let out a laugh. "Ya can call me Blue. Me and Flash, see we lead this place."
"Yea, we're the leadahs. Let's getcha a bunk," Flash said.
"I'se already gots dat one there on da bottom," said Midge pointing to a bunk beneath another blonde and blue-eyed girl.
"Ya sure ya want that one?" Blue asked.
"Oh yea!" Midge replied, gulping at the thought of being on top. She had a huge fear of heights. Even a top bunk could get her feeling queasy. She walked over and threw herself onto the bed.
The girl above her peered over the edge of the top bunk, "Hi. I'se Gwen or Gwenny, whatever ya feel like callin' me."
"I'se Midge, Midge Gambino," she said looking up at the smiling girl.
"Gambino, ey? Ya must be Italian or somethin'," she laughed.
"Yea, that and a whole bunch o' otha things."
Midge and Gwen exchanged information, backgrounds, and laughs for a while. Midge was introduced to a couple of other girls. Soon enough she saw a familiar face.
"Midge, ya decided ta join us," Belinda said with another flash of her pearl white smile.
"Yea, figured it can't be worse then livin' out there," Midge said and laughed.
"You two know each other?" Flash asked.
"We met just taday," Belinda answered.
"Oh wait! Are you dat goil dat was sittin' on me stairs this mornin'?" Flash asked.
"Yea, that would be me."
"Well, we're glad ta have ya!" Blue put her shoulder around Midge and gave her a nudge.
The next day Midge sold papes for the first time. By the time she was done she was exhausted from working so hard. When she returned to the lodging house, she was surprised to see everyone was already back.
"What were ya up ta?" Gwen asked, as she looked from a game of cards.
"Sellin'. How long have ya been here?" Midge asked raising her brows.
"An hour maybe two." Flash answered.
"But, how? I mean I've been out there sellin' all day long," she said in disbelief.
"Looks like we gotta teach ya a few things," Blue giggled.
"And ya know what they say..." Belinda began.
"What?" Midge asked innocently.
"Practice makes perfect, of course. Right goils?" she explained slapping Gwen lightly with back of her hand. Midge looked down at her worn shoes and swung her hands into her pant pockets with frustration. She adjusted her shirt and kicked a pebble to the side. Then she looked up and said, "I ain't that bad, am I?"
"Nah, I'se was worse my first time," Gwen assured her even thought she knew it wasn't exactly true. "Plus, it ain't like ya gotta make a good first impression for us."
"Good," Midge mumbled.
"Huh?" Belinda said confused if Midge had actually said anything at all.
"I said good. I don't believe in first impressions," Midge answered in a stronger voice than usual.
"Oh," Belinda said.
"Why not?" asked Blue curiously.
Midge struggled to get the words out, "They don't matter none. People will think whatever they want ta think. Then they'll say whatever they want ta say." She could envision a crowd of girls from the Refuge.
Everyone was quiet for a while. They could tell something just wasn't right with Midge. Nobody wanted to pry, but nobody knew what to say. Realizing the awkwardness she had caused Midge decided to change the subject with a lighter note.
"But, I guess I was pretty bad, huh?" she laughed and gave a smirk.
"Yea, I'se guess you were," Gwen said and everyone laughed.
After an exhausting day Midge decided to go for a walk around Harlem. She put on her shoes and her cap and headed for the door.
"Where ya goin'?" Flash asked.
"Nowhere," Midge said.
"Well, obviously ya goin' somewhere," Flash said with a smirk.
Midge shrugged. "Just for a walk," she said.
"Oh," Flash said and returned to her conversation with Blue.
Midge left and stumbled down the street. She was still a little upset about before. She couldn't understand why it had taken her so long. She thought she had been doing well, too. Well, it wasn't that important, so she decided to put it behind her.
"Gimme ya money!" a deep voice said from behind her.
"What?" Midge turned around. There stood the tall mysterious figure of a man.
"I'se said gimme ya money!" He said angrily, but Midge tired and exhausted looked at him blankly. "NOW, KID!"
"I'se got no money," she said.
"Don't play with me and hand ova ya money!"
"Look, I'se tired, angry, and exhausted. I'se got no money and I'se got no time for ya and ya trouble," she said and poked him hard with her finger.
Before she realized what she'd done she felt a strong blow to her gut and she blacked out. The man grabbed whatever money she had in her pocket and took off. It seemed this night she'd be spending on the street.
Midge woke up, but it was still dark out. She wasn't sure exactly what time it was, but she figured it was probably early morning.
"OW!" she yelled and it echoed through the streets. "Why me? Why didn't I'se just keep my big fat mouth shut? Midge ya real stupid. Real dumb ya are. Ow!" she murmured to herself as she made her way back to the lodging house.
When she walked in Flash and Blue were sitting awake in their bunks.
"Where were ya? We were worried 'bout ya. " Blue said.
Midge just limped over and flung herself on Blues Skies's bed. "OW!"
"Ya hurt?" Flash asked.
"I'se hurt and broke," Midge said in a low voice so as not to wake any of the others up.
"Someone took ya money?" both Flash and Blue asked.
"Yea, and I'se got a blow ta me stomach, too, " Midge said and curled herself in a ball. "I'se so stupid."
"Why?" Blue asked.
"I hadda open my big mouth," she said and practically crawled to her bed. "G'night. I'se gonna tell ya everythin' tamorrow."
Both girls just looked at each other and shrugged. They decided Midge needed her rest and the story could wait until tomorrow.
When Midge woke up it was broad daylight. They had let her sleep 'til noon. After realizing it was daytime, she saw that all the girls were huddled on bunks surrounding her.
"What da heck?" she asked trying to keep her eyes open.
"Tell us what happened?" Gwen said from above.
Midge told them everything and everyone agreed Midge shudda just kept her mouth shut, except for Belinda. She said it was good Midge spoke up, but she should've made a run for it right after. Everyone departed, except for Midge and Belinda.
"My luck, ain't it?!" Midge said with a sigh.
"Yea, ya missed a good sellin' day, too," Belinda stated.
"HA! Figures. I'se neva gonna get this newsgoil thing right!" Midge exclaimed with a flare of her arms. "I'se might as well be back on the streets."
"I don't think I'd eva wanna be on the streets. I love carrying the banner," Belinda explained.
"Yea, and it keeps ya out of the Refuge," Midge added. "I'se neva gonna go back."
"Ya were in the Refuge?" Belinda asked with a wry face.
"Yea, awhile ago."
"Why didn't ya tell anyone."
Midge shrugged, "It ain't somethin' I'se like to go around tellin' everyone. Plus, I had really hard times there."
"Wudda ya mean?" Belinda asked cautiously.
"I'se always been pretty small for my age and the day I'se got thrown in everyone assumed I'd be the little goil or whatever. I'se always tryin' ta be nice, but they had made up their minds about me. Most of the time I was by meself, and any friends I made weren't for real. That's why I'se always said first impressions don't really matter, because I tried my best to get along with everyone and they didn't care. Hey, but I'se ain't no sap livin' in teh past. No I'se moved on, but that's also why I'se cautious about who I make friends with," Midge said locking her watery eyes with Belinda. Midge claimed it wasn't a sensitive topic, but it really cut her deep.
Belinda gave her a comforting grin, "Ya got a friend in all of us. We'se ya family now. A newsgoil family. Ya can always stay true with us."
Belinda gave Midge a soothing pat on the back and they agreed to keep any tearful stories out of the day's agenda.
It was a breezy day, but it was just the way Midge liked it. The sun was beaming from above. She took in a deep breath of air and coughed. Unsurprisingly the air wasn't as fresh as she always imagined it to be. She sprawled herself on the stairs of teh Harlem Newsgirl Lodging House and placed her cap over her face. Time had passed by when she heard the faint sound of footsteps and voices. She didn't sit up, but she removed teh cap from over her face. At just that moment a group of girls turned teh corner and at the sight of Midge they froze.
"Whatcha doin here?" Blue asked with a puzzled look on her face.
"What does it look like I'se doin'?" Midge replied.
"Bein' a smart mouth is what it sounds like," Belinda retorted and chuckled a bit.
"I'se finished me papes and decided to relax. Where have ya all been? I was worried," Midge said sarcastically.
"Sellin' papes, but how long have ya been here?" Flash asked and stood motionless waiting for an answer.
"An hour," she said watching teh shocked faces of the other newsgirls. "Maybe two."
Gwen laughed and grabbed Midge's cap from off her lap. "So, ya beat us back taday. That's what this is all about."
"Yea, well ya know what they say..." Midge started.
"Practice makes perfect," Belinda replied.
"Nah," Midge said and everyone gave her another perplexed look. "Well, we newgoils ain't we?"
"YEA!" A roar came from the group of newsgirls.
Gwen placed the cap over Midge's black locks. "Ya a newgoil now."
The girls congratulated Midge and gave her an offical newgirl welcome. Flash and Blue were proud to have the new newsgirl here at the Harlem Newsgirl Lodging House. The next day continued the same way. The newgirls filled the streets of Harlem, carrying the banner.
It's the ones that get to know a person that really make the difference. Midge was able to find herself a place among her fellow newsgirls in Harlem. Here she can be Midge, nothing but Midge!
