The Runaway Girlsie

The Strike Begins

I rolled my eyes and the show ended. Jack and I made our way back to the Lodging House and I ignored him the entire way there. I wasn't sure what the encounters of the night meant, but I was sure I'd find out soon enough.

I got to the paper stand early the next morning and listened to the boys gripin'.

Race sighed. "Them sirens kept me awake all night."

Mush shrugged. "Sirens is like lullabies to me. The louder they wail, the better the headline. And the better the headline, the better I eat. And the better I eat-"

"The further away from you I sleep," Race interrupted.

Mush went after Race and they had it out.

Davey appeared and said, "Morning everybody. Sorry we're late. We had to help our mom with something."

"Oh, they got a mother! I was gonna get me one," Race mocked.

"What'd ya do with the one you had?" Romeo asked.

"He traded her for a box of cigars," Buttons stated.

"Hey, they was Coronas!" Race protested.

"We got a father too," Les added.

"Oh, a mother and a father," Buttons replied sarcastically.

"Well ain't we the hoi polloi," Race muttered.

Yes I suppose we are. Little do they know. Little does Jack know. I can't keep this from him for much longer.

"So how's it goin' today?" Les asked.

"Ask me after they put up the headline," Romeo said.

"Here it comes now," Les pointed.

I rushed up to the board and read the headline. "New newsie price: 60 cents per hundred. Seriously?!"

"Is that news?" Davey asked.

"It is to me!" Elmer cried.

Albert raised his hands in frustration. "They jack up the price of papes, ten cents more a hundred!"

"I could eat two days on a dime." Elmer complained.

"I'll be sleepin' on the street," Crutchie added.

Jojo looked confused for a moment. "You already sleep on the street."

"In a worse neighborhood," Crutchie said.

Jack finally entered and asked, "Hey. What're you all standin' around for?"

"Look at this, Jack," I said as I pointed to the board.

"Like Pulitzer don't make enough already," Romeo protested.

"Papes!" Weasel cried. "Papes for the newsies!"

Jack laughed. "Relax. It's gotta be a gag."

"Line up, boys, princess," Weasel smirked.

"Good joke, Weasel. You really had the fellas goin'," He joked as he slapped the coins down. "I'll take a hundred and be on my way."

Weasel gave a small smile. "Hundred'll cost you sixty."

"I ain't payin' no sixty," Jack stated.

"Then make way for someone who will."

"Well you bet me, the princess, and the fellas will hike over to The Journal."

"Yeah!" We cried.

Specs appeared and said, "I'll save you the walk. They hiked up their price too."

"We'll take our business to The Sun!" I suggested.