Summer of 1896. Kinda difficult, but definitely needed to keep moving. Do you know how awesome it is to finally refer to Race as Race? Actually, only later is difficult. The first half? Fluff. Enjoy! :)
Race just hasn't been feeling quite right recently.
His emotions are running wild.
And he has no clue why.
He was told that this would happen when he was around this age.
But does he really wanna deal with it? No.
He decides he needs a lax day at Sheepshead.
He still needs to sell papes though.
And so he only gets 20.
Besides. There's someone else he needs to see today.
He's not going to forget his friend's birthday, after all.
Race doesn't believe he's ever been this relieved to leave Sheepshead.
Over the years, he's learned Spot Conlon's patterns of where he would be in what time of day.
And, if Race is right, he should know right where to find him.
Sure enough, he finds him.
Spot looks different than the last time Race saw him. He looks a little older, more mature. Race ... Race still feels like a little kid. How's this going to end up?
Too late--he's already walking in Spot's direction--unbeknownst to now-14-year-old-Spot.
"Hey, Spot!"
Spot turns around, and his eyes light up when they land on Race.
Race grins. "Happy birthday!"
"You remembered!" Spot exclaims.
"How could I forget August 15th?"
"And I'm not gonna forget November 1st any time soon."
Race grins. This is what he likes about them. "Doin' anything special today?"
Spot shrugs. "Same thing as usual, I guess."
"Nothing special at all?"
"Do I really need anything?"
"Sure you do!" And with that, Race's eyebrows raise and he takes Spot by the wrist and starts dragging him away from where they were standing.
"Where are we going?" Spot asks, incredulous, having to jog to keep up with Race.
"You'll see!" Race shows no sign of stopping.
Spot laughs and lets himself be led to this mystery place by this person who he has had great interest in since they first met not that many years ago.
It's a small restaurant.
In Manhattan.
What's Race doing bringing a Brooklyn kid to a Manhattan place?
Spot looks up at the sign: Moretti. He can honestly say that he's never been here before.
Race takes him in the back way.
"Oddio! Chi siete qui?!" That would be the one and only Signor Moretti.
YOU ARE READING
I'll Always Look Out For You
Fanfiction15 years before the legendary newsies strike of 1899, a child was born. When he is 18 months old, he is brought to the Manhattan Newsies Lodging House. In time, he would be known as Racetrack Higgins. This is his story. This is the story of the news...
