I woke up in the morning to Kloppman shaking the bed. I hopped out of bed, feeling more refreshed than I had felt yesterday. I left later than I usually do and I saw the boys all seemed upset when I got there. I approached them, "What's goin' on?"
"They jacked up the price." Kid Blink answered, "Ya here that? Ten cents a hundred. You know, it's bad enough that we gotta eat what we don't sell," He complained, "Now they jacked up the price. Can you believe that?"
Everyone threw in their complaints. I stayed silent.
"So why the jack-up Weasel?" Jack questioned.
"Why not. It's a nice day." Wiesel mocked us.
Everyone complained some more until Jack said, "No, nobody's goin' anywhere."
Les started shooing everyone away. "Give him some room. Let him think."
Jack sat there for a minute. Race interrupted by saying, "Hey, Jack ya done thinkin'?"
Wiesel pounded on the window. "World employees only!" The boys all shouted at him.
"Well, all I know is that if we don't sell papes. Nobody sells papes. Nobody comes through those gates 'till they put the price back where it was."
"What do you mean, like a strike?" Davey asked.
"Yeah, like a strike." Said Jack.
The boys shouted and disagreed with each other.
"Jack, I was just joking." David said quietly to Jack, "We can't strike. We don't have a union."
Jack and David talked to each other but I couldn't hear what they were saying.
"Yeah, well, we organize!" Jack said, "Crutchy, you take up a collection. We'll get all da newsies in New York togedda."
Jack walked out, saying some other stuff I didn't hear very well. He walked over to the statue and started to lecture us, "Oh, listen, Dave's right. I mean, Pulitzer and Hearst and all them other rich fellas, I mean, they own this city. So do we really think a bunch of street rats like us can make a difference? The choice has gotta be yours. Are we just gonna take what they give us or are we gonna strike?"
"Strike!" Les said, starting a bunch of agreements from the other newsies. David grabbed Les and put his hand over his mouth.
"Keep talkin' Jack. Tell us what to do." Boots said.
Jack talked to David, then said, "Pulitzer and Hearst have to respect the rights of the woikin boys of New York." Then climbed up onto the statue and continued his lecture.
After all the commotion, everyone started chanting, "Strike!"
Jack came up to the front of our giant group. I joined him. He ruffled my hair. I punched him in the arm. I was still upset. I also just didn't enjoy the idea of a strike.
"Right, you guys, you gotta be ambasdards." He said to us, "And go tell the others that we're on strike."
"Say, Jack, I'll take Harlem." Blink called out.
"Yeah, I got midtown." Said Race.
"I got the Bowery, Jack." Mush claimed.
"Hey, I'll take the Bronx." Crutchy said.
"All right, Bumlets, and Specs and Skittery, you take Queens." Jack assigned them, "And Pie Eater, Snoddy, eastside. Snipeshooter, you go with 'em. So, what about Brooklyn? Who wants Brooklyn? Come on, Spot Conlon's territory."
Everyone looked away. They all appeared somewhat nervous.
"What's wrong with Brooklyn?" I asked, "I'll go ta Brooklyn."
YOU ARE READING
Humbling Spot Conlon (A Spot Conlon Love Story)
Fanfiction**DISCONTINUED** Falling in love was far from Nicky's top priority. All she wanted was to keep her secret and stay out of trouble. But people don't always get everything they want.
