All is fair in Love and Strikes (Sprace)

Chapter 2 I Race

"Stop and think about this Jack. You can't just rush everybody into this." David clearly doesn't have a brain if he thinks he could get Jack to change his mind this far into the argument. They would make such a cute couple. "Alright. Let me think about it," he turned to us. "Listen. Dave's right. Pulitzer and Hearst and all them other rich fellas, I mean, they own this city, so do they really think a bunch of street kids like us can make any difference? The choice has got to be yours. Are we just gonna take what they give us, or are we gonna strike?" Oh I'll strike if it means bustin' heads. "Strike!" Les yelled. Ha, he's amazing. David processed what his little brother said and immediately grabbed him and covered his mouth. But that won't stop the rest of us. "Keep talking Jack, tell us what to do," Boots yelled from his place in the crowd. Jack whispered something to David and David whispered back. See? Perfect couple. "Hey listen! Pulitzer and Hearst have to respect the rights of the working boys of New York!" He finally yelled. We all cheered. He then whispered with David again and called out. "Pulitzer and Hearst, they think we're nothing. Are we nothing?" "No!" we all yelled. David said something to Jack. Jack repeated it to the crowd. "Pulitzer and Hearst, they think they got us. Do they got us?" "No!" we called out again. 

"Even though we ain't got hats or badges," dude like, literally half of us are wearing hats.

"We're a union just by saying so

And the World will know!" 

Jack sung. "What's to start somebody else from selling our papes?" Boots asked. "Well we'll talk with 'em." Jack answered. "Some of 'em don't hear so good," I said. "Well then we'll soak 'em!" Jack yelled. I could deal with soakin' someone. It's a great way to relieve your anger. "No! We can't beat up kids in the streets. It'll give us a bad name." Way for David to ruin everything. Besides, no one cares for us newsies anyway. "Can't get any worse," Crutchie spoke for all of us. Jack continued to sing.

"What's it gonna take to stop the wagons? Are we ready?" "Yeah!" We all chorused. Except for David of course who just yelled no. 

JACK:
"What's it gonna take to stop the scabber?
Can we do it?"

NEWSIES: "Yeah!"

JACK:
"We'll do what we gotta do until we, break the will of mighty Bill and Joe!" 

Leave it to Jack to break a stick just to be dramatic. But I joined in on the singing.

NEWSIES:
And the World will know
And the Journal too!
Mr. Hearst and Pulitzer
Have we got news for you!
Now the World will hear
What we've got to say
We've been hawking headlines
But we're making 'em today.
And our ranks will grow!

CRUTCHIE: And we'll kick their rear!

NEWSIES: And the World will know that we been here!

JACK:
When the circulation bell starts ringing
Will we hear it?

NEWSIES: No!

JACK:
What if the Delancey's come out swinging'
Will we hear it?

NEWSIES:

No! When you've got a hundred voices singing, who can hear a lousy whistle blow? And the World will know, that this ain't no game, that we got a ton of rotten fruit and perfect aim. So they gave their word, but it ain't worth beans. Now they're gonna see what 'stop the presses' really mean. And the day has come, and the time is now, and the fear is gone

BOOTS: And their name is mud!

NEWSIES: And the strike is on

BOOTS: And I can't stand blood!

NEWSIES: And the World will..

JACK: Pulitzer may crack the whip but he won't whip us!

NEWSIES:
Pulitzer may crack the whip but he won't whip us!
And the World will know
And the World will learn
And the World will wonder how
We made the tables turn
And the World will see
That we had to choose
That the things we do today
Will be tomorrow's news
And the old will fall
And the young stand tall
And the time is now
And the winds will blow
And our ranks will grow
And grow and grow and so
The World will feel the fire
And finally know!

We all started chanting strike but Jack quieted us. "We gotta get word out to all the newsies of New York. I need some of those....what'dja call 'em?" "Ambassadors?" David guessed. "Yeah, right. Okay, you guys, you gotta be ambastards and go tell the other that we're on strike." I cracked up at Jack's mispronunciation of ambassadors. "Say, Jack, I'll take Harlem," Blink told our leader. "I got the Battery, Jack. Hey, I'll take the Bronx." People offered. "Alright. And Bumlets, and Specs and Skittery, you take Queens. Pie Eater! Snoddy! East Side! Snipeshooter, you go with 'em." Jack assigned places.  "I got Midtown Jack!" I said. I started walking in that direction but Jack stopped me. "Where do ya think you'se going?" He asked me, "You'se coming with Mush, Dave, and I." "And where exactly?" I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow. He just exchanged a smirk with Mush. "Brooklyn."