Lea of New York

Chapter 7- Denton

Jack led David and I to the front doors of The World. The newsies gathered around and we began to brainstorm about what to do.

"We gotta get word out to all the newsies of New York," Jack said.

"Yeah," I said, nodding in agreement, "we need some of those..." I snapped my fingers, trying to think of the word. "What'dja call 'em?" I asked, turning to David.

"Ambassadors?" He said. I nodded and looked to Jack.

"Yeah, right." Jack said, looking from me to the newsies. "Okay, you guys, you gotta be ambastards," the boys and I cracked up from Jack's mispronunciation, "and go tell the others that we're on strike."

"Say, Jack, I'll take Harlem," Kid Blink said, turning and running off.

"Yeah, I got Midtown, Lemur," Race said, nodding to me and running off as well.

"I got the Battery," Mush said as he turned and left.

"Hey I'll take the Bronx," Crutchy said before limping off with another newsie.

"Alright, and Bumlets, and Specs, and Skittery, you take Queens," I said, pointing out the three and motioning for them to go.

"Pie Eater! Snoddy! East Side! Snipeshooter, you go with them," Jack said as he pulled Snipes to his feet and the group left.

"So, what about Brooklyn?" I asked. The newsies immediately ducked their heads down. "Come on, Spot Conlon's territory,"

"What'sa matta? You scared of Brooklyn?" Jack questioned teasingly.

"Hey, we ain't scared of Brooklyn!" Boots argued, "Spot Conlon makes us a little nervous."

"Yeah?" I said, "Well, he don't make me nervous."

"Cause you never met 'im," Jack said, smirking and giving me a playful shove.

I glared and shoved him back. "I'm the only newsie who will go anywhere near Brooklyn, and you know that," I replied.

"Ok, ok," Jack said, throwing his hands up, "So you, Lemur, and me, and Boots, we'll go to Brooklyn."

"And Dave here can keep us company," I said, slinging my arm over his shoulder.

David shrugged me off and turned to Jack.

"Sure, just as soon as you deliver our demands to Pulitzer."

The newsies oohed at these words. Jack looked nervous for the first time in his life. A rare occasion I was glad to witness.

"Me to Pulitzer?" Jack asked incredulously.

"Your'e the leader, Jack," I teased, slapping him on the back.

Jack glared at me, then turned to the doors. He turned and grabbed Les by the shoulder.

"Well, maybe the kid'll soften him up."

Jack turned back to the doors and walked in, pulling Les along.

The boys cheered and chanted. "Strike, strike, strike!"

Boots put his ear to the door to try to listen in. I laughed and walked into the crowd of newsies.

As I was talking to some of the remaining newsies, I saw a man approach David. I listened closely to what he was saying.

"Hey, what is the strike? What's going on?" The man asked.

"We're bringing our demands to Pulitzer." David said.

"What demands?" The man asked.

"The newsies demands," David explained, "We're on strike."

The man reached out and shook David's hand. "I'm with the New York Sun. Bryan Denton. You seem to be like the kid in charge. What's your name?"

"David." David replied.

"David, as in David and Goliath?" Denton asked, making David smirk and his cheeks flushed. I smirked at his reaction.

"You really think old man Pulitzer's going to listen to your demands?" Denton questioned.

"He has to," David said.

Suddenly, the doors flew open and Les and Jack got thrown out of the building.

"Spoke too soon, Davey," I said, coming up behind him and patting his shoulder.

"Well, so's your old lady!" Jack yelled at whoever just threw them out, "You tell Pulitzer he needs an appointment with me!"

"Yeah!" Les called just before the doors slammed shut.

I bursted out laughing and walked up to Jack. I sling my arm over his shoulder and smirked.

"What happened, Kelly? Did ya personality scare 'em off, or just ya face?" He swatted my arm away and gave me a shove. I laughed some more.

"What's that attitude about?" I said, poking him in the shoulder. He swatted again and glared at me.

"Jack, Lee, this is Bryan Denton," David introduced us, "He writes for the New York Sun."

Denton shook Jack's hand, then mine. He turned to our group and said with a smile, "Why don't we all talk over lunch, my treat."

We smiled and nodded eagerly. We followed Denton to a restaurant called Tibby's. I'd walked by several times and loved the idea of eating there. And there we were, in a booth by the window, ordering as Jack told us what happened in The World.

"So this snooty mug says to me, 'You can't see Mr. Pulitzer. No one sees Mr. Pulitzer.' Real hoity-toity, ya know the type?" Jack said.

"Real hoity-toity," Les agreed, nodding while shoving more ice cream into his mouth. I snickered as Jack continued.

"So that's when I says to him, 'Listen, I ain't in the habit of transacting no business with office boys. Just tell him Jack Kelly's here to see him now!" Jack continued with a determined look, slamming his hand on the table for effect.

"That's when he threw us out." Les said.

David and I started cracking up. Tears came to my eyes from laughing so hard.

"Does he scare you?" Denton questioned, "You're going up against the most powerful man in New York City."

"Oh yeah, look at me, I'm tremblin'," Jack replied sarcastically, pulling at his vest.

Denton smirked and stood up. He pulled out a business card.

"Alright, keep me informed. I want to know everything that's going on."

David took the card and asked, "Are we really an important story?"

"Well, what's important?" Denton replied, "Last year I covered the war in Cuba. Charged up San Juan Hill with Col. Teddy Roosevelt. That was an important story. So, is the newsies strike important? That all depends on you."

"So my name's really gonna be in the papers?" Jack asked as Denton walked toward the door.

"Any objections?" Denton asked with a smile.

"Not as long as you get it right. It's Kelly, Jack Kelly," Jack informed, "Oh, and Denton? No pictures."

Denton smiles and said, "Sure."