I waited outside of Tibby's, only grabbing a dinner roll at Jack's insistence. I also grabbed a plate full of beef for Quicksilver. I nibbled on the bread absentmindedly, thinking about the next scene, as Quicksilver snarfed down the meat I gave her.
They came out a while later, and we go our separate directions. Us to Brooklyn, and Denton back to his office.
On the Brooklyn Bridge, David asks us about Brooklyn. Well, more like Boots and Jack. I piped in my answer occasionally, with Jack and Boots looking at me in shock. Probably wondering how I knew all the answers.
"So is this Spot Conlon really dangerous?" is the last question I heard. The three of us burst out laughing while David just looks at us weirdly.
In Brooklyn, the newsies stare at us. Probably because they recognize me as the newsie that soaked three quarters of their army with the help of a wolf. I see them muttering behind their hands, muttering behind my back. But it's probably not that important anyway.
"Goin' somewhere, Kelly?" a newsie taunts. I look closer and see that it's Mac. I glare daggers at him and shove him out of the way.
"Well if it ain't Jack be nimble, Jack be quick." Spot said from atop some crates stacked up. Must've been his 'throne'. "And Graceful." he added.
I smirked back at him and Jack looked at us suspiciously, but pushed it to the back of his mind. "I see ya moved up in da woild, Spot." Jack said. "Got a river view an' everythin'."
They spit-shake and Spot turns to Boots.
"Heya Boots." Spot greets him. "How's it rollin'?"
"I got a couple of real good shootas." he replied.
He holds out a few marbles for Spot, who takes one and loads his slingshot, and aims at a beer bottle up on a beam. David quickly scrambles behind Jack.
"So, Jacky-boy. I been hearin' things from little birds. Things from Harlem, Queens, all ova. Dey been chirpin' in me ear." He lets the marble fly. It hits the beer bottle and the bottle shatters, sending beer spilling out in every direction. "Jacky-boy's newsies is playin' like dey're goin' on strike."
"Yeah, well we are." I shoot back at him quickly before Jack can say anything.
"We're not playing. We're going on strike." David adds, reinforcing what I said.
"Oh yeah? Yeah?" Spot asks, getting in David's face. "What is this Jacky-boy, some kind of walkin' mouth?" he says, as if he's tired of the jokes and wants to get to the point. Considering how he thinks we're joking, he probably is tired of the so-called jokes. I want to crack up laughing at this conversation since I've watched it so many times, but that would've been a bit weird, so I settle for a smirk instead, knowing every line of this conversation.
"Yeah, it's a mouth. A mouth wit a brain, and if you got half a one, you'll listen ta what he's gotta say." Jack shot back. I mouthed the words with him.
Spot sat down on some crates behind him. His expression read, Hurry up or God so help me soak this walkin' mouth.
"Well, we started the strike, but we can't do it alone. So, we're talking to newsies all around the city." David began. I internally snorted. We all know that, Davey. Get with the times.
"Yeah, so dey told me." Spot replied, sounding exasperated. "But what'd dey tell you?"
"They're waiting to see what Spot Conlon is doing, that you're the key. That Spot Conlon is the most respected and famous newsie in all of New York, and probably everywhere else. And if Spot Conlon joins the strike, then they join and we'll be unstoppable. So you gotta join. Because...well....you gotta!" David urged Spot.
But Spot thought otherwise. "You're right, Jacky-boy, Brains. But I got brains too, and more'n just halfa one." He took his cane and poked it at David's chest. "How do I know you punks won't run the first time some goon comes atcha wit a club? How do I know you got what it takes ta win?"
"Because I's tellin' ya, Spot." Jack replied simply.
Spot looks at Jack, eyes narrowed. "Dat ain't good enough, Jacky-boy. You gotta show me."
"Alright, guys. But don't say we's didn't try." Jack says, ushering us away and back to Manhattan.
"Graceful, wait!" Spot calls out, making his way towards me. He stops in front of me and hands me a note. "Give that to Kloppmann for me will ya?" he asks, a knowing smirk plastered on his face.
I nod and kiss him on the cheek. "Sure."
"Alright, come on, come on." Jack says again, growing impatient.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The newsies at home grew discouraged once they heard that Spot Conlon hadn't joined.
"Spot was right. Is dis just a game ta you guys?" Jack fumed.
I saw David walk around the Horace Greeley statue and knew instantly what was coming up: Seize the Day!
David:
Open the gates and seize the day
Don't be afraid and don't delay
Nothing can break us
No one can make us
Give our rights away
Arise and seize the day!
David :
Now is the time to seize the day
Newsies:
Now is the time to seize the day
David:
Send out the call and join the fray
Newsies:
Send out the call and join the fray
David:
Wrongs will be righted
If we're united
Both:
Let us seize the day!
David:
Friends of the friendless seize the day
Newsies:
Friends of the friendless seize the day
David:
Raise up the torch and light the way
Newsies:
Raise up the torch and light the way
David:
Proud and defiant
We'll slay the giant
All:
Let us seize the day!
Neighbor to neighbor
Father to son
One for all and all for one!
Newsies (group 1):
Open the gates and seize the day
Newsies (group 2):
Open the gates and seize the day
Newsies (group 1):
Don't be afraid and don't delay
Newsies (group 2):
Don't be afraid and don't delay
All:
Nothing can break us
No one can make us
Give our rights away
Neighbor to neighbor
Father to son
One for all and all for one!
(end)
The circulation bell starts to ring, and Jack yells out to all the newsies.
"Anybody hear dat?"
"NO!"
"So what are we gonna do about it?"
"SOAK 'EM!"
I climb up into a tree and Quicksilver ambles off and away from the commotion. I'm not one for riots and such. And I'm also not one for getting put into the Refuge.
The newsies storm the distribution center and start ripping and tearing papers. A cart is pushed down and I hear the distinct sound of a whistle: the Bulls.
"Crutchy! Scram! Scram!" Race yells to him, but it's too late. He's subdued by the Delancey's and is taken to the Refuge. It's always sad to watch this part, and now that I'm in it, it's even sadder.
Then, I remember that Jack and David would be going to rescue Crutchy, and that Spot had given me a note while knowingly smirking. I quickly took it out, opened it, and read it.
Graceful-
Meet me at the dock at sunset. I wanna show ya someting.
Love, Spot
I gasped. He actually used Love instead of Your friend or Sincerely. He must have fallen in love with me the first time he saw me. But what about that song in the Broadway play, where Jack sings, "Love at first sight's for suckers."?
Awwwww. Why am I complaining? It's Spot! How could I complain? I've liked him since the first time I watched Newsies, and I'd do pretty much anything to be with him. I just had to wait until Jack and David left for the Refuge. Then I could make my move.