The Manhattan newsies plus Spot were all gathered at Tibby's restaurant, waiting for Denton to show up with the article on our little rebellion.
"Hey Spot?" I asked, "Yeah?" "What's tha key for?" Spot grabbed the key that was hanging around his neck. It was a faded yellow color on a leather strap that tied around the back of his neck. I had noticed it when we went to the docks to deliver the news of the strike. I had never seen him without it. "I-it's-" He trailed off, stuttering. I placed a hand on his shoulder. "You'se don't have ta share if you'se not ready. Just know you'se can trust me." He nodded shoving the back in his almost half open shirt. Tears were forming in his eyes. Like the storms in them were finally going to rain. I wrapped my arm around him in a comforting way. I wanted Spot to know I was here for him.
The bell at the front of the joint rang as the door opened. Denton walked in, carrying what looked to be a newspaper. "Hey fellas. Hey, hey! This is it!" He placed the paper in front of Jack. Any sense of vulnerability in Spot was now erased. "Where's me picture? Where's me picture?" He asked. Wow, way for Spot to just be thinking about himself. "What's that?" Boots wondered aloud. "That all about us?" "Look at that Jack. You look like a gentlemen," Mush added, pointing at Jack's picture. "Will you get your fingers off me face?" Jack insisted. "Where does it say my name? Where's my name?" Spot kept asking. "Will you quit thinking about yourself?" Jack demanded, swatting Spot away like a fly. I'm definitely gonna tease him for that later. "Ooh, look at Spot and Racey gettin' all friendly up in here," Mush said, pointing to me on Spot's back. Spot and I both turned red and the others all laughed. Mush winked at me. "Somethin' you ain't tellin' us boys?" Jack asked, smirking, knowing the answer perfectly well but just trying to tease me. "No!" Spot and I said together, making us blush more and the others laugh harder. I slapped Jack upside the head and glared at him. If looks could kill, he'd be six feet under. He just kept smirking.
"So what. You get your picture in the papes, so what's that get you, huh?" Skittery asked. Was he stupid or what? "What're you talkin' about?" Mush asked for me. "Shut up, boy. You been in a bad mood all day!" Jack said to Skitts. "I'm not in a bad mood!" Skittery snapped back. "Glum and dumb. What's the matta with you?" I asked, pushing his head into Mush's. "You get your picture in the papes, your famous. Your famous, you get anything you want. That's what so great about New York!" I continued, slamming my hand on the table and pointing at him. And yet we sing another song, but this time, it's my time to shine.
"A pair of new shoes with matching laces." Mush starts singing.
A date with Spot Conlon I think, but I can't say that out loud so I come up with the next best thing. "A permanent box at Sheepshead Races."
"A porcelain tub with boiling water." Wait, Spot can sing? Oh god he needs to stop giving me reasons to love him.
"A Saturday night with the mayor's daughter!" Really Blink? You couldn't have said a free sandwich or something?
Now it really is my time to shine. I jump up on a table, holding the newspaper above my head and sing.
"Look at me I'm the King of New York!
Suddenly I'm respectable
Staring right atcha
Lousy with stature"
I finish the verse off with a little dad dance, at least I think it is. I mean, I haven't seen my dad for years.
Jack takes the article from me and continues the song. "Nubbin' with all the muckety-mucks
I'm blowin' my dough and goin' deluxe!"
I steal the paper back and hold it in front of me.
"And there I be
Ain't I pretty?"
I swear to god I saw Spot nod his head at that. Did he? Or was that just me? I'll ask the boys later. Jack joins me for a second of singing.
"It's my city I'm the king of New York!"
Boots add his wish to the list: "A corduroy suit with fitted knickers"
And so does Les: "A mezzanine seat to see the flickers"
Also Snipeshooter: "Havana cigars that cost a quarter." Aw dang it I want that too!
"An editor's desk for our star reporter!" Leave it to David to ask for something for someone else. The kid's too nice.
NEWSIES:
"Tip your hat
He's the King of New York!"
DENTON:
"How 'bout that?
I'm the King of New York!"
NEWSIES:
"In nothing flat
He'll be covering Brooklyn to Trenton
Our man Denton"
KID BLINK: "Making a headline out of a hunch"
DENTON: "Protecting the weak"
"And paying for lunch" I add, not wanting to pay for everything I ordered.
DENTON: "When I'm at bat, Strong men crumble"
"Proud yet humble." I say, pushing Denton back in his seat.
We then sing together:
"I'm/He's the King of New York"
NEWSIES: "I gotta be either dead or dreaming 'Cuz look at that pape with my face beaming Tomorrow they may wrap fishes in it But I was a star for one whole minute! Starting now I'm the King of New York!"
DENTON: "Ain't you hear? I'm the King of New York!"
NEWSIES: "Holy cow! It's a miracle Pulitzer's crying Weasel? He's dying! Flashpots are shooting bright as the sun I'm one hifalutin' sonuva gun! Don't ask me how Fortune found me Fate just crowned me Now I'm King of New York! Look and see Once a piker Now a striker I'm the King of New York! Victory! Front page story Guts and glory I'm the King of New York!"
"So how do we stay in da papes?" Jack asks. "Well, we gotta show people where we stand," David said. "My paper's the only one printing any strike news so far," Denton decides to mention. "So, we should do something that's so big the other papers'll feel stupid if they try to ignore us," says Jack. "Like a rally," He suggests. "A newsie rally with all the kids from all over New York. It'll be the biggest, loudest, noisiest blow-out this town's ever seen!" "We'll send a message to the big boys," David offers. A waiter brings out several glasses of root beer. I grab one and pass one to Blink who's right behind me. Everyone takes a glass and we toast to Denton. I look back behind me and wink at Mush who's blushing because he has to share a glass with Blink.
I sit down to drink my root beer and Spot sits right across from me. "Ya didn't tell me you could sing," I said. He chuckles. "You'se didn't tell me you could either so I guess we both have our secrets." He responded. I blushed a little and he smirked. "But hey it was pretty funny how Jack swatted you'se away," I laughed, changing the subject. Spot shook his head and laughed with me. We both finished our root beers and headed back to our own lodging houses.