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"Louise Kerrington, is that who I really am? Just what the world needs,
another snob in
the making.
So what if my parents are happy with all their money, does that mean I have
to be happy
with it to?
Hell no! Because I'm not happy with it--that's all my parents care about,
they don't care
about me.
They pretend to, but just so their bitter hate for me doesn't ruin their
reputation in society.
Who am I
kidding? I belong out there, I'm too cooped up, I need to get out--be free."
I stood looking
at my
reflection in the mirror. Talking to myself basically. I didn't have many
friends, not that I
wasn't
friendly, but because I wasn't permitted to associate outside of the
cocktail parties.
I wished to have friends, millions of them. Being home schooled didn't
exactly give me
the chance.
Sure I met girls my age at parties and gatherings, but they honestly seemed
dull. Non-stop
talk about
their future wedding plans or their debut. Frankly I couldn't give a damn
about my debut.
My mother,
of course, was making such a big deal about it. This was the most time in my
entire life I
had spent
with her, and it was only going to be for her benefit.
If the child had a good debut into society, it reflected on how wonderful
her parents were.
Then there
was the marriage part of it all. Being almost sixteen, I really didn't want
to be married.
Samuel Pulitzer
had his eye on me. My mother thinks he "is a remarkable young man with a
promising
future, and
demeanor, and who will be able to support me." In translation, that meant he
had money.
I pulled at the high lace collar of my expensive, emerald green, French, in-style, dress. That
bothered the
hell out of me. Petra, my pug dog, barked lightly at some people passing the
window. I
turned and
walked over to her. I picked her up lightly and and sat on the window seat.
Two newsboys
walked
by. One looked over at the window, hearing Petra's yippee bark. He was
handsome. I felt
rather bad
for him though, with the eye patch and everything. He took off his hat and
smiled. I held
up a finger,
signaling for him to hold on.
I put Petra on the floor and grabbed my change purse, and hurried out
towards the door
before they
were gone. He was a few inches taller than I was. Smiling, he walked over.
"Yes, miss?" he asked and looked back at his friend. "You wanted to talk to
me?" His
smile made my
stomach churn, and my heart jump to my throat, something that Sam Pulitzer
didn't do in
the slightest.
I completely forgot why I went out there.
"Yes, miss, you wanted to see me?" he asked again. I snapped back into
reality. I nodded,
and
glanced at the bundle he was holding.
"Yes, I would like to buy a...a..ah,"
"Paper?" he filled in. I nodded.
"How much?" He smiled and took off his hat again. He lifted my hand to his
lips. I
blushed.
"For you, miss, it's free." I turned even redder, but shook my head no. He
looked at me
curiously.
"No?" he asked and looked back at his friend.
"No, I wish to pay in full. Please, how much?" He nodded.
"One cent." I looked at him in appreciation and fiddled in my change purse.
I had
probably twenty
dollars worth of quarters, and a few dollar bills. I took out two dollar
bills and handed one
to the each
of them.
"Miss. I said one..."
"I know very well what you said. But that is not enough. Do you even make a
dollar a
day?" I asked.
The two shook their heads. I walked back towards my house, then looked back
at them.
They turned
to walk away. I cleared my throat.
"Yes, miss?" The other boy asked.
"What are your names?" I asked.
"Well...ah, I'm Kid Blink. And this is me friend Mush." I smiled. The names
sounded
rather odd. Nicknames. I waved my hand, motioning for them to follow me. They looked at each
other.
"Please come in; get warm; I'll get you something to eat. You can get clean.
I'm sure I can
find you
something to wear." They looked at me in shock and nodded.
**********
"Ok, just a little further." My mind screamed encouragement as I slid quietly down the hallway, to the door. I had already completed half my mission. I had stolen my Father's wallet which had over six hundred dollars. A sweater, and some of my brother's clothes, and some food from the pantry.
My parents weren't home, like usual. So it wasn't hard to slip into the night. I knew exactly where I was going as soon as I stepped on to the stoop. Manhattan newsboys' house.
I cut my long dark brown hair to my shoulders and tucked it into a hat. I could definatly pass off for a boy now, which was the whole intention. Louise became Lou.
I started off to the distribution center, cause logic told me that's where they would be at six thirty in the morning.
And I was right. I could see Blink's smiling face, as he and Mush talked to a few other newsies. I had talked to Blink often after our first visit. He and Mush would come and see me, and we would take walks in Central Park together. Getting looks of disgust from all the rich snobs who knew me. Telling my parents.
The whole reason I left was because they forbade me to ever see Blink or Mush again. Of course growing up in a world where I got everything I desired, I wouldn't hear of it, so I left.
I quickly ran up the plank to get my "papes", before every one started to leave. A kid with a stick walked over to me. He had dark brown hair, covered by the same kind of hat I was wearing.
"Hey, kid, ya new, ain't ya?" he asked. I nodded. "What's your name?" he asked. I fiddled with the dime in my hand.
"Lou. Lou Andrews, you?" I asked.
"Bumlets. So where you from, kid?" He asked.
I thought for a minute. "The Lower East Side," I said quickly. He nodded. Blink and Mush noticed me and Bumlets and waited for us to walk over.
"Hey ya, Bumlets, who's this?" Mush asked.
"Lou Andrews, you are?" I asked. He spit on his hand and held it out to me. I like Mush and all but I wasn't quite sure I wanted his saliva on me. Reluctantly I did the same and shook with him.
"I'm Mush." Blink looked me over for a minute. I hoped he didn't recognize me. He spit on his hand and I continued his gesture.
"Me names Kid Blink. Who ya sellin with?" I looked around and shrugged my shoulders. "You wanna sell with us. we'll show ya the ropes." I already knew the ropes from watching them sell before, but I went along any way.
We all wandered out of the distrubution center, going our seperate ways.
I nodded my head. "Yeah her name is Melissa," I lied. "You got a girl?" I asked him back. He shook his head no. My heart soared, with happiness.
"Yeah but he has got a crush on someone out of his league," Mush joked. Blink blushed.
"Oh what's her name?" I asked.
"Her name is Louise. She lives in the village," Mush said laughing at how red Blink was getting.
I wanted to scream for joy. Blink liked me! I wished to run into his arms screaming "Blink it's me Louise!" but I didn't. "What's she look like?" I asked. Trying to sound as if I were teasing him.
"She has this long dark brown hair, green eyes. She's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. And she is kind and generous. I don't know how to describe her really. It's like she is some kind of angel." Oh, my heart melted. Blink thought I was beautiful, an angel. He got redder and redder as he described me.
"Why didn't you tell her how you feel?" I asked.
Blink shook his head. "No, she doesn't want someone like me. I'm a street rat, trash, poor. I would never have a chance with her. Plus her parents won't let me see her now."
"Blink I'm sure she would love to have someone like you." He smiled graciously at me, and we continued to sell our papers.
My heart jumped into my throat when they looked over finally. They looked all of us over, exchanged a couple of unapproving glares at us, and continued eating.
"They're pretty," Mush said in a dream mode. I shook my head.
"They're snobs. Shallow. Not worth it. Deffinatly not worth it," I said. Mush and Blink and some others around us, looked at me.
"You don't think those goils are pretty?" Jack asked me.
I shook my head yes. "Sure, they're pretty, but that is all make-up. Something that was plastered on them by their parents so that when they come out into their debut into society, they'll look good." The boys all looked at me in shook. "But," I continued. "All they want is to marry someone rich, who will boost their reputation up higher, as well as their pride, and egos. Trust me, their not what they seem." I finished and took a sip of my beer. The boys all shrugged and continued doing what they were doing before.
"How did you know all that?" Crutchy asked me. I looked up nervously at Crutchy. He was staring hard at me. Like he realized something while I was preaching. I couldn't lie to Crutchy, I just didn't have the heart. Crutchy was someone who never told a lie, and always had a smile on his face. I stood up and put my glass on the table, motioning for him to follow me.
Mush and Blink looked at me mysteriously as I walked outside with Crutchy. They talked for a minute, then got hooked up in a conversation with Jack and David.
"So, Crutchy, I just can't lie to you," I said quietly. He looked at me, not quiet comprehending.
"I don't understand," he said finally. I took off my hat and let my hair fall to my shoulders. He took a small step back.
"Louise? What are you doing here?" he asked and slowly sat down. I tucked my hair up into my hat again and looked Crutchy square in the eyes.
"Why did you leave your home?" he asked. I took a deep breath. A long deep breath that seemed to clear my mind of smog, and clutterness that had built up in the past few weeks I had known Blink. I closed my eyes and looked up at the sky, it was dark and the stars were shining brightly.
"Because, because... I fell head over heels in love with Blink. I was great friends with him and Mush, but my heart felt more. My parents' friends, rich snobs," I muttered. I shook my head.
"Any way, they saw me walking with Blink and Mush in Central Park and told my parents I was with someone of 'Lower Social Standards, not good for your daughter's reputation and the debut; she'll be the laughingstock.' I well, I overheard. Then my parents came to tell me that my being friends with Blink and Mush was completely unacceptable, and I was forbidden to see them." I looked over at Crutchy. He nodded, understandingly. I stood up and looked at Blink. He was laughing, his eye, crystal blue, was filled with joy and happiness. I smiled at him. In my heart I knew he was holding me in his.
"Anyway, I cried and cried until I finally got the nerve to run. And here I am. Pining over Blink, knowing he likes me, but unable to be with him." Crutchy smiled at me. A streak of fear crossed my heart when Spot Conlon emerged from the shadows. He looked at me with a grin.
"How long have you been there?" I asked. He held up a hand.
"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me!" he said reasuringly. I took his word for it.
"Thank you, Spot," I said. He nodded.
"Not to worry, I'm here as a friend if you ever need one." He nodded and walked into Tibby's.
"Yeah, Louise, your secrets safe with me too. I'm always here if you need a friend." I smiled at Crutchy.
"Thanks, Crutchy." He walked back into Tibby's. I stayed outside for a minute, staring up at the stars. I didn't here the door open, and Blink walk out.
"So, what are you doing out here?" he said startling me. I quickly jumped and looked at him.
"Oh, I was thinking," I said clearing my throat. He sat down next to me.
"Yeah, bout what?" he asked, and elbowed me in the ribs.
"Melissa?" he asked, a ear to ear grin on his face. I laughed, it was an uneasy laugh, but it was the best I could do.
"Yeah, thinking of asking her to marry me." Blink nodded.
"How long you been with her?" he asked.
"Five years," I said with a sigh. He seemed to be falling for it. I should become an actrss I said to myself with pride. My parents would love that.
"Five years is a long time to be with someone," he breathed heavily. I drank in his face, and all it's beautiful features. I wished, longed, dreamt of being in his arms in Central Park, at night, with the stars shinning brightly above us like they were now.
"Yeah, well I know how you feel, except I've known Louise for five weeks."
I blushed. My stomach twisted with feelings of love and dread. Why? Why, does it have to be this way? Why do I have to hide from you like this, why can't I let you hold me like I want to hold you? It's not fair, Blink! I love you! I screamed in my mind.
I turned on my side, and prayed for my hat not to come off and not to be
revealed.
"Hey, time to go to work, the presses are rollin'!" He smiled and walked away. The newsies were all singin something.
"We lead a fine life, Carryin'
the banna through it all.
A mighty fine life, carrin' the
banna tough and tall."
That song would stay in my head all day. And I would probably know it by heart in the next couple of days. I yawned, stretched, and climbed out of bed. Mush, threw a towel at me as I washed off my face.
Crutchy walked over to me.
"Hey, mornin', Lou. How'd ya sleep?" he asked with a bright friendly smile. I smiled at him.
"Actually, I slept pretty good. Like a log." I threw my towel at him. Mush walked over to me. Blink followed behind him.
"Come on, Lou, time to Carry the Banna!" Mush smiled at me and walked out the door. Blink looked at the floor, looking downtrodden.
"What's wrong, Blink?" I asked. He looked up at me. He shook his head.
"Can't tell anyone," he said quietly. I looked at him, and leaned an ear in.
"What, no I won't say a thing." His eye looked at me. He looked at me like he had seen me before, but couldn't quite place me.
"Okay, I really miss Louise. I really want to see her again. I think..." He stopped and pulled me into a corner. "I think I fell in love with her, should I tell her?" My heart skipped a beat.
"Maybe you should try," I said. Maybe if my parents met him, they would see he is a good person. Then maybe I could go home, but still have Blink. It could work, If I could just prove it to my parents.
"Really? You think I should??" he asked, his eye all filled with hope instead of sorrow, which is what I liked to see. "Will you come with me?"
I took a step back. "I don't think that would be a good idea," I started, but Blink interupted me.
"Please, please? Hey, your the one giving me the guts to do this! Please come with me?" He pleaded.
I had to give in. I did. "Alright, I'll go, I'll go!" I said. Blink spit on his hand and held it out to me. I did the same, and we shook. I was not going to enjoy this. I looked around the room intime to see Spot walk into the washroom.
"Come on; let's go!" Blink said with a smile.
"Alright hold on, I gotta pee," I lied and walked into the bathroom. No one else was in there except me and Spot. I ran up to him. "Okay, fairy godfather!" I said in a loud whisper.
He looked up about to kill me, until he realized who I was. "Yeah, need help?" he said returning to washing his hands.
"Take me to Brooklyn with you today?" I asked.
He looked up at me, confusion across his face. "Why do you want to go to Brooklyn with me?" he asked and continued to wash his hands.
"Because Blink wants to go tell me that he loves me! But he will meet my parents, but he wants me to go with him, and if they see me, they'll pull me back to live with them, and go on with my debut, which I don't want! That means Blink will find out I'm me and not Lou, who he thought I was the entire time, and then he'll hate me, and I'll never see him again!" Spot looked like he didn't quiet catch all that but caught the gist of what I was saying.
"All right, I'll tell Blink I'm teachin' ya ta fight," Spot said and grabbed a towel.
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" I shrieked and hugged Spot.
"Hey, hey, your a guy remember?" he said laughing. I smiled and nodded and backed off.
Blink appeared in the doorway. "Are you coming?" he asked a smile across his face. Spot walked over to him.
"I'm taking Lou, to learn to fight today. He needs to learn to defend himself."
Blink nodded. "Alright I'll go a different time. See ya later," he said and left the lodging house his head hung low.
"Thank you, Spot," I said quietly. He looked back at me and winked.
"Come on," he said and motioned for me to follow him.
"Alright fellas', this is Louise, but every body will call her Lou, and
pretend she is a guy,"
Spot yelled at his newsies. They looked a little puzzled.
"Why? Spot?" Tes asked.
Spot glared at him. "Questioning me?" Spot asked dangerously.
Tes shook his head. "No, I was just wonderin' why we calling her he. That's all." He shrunk down among the other newsies.
Spot leaned over at me. "He's new," he said to me in a low whisper. "Can I tell them why?" he asked protectingly. I nodded. "Okay, she is in love with Blink, and ran away from her rich parents to be with him," Spot said and took a step back, then turned back to his newsies. "If any one of you treat her with disrespect, or try something on her, you'll have me to deal with! Got that!" he yelled. His newsies all nodded. I walked with Spot to his perch ontop of the pier and sat down.
"Teaching me to fight?" I asked. He shook his head no. "Why not?" I asked.
"Cause your to much of a lady already. Your hands cannot go from frail and fragile to fighters. Trust me, I'm not trying to be sexist, but I've tried to teach ladies like you, and they just don't have the knack like orphan girls, and street runaways do."
I understood a little and didn't hold anything against him for saying that. Frankly I didn't think I would hold my own in a fight very long anyway. "That's okay, Spot, I honestly don't wanna fight anyone."
Spot walked to the other side of the pier. I watched as a small quarrel formed, soon enough the two boys were yelling, pushing, and then fighting. Spot heard the commotion and walked over to me.
"Every one stop!" Spot yelled at the top of his lungs. They stopped and looked up. "Who started this?" Spot asked eyeing the two main boys in the middle. Neither spoke. "Who started this?" he screamed a little bit louder. The boy with the most defiant look stepped forward. Spot eyed him intensly. "I have never seen him before," he whispered to me. I strained to see him. "Who are you?" Spot asked dangerously. "Joey," he said proudly.
Spot clutched his cane, his temper boiling. "Where you from?"
"New Jersey!" he said even more proudly. Spot's eyes clouded and his eyebrows narrowed, forming a scowl. "What are you doing in Brooklyn?" I asked standing up. Spot looked at me in suprise. And so did the rest of the Brooklyn newsies.
"I don't got to answer to any of you asses!" he shouted at me. Spot was about to lunge at him, but I grabbed his elbow.
"Shut-up now you ignorant baboon!" I shouted. I walked over to him. He was taller than me, but I wasn't that tall anyway. I was only five two.
"Who the hell are you?" he asked in my face.
One of the boys took off my hat. "Your talking to a lady!" Spot said.
"What Lady? All I see is A New York whore in the making."
I slapped him~hard. "Now get out of Brooklyn, out of New York before I have my boys escort you, and trust me you will not enjoy that," I said through gritted teeth. "And that's a promise," I added.
He stalked off muttering curses under his
breath.
Spot smiled at me.
"When Blink finds you out, he is going to have his hands full." I smiled.
"So why would you want to give all that up?" Spot asked as we walked into Tibby's.
"Too cluttered, made me feel claustrophobic. I hated it." He nodded, understanding. The others greeted us when we walked in, but Blink sulked in the corner. I walked over to him and sat down. He never looked at me though.
"Hey what's wrong with you?" I asked and ordered a beer.
"I went to Louise's to tell her how I felt," he started slowly.
My heart jumped into my throat. A tear fell from his eye. "And, did you tell her?" I asked.
He shook his head no. "She wasn't there. Her mother said she was missing. She is gone? Where did she go? I don't understand why though."
"I don't know what to tell you." He buried his head in his hands. "She is gone, dead probably. I have never felt this way before about someone, and she is probably dead, god I fell like shit."
I felt so bad my heart wrenched at the sight of his pain. "Blink I will talk to you later, I promise," I said and walked away. Silently I walked out of Tibby's and walked back to my home.
Silently I climbed back into the window. The house was quiet, and the lights were off, making it darker. I walked over to my closet and picked out the blue, green, high colar dress I had first met Blink in. I sighed and put my hair up neatly with butterfly pins. Which I was also wearing when I first met him. I grabbed my change purse I had left on my dresser; it still had some money in it.
I walked out of my room into the old hallway, down the old stairs, and out of my kitchen, though the back door. Silently I walked down my old street back to Tibby's.
I placed a dollar in front of Blink.
"I believe I asked to pay in full," I said sweetly. Blink shot up and turned around quickly.
"Louise?" he said is suprise. I nodded; he stood up.
"Hey, wait, I want you to meet my friend, Lou. You'll love him." Blink looked around for me.
"Where'd he go? Hey Mush where's Lou?" Mush laughed slightly and pointed at me. I looked at the floor, with a smile on my face. He looked at me in shock.
"Lou was, you, you Lou?" he asked and suddenly stopped and blushed.
"Everything I told Lou, you..." I put a finger to his lips.
"Blink, shut-up." I said and leaned forward to kiss him. "Blink, I love you too, I don't care about my debut, or my position in society, I care about you," I said and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around me.
"Your wearing what I saw you in when I fell in love with you." I smiled. And kissed him again. The others cheered loudly.
The End!
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