"Well, it all stawded one day in 1899, after da big strike, when I met 'er. She's da most beautiful goyl I'se ever seen," Spot said.

"Naw it din't, Spot. It stawded on da day a da strike," Jack corrected.

"Yeah, yer right, Jackey-boy. Dat's a foist," Spot said with a smirk.

Spot started to tell his story. "Well, anyway, dis goyl, her name's Boidie Kelly, Jack's sista; she's da most beautiful goyl I'se ever seen. She's got dose em'rald green eyes, 'n' long coiled auburn hair dat's never up. She always wears a skoit, but she's not no ord'n'ry goyl; she's tough. She kin hold her own in a fight, 'n' den some. Anyway. She walked down da pier in Brooklyn; she came ta hear Jack out 'bout da strike..." Spot said, thinking back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On a pier in Brooklyn, Jack, Dave, Boots, and Spot were talking about the strike.

"Well, Spot, whatta ya think 'bout da strike?" asked Jack.

"Well," started Spot, watching a girl walk down the pier. "I think that you'se guys gotta show me dat yer ready fer dis."

"Spot, we'se ready fer dis. Jist join us," replied Jack.

The girl walked down to the end of the pier to hear the rest of what Jack was saying. She leaned against a pillar and watched Jack explain everything to Spot.

"Jack, I don't think you'se guys is ready fer dis," said Spot.

"Well, I say we're ready, Spot. Whatta ya think, Kathryn?" Jack asked, turning to the girl.

"I tend ta agree wit' Spot. I don't think you'se guys is ready ta stand up fer yerselves," the girl replied.

"I can't believe da both a you'se. Fine! Boots, David, let's go," Jack said, annoyed. The three of them started back for Manhattan. "Come on, Kathryn," Jack called over his shoulder.

"I think dat ya need a little motivation, Jack. Tell ya what, I'll go back wit' ya ta Manhattan 'n' listen ta yer boys. Be right dere," the girl said. She walked over to Spot and looked him in the eyes. "So, yer Spot Conlon, hmm," she scoffed.

"Yeah; who're you?" Spot asked.

"Boidie Kelly," she said. Then she laughed.

"What's dat sposed ta mean?" Spot asked; he'd never been scoffed by a girl before. Since he was so good looking and all.

"Oh, nothin'; jist lookin' ya over," she said with a smirk.

"What fer?" he asked.

"Well," Birdie replied, "ya shoa don't look like yer reputation." She grinned and started back for Manhattan, to catch up with Jack and the others.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"When we was at da Rally, she came in while Medda was singin'. She jist came in 'n' told Jack she would join 'im; den she left. Somehow, I think she knew Snyder was comin' fer Jack. Don't know how, but she knew. She just walked in, came ta our table, told Dave ta tell Jack, seein' as how Jack was signin' wit' Medda at da time. Den she went 'n' left da buildin'. After da Rally, she jist up 'n' disapeared. Well, not really, least I don't think so. Where'd she go anyway Jack?" Spot said.

"I think she was jist stayin' 'round Queens fer a while. Think she jist wanted to be by herself. I don't really know," Jack replied.

"Well, anyway, Boidie jist stayed outta da spotlight fer a while. Den, after da strike was over, dere she was in Brooklyn. She was just standin' dere, waitin' fer me. I guess..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Birdie was standing against the wall at the building by the pier. She saw Spot there. She stood straight up, and walked off. Spot got out of the carriage and thanked the governer for the ride. He followed Birdie all the way to Queens, staying just out of sight. Every few feet she would turn around to see who was following her. They got to Queens and Birdie went up the steps to her building, knocked on the door, and was let in. Spot walked up to the door and knocked just as she had. A girl on the other side opened a sliding panel.

"May I help you?" the girl asked.

"Yeah, I wanna tawk wit' Boidie if I could," he paused, "please?" he said politely.

"Jist a minute," she said as she slid the panel shut.

Spot heard a faint murmuring on the other side of the door. After a few minutes the door was opened, and he was invited in.

"Top floor, thoid door on da left, knock twice. She'll open da door fer ya den. Got it?" the girl said to Spot.

"Yeah, top floor, thoid door on da left, knock twice. Got it," Spot replied.

The girl nodded him up the stairs. He started on his way. He walked up each flight of stairs, each one slower and slower. He was starting to rethink his idea about seeing Birdie; he was nervous. He continued to climb the stairs; he reached the top floor and started walking down the hallway. He stopped at a mirror and checked how he looked. He took off his blue cap and fixed his brown hair. He replaced his cap and tried to clean his face off. He rubbed the dirt off his face and looked at his eyes in the mirror. His beautiful blue eyes, even to him they looked amazing. He turned from the mirror to continue down the hallway. He meandered down to the third door on the left, he knocked twice. The door opened into darkness.

"Come on in, Spot. I'se been expectin' ya," she said from the depths of the darkness.

"How'd ya know it was me?" he asked.

"Foist, you was followin' me all da way from Brooklyn. Second, da goyls downstairs tol' me ya wanted ta see me," she replied.

"Oh, um, well, I came ta see ya 'bout--"

"Save it, Spot, I knows why yer here," she interrupted.

"Ya do?!" he exclaimed, surprised and somewhat relieved.

"Yeah, but I think ya should just get da lead out 'n' tell me, so you'll feel better," she said.

"Yeah, okay, well, um. When we tawked in Brooklyn, we didn't really get to know each odder real well. I jist wanted ta know how ya got ta be da leader a Queens."

Birdie raised an eyebrow. That wasn't his reason for coming at all, and she knew full well that it wasn't. "Jack's me brodder 'n' we grew up tagedda, 'n' when we was fifteen, Jack went sellin' papes, 'n' I came here ta visit me friend. I liked it here so much, I jist stayed. Over da last t'ree years, I rose ta be who I am taday," Birdie said, all high and mighty. "Dat's mainly it, me story. What's yer story, Spot?" Birdie asked. She was determined to get Spot to disclose his real reason. This might be one way to get to it.

"I was jist a newsie 'n' da boys stawted followin' me; dat's me story. I ain't really got much ta say, except. . ." he trailed off.

"Cept what, Spot?" she asked.

"Nothin'. Yer proably busy er somethin', so I'll jist go now," Spot said forlornly.

"Naw, Spot, stay. We kin tawk 'bout some things. Have a seat, would'ja like anythin', maybe some water."

"Um, yeah, some water'd be fine, thanks," he said in reply.

They talked all afternoon and well into the night. They talked about everything. The two just talked and talked for hours. Spot never quite told her his exact reason for visiting her, but she knew it all too well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, there was a knock at the door. Birdie got up, walked to the door and opened it. Jack was standing on the other side.

Jack greeted his sister warmly. "Have ya seen Spot dis mornin'?" he asked

Birdie opened the door some more to show Spot sleeping on the couch.

"What's he doin' heah?" Jack exclaimed.

"We was jist tawkin', 'n' we both feel asleep. . ." she trailed off.

"Right," Jack said, not fully believing her.

"Jack, I swear; ya've got da most ungentlemanly mind." She laughed at her statement, Jack smiled and shook his head.

"Boidie, yer me only sista; I gots ta look out fer ya," Jack said protectively.

"Jack, I kin take care a meself better 'an you 'n' Spot tagedda," she interrupted.

"Spot'd love to hear ya say dat," Jack said sarcastically. "'Sides dat's not what I was thinkin'. Right now I gots ta git goin' wit' Spot."

"Well, he's right dere. By da way, why'd ya come here ta look fer 'im?" she asked.

"Last person saw him said 'e was followin' ya," Jack said.

"Oh, well, um. He's up now," she said.

"Come on, Spot; it's time. Let's go," Jack said.

"Right, comin'," Spot replied groggily.

"Wait a minute, where're you two goin'?" Birdie asked.

"Just to somethin' we do ever year," Jack said ambiguously.

"I wanna know where yer goin'," she started to say.

"Bye, sis, we gotta be goin', now." He emphasized 'now.'

Birdie rolled her eyes and nodded her head telling him to be on his way. Jack shook his head quietly laughing that Spot went for his sister. Jack grabbed Spot's arm, showing that they should get going. The two walked out the door and down the steps.

"Hey, Abby," Birdie yelled down the stairs, "git up hear would'ja."

"Comin'," Abby yelled back. She ran up the stairs, past Spot and Jack, into Birdie's room.

Outside, Jack and Spot were talking about 'the annual event' the newsies held in Queens. Birdie had no idea what it was. She was rather worried. Neither Spot nor Jack would tell her what was going on. She hadn't been in New York in a long time, and didn't know about 'the annual event' as the others did. The last time she was in New York, it didn't even exist.

"Jack, do ya really think I should be doin' dis?" Spot asked.

"Spot, whatta ya tawkin' 'bout? Ya gotta do dis, everone's countin' on ya," retorted Jack.

"Yeah, but what 'bout Boidie. I mean, I really like 'er, 'n' I don't wanna hoit her wit' dis," Spot complained quietly.

"Spot, ya gots ta do dis. If ya don't, we'll neva be able ta face Joisy no more. Yer da best fighter in alla New Yawk. Ya gotta do dis," Jack protested.

"Fine, but I ain't lyin' ta Boidie no more eidder," Spot answered sternly. Jack nodded, and they continued walking.

Go to Part 2

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page