Challenger, A Spot Conlon Love Story

Chapter 7

Jo's POV

The Next Day

"Jo!! Wake up ya lazy bum." Jack whisper screamed in my ear.

"Mmm," I grumbled, shifting my body under the warm covers. "Ise not ready ta get up," my voice still groggy from my sleep.

"But youse have ta help mese wake up da boys." he pouted.

"Fine, but only on one condition," I was smirking with my eyes still half closed.

"Deal." he jumped up waiting for his instructions.

"Today youse gotta pick mese and Race up and carry us around, but youse can't wake Race up before you pick em up." I instructed him.

He dramatically sighed and tried to hide his smirk as he said,

"Ise suppose Ise could do that," he answered.

Jack picked me up and looked up at Races bunk as I held in my giggles. He very slowly started to pick Race up,

"Mmm Ise not ready Mama," he muttered.

"Oh, Ise aint your Mama" Jack laughed as he hoisted him up and started running around the room.

My giggles turned into a full on laughing fit. Race started screaming and cursing Jack telling him to put him down. All the boys woke up and cheered their leader on.

"Keep em going Jack!" Blink hooted and hollered.

"JACK! Let mese down right now ya Fink, Ise just woke up, Ise delicate and need to do mese mornin routine." Race pouted.

"Oh god forbid that you don't get to do your makeup," I teased.

"Oh, shut ya yap Jo, nobody asked youse," he whined and stuck his tough out.

"Ya ya come on goils time to carry da banna." Jack mediated.

Later that morning once we were ready, we headed down to the circulation gate. But when we went to read the headlines, THEY RASIED THE FUCKING PRICE!!!

"Jack what are wese gonna do?" I asked in a concerned voice.

Raising the prices of the newspaper was like taking away 2 more meals a week. We were already only eating breakfast and dinner what were we supposed to do, skip those sometimes?

"Wese not going to sell papes till they put the price back where it belongs, and wese gonna need to get more newsies to join, so Ise need ya to go and talk to the other boroughs."

"Sure ya Jack, where do ya want us ya go?" Crutchey asked in his cheerful manner.

"Well don't go by youse self, take someone wit ya, and crutch you go to da Bronx, everyone else fan out.

Everyone called out where that were going and Jack assigned some of the stragglers place to go, but then came Brooklyn.

"Alright who wants Brooklyn? Come one Brooklyn Spot Conlons territory?" Jack yelled, they were all scared of the mighty Spot Conlon, but I wasn't and it was about time I went to go see him.

"I'll go Jack," I said adjusting my cap.

"No," was all he said then turned back to look at the crowd.

"Excuse mese what da ya mean 'no' Ise gonna go if Ise wanna go." I said holding my ground preparing to argue.

" Fine but me and boots are gonna come with ya, and Davie is gonna keep us company." I knew this was gonna be my best bet if I wanted to go to Brooklyn.

"Deal." I said, I was happy to finally go back to Brooklyn and see Spot, but Brooklyn always made me nervous.

"Alright but Jack you have to go talk to Pulitzer and tell him our demands." Davie said to Jack. I swear I saw him gulp, was Jackie scared?

"Ok," he croaked, " maybe da kid will soften em up," he said regaining composed and returning to his usual self.

Jack strutted in with Les following close behind him. I was talking to Davie when some rich looking guy came up to up.

"Bryan Denton, New York Sun, what's going on, what's this I hear about a strike?" he asked while shaking our hands.

"It's the newsies strike, we're taking our demands to Pulitzer." Davie answered him.

"Hmm well I'd like to ask you a few questions if that's alright with you," Denton said while pulling out a notebook.

"Sure, what's on ya mind," I asked thinking this could be good publicity for the strike.

Just as he was about to start asking questions Jack and Les burst out of The World.

"SO'S your motha, you tell Pulitzer he needs an appointment with me!" Jack yelled back into the building putting his finger on his chest.

"Whos dis bum?" Jack asked.

"Now Jackie, be nice this is Denton, he's going to be very nice and hopefully cover da strike for us in da sun," I put on my best smile and puppy dog eyes. I wasn't sure who they were for, Jack or Denton?

"Jack Kelly," he said making sure to forget the spit for the handshake.

"Denton," he smiled back.

After they introduced them self's to one another Denton offered to buy us lunch at Tibby's. We happily excepted knowing we wouldn't get a meal again like this in weeks. When we got there Jack ordered a cheeseburger with fries, Les ordered a hot dog, Davie ordered a root beer with a beef sandwich, and I ordered my favorite, Tibby's homemade, hot fresh... Mac and cheese.

The boys talked business while I zoned out, I was thinking about Brooklyn, the last time I was there was not a happy memory. I was trying to focus on the few hours before, I remembered it was quite peaceful and charming. Everyone was happy and lively.

"Well fellas I can't wait to write this story." Denton said as he laid down his money on the table.

"Are we really an important story?" Davie asked.

"Well, that depends, I've worked on a lot of important things, it seems important to me, but that's all up to all of you." he responded, he sounded confident in his words like he already knew we were going to be important.

"Thanks Denton, Ise really appreciate it," I tried to sound sophisticated.

"That's a big word Jo be careful, wouldn't want ya to pull a muscle," Jack snarked, with the encouragement of Les. I stuck my tough out at him and spoke.

"Shut up JACKIE, let's go to Brooklyn," I brushed him off.