My Girl ~Racetrack~

nine

We all went to Jacobi's but Jack stayed back. He's probably sad about Crutchie. Mr. Jacobi gave us all waters. "Drink up. And don't say I don't give you nothing. And before you say water is nothing, just ask a fish...in the desert." We all had our heads lowered, no talking until Finch spoke.

"Why do old people talk?" He asked. "To prove they's still alive" Race said, taking his cigar out of his mouth. Then, I see Katherine enter the place. "Good morning, gentlemen...and lady. Would you get a load of these glum mugs. Can these really be the same Newsies who made the front page of The New York Sun?" She asked, getting excited.

We all gather around her and we take the paper. "That's us!" Race says pointing at Race and I with race's arm around me.

All the Newsies get excited. "What else you got?" I ask excitedly. "Mine's the only story that ran. Pulitzer declared a blackout on strike news, so even I'm shut down now. I heard the arrested Crutchie. Did they get Jack too?" She asks me. I shook my head.

"The Delancey's are spreading a story that he took it on the lam, first sight of the cops" Albert reports.

"Jack don't run from no fight" Les shoves Albert. "Take it down shortstop. I'm just reportin' the news." Albert defended.

Then, Race strolls over to Albert. "For jumpin' Jack's sake. Can you stow the seriosity long enough to drink in the moment? I'm famous!" Race brought Albert into a side hug. Race looked proud of himself.

"What of it?" Henry asked. Race looked at him and slowly took his cigar out of his mouth. "Are you stupid or what? When you're famous, the woild is your erster." Race smiled

"Your what?" I ask. "Your erster! Your erster! Ya kno, your fancy claim wit da poil insoide." Race exclaims. "Oyster!" I laugh at his mispronunciation.

-

We all leave Jacobi's and Davey, Les, Katherine, and Jack told me that Jack was going to Pulitzer to talk to him and Jack wanted me to come with.

We stood out Pulitzer's office and I took a deep breath. A lady came out and let us in. "Mr Jack and Miss Katrina Kelly." The lady said. I give her a nod as a thank you.

"Afternoon boys..." Jack says. "And which Kelly siblings is this? The amazing union organizers, or the petty thieves and escaped convicts." Pulitzer said.

"Which one give us more in common?" Jack joked. "Impudence is in bad taste when crawling for mercy" Joe said

"Crawlin'? That's a laugh. We dropped by with an invite. Seems a few hundred of your employees rallying to discuss recent disagreements." I start. "We thought it only fair to invite you to state your case staright to the fellas. So what'd ya say, Joe? Want I should save you a spot on the bill?" Jack finished.

"You both are shameless and disrespectful a creature as I was told. Do you know what I was doing when I was 16 and 17? I was fighting a war." Joe said

"Yeah? How'd that turn out for ya?" I asked. "It taught me a lesson that shaped my life. You don't win a war on the battlefield. It's the headline that crowns the victor." Joe explained

"We'll keep that in mind when New York wakes up to front page photos of our rally." Jack says

"Rally till the cows come home. Not a paper in town will publish a word. And if that's not in the papers, it never happened." Joe said

"You may run this city, but there are some of us who can't be bullied. Even some reporters..." I said.

"Such as that young woman who made you yesterday's news? Talented girl. And beautiful as well, don't you think?" He asked Jack.