NeuroQueersies ~ The Diverse Story of the Newsies' Strike

Chapter 17 ~ Facing A Titan

Ooooooh here we go!!!

I know there's usually something different about each time I write this, but this one is considerably different.

Enjoy! :)

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"I'm sorry, Davey."

"For what?"

"Lyin' 'bout everything. I ... don't have any excuses." Jack swallows. "I should prolly explain it all, shouldn't I? Start tellin' the whole truth? I should prolly start with-"

"How about you wait on it? Explain it all later?"

Jack stops. "What?"

"Come on." David takes Jack's hand as they continue walking up the stairs. He adds an extra boost of confidence to his stride. "We have a tyrant to talk to first."

Jack's taken by surprise. "O-okay." He feels his face warm a little. He watches David with awe. He wouldn't have gotten to this point right here without him.

And David feels all warm and fluttery inside by Jack saying that he wants to tell David the whole truth. It means that Jack truly cares about him and wants to make things right.

And he appreciates that, really. It's just ... one thing at a time. Pulitzer first. Feelings and truths and such later.

Finally, they enter Pulitzer's office.

Pulitzer is there, his back turned to them, behind his desk, smoking a cigar, standing still in silence as the world around him is in a state of panic.

Jack puts a copy of their paper on the desk. "Extra extra Joe. Read all about it." He backs away again. 

It takes a moment, but Pulitzer turns around to face them. "I gave you a chance to be free," he says at last. "Anyone who doesn't act in their own self interest is a fool."

"Then what does that make you?"

Pulitzer and Jack both turn around. "What?"

David is surprised at his own outburst as well. So surprised, that he still hangs there behind Jack, the words he can use to defend himself not coming.

Luckily, Jack's here for that.

Jack smiles and puts an arm around David, bringing him forward. "This is my pal, Davey." He grins fondly at him. "The Walkin' Mouth."

Jack knows that David probably has more to say, so he backs away, waiting for David to do his magic with words.

And finally the words come to David. "Every day you're losing thousands. Your circulation is down by 70 percent. And all of this is just to beat us out of one lousy tenth of a cent. Why?"

Pulitzer doesn't answer him. But Jack thinks--no, he knows--that he's figured out what it is.

"Ya see, it ain't about the money, Dave," Jack says. "If Pulitzer gives in to nobodies like us, then that means that we have the power. And you can't do that, can ya, Joe?"

Pulitzer still says nothing, just staring off into the distance, contemplating all that's going on around him.

Jack leans back, patient. He gets it: if he were a corrupt businessman with too much greed and power, he too would be annoyed at the mere thought that a bunch of kids could topple everything.

But it's more than a mere thought. This is happening. This is real. This is happening in real time.

Everyone in this room is aware that there has never been anything exactly quite like this, and that no matter what the outcome is, history will be made.