a nutcracker's collection of newsies | newsies one shot book

has anybody seen my skates?

"Has anybody seen my skates?"

It had been a week since the newsies had learned that the Manhattan lodge was being torn down due to the its poor state. Jack instantly suggested they ask the owners to let them stay there for a single weekend, as a final farewell, to which the boys readily agreed. Their wish was granted.

With more than half of the old newsies back, the lodge filled up quickly. It was chaos as everyone unpacked their things—especially as they mostly all were doing well financially, and thus had brought extra things they had bought throughout the years. Yet some things remained the same, such as Jack's old skates.

"Which ones are yours?" asked Crutchie as he heard Jack's question. Crutchie, too, had made good for himself. He now worked as a social worker, and as far as Jack knew, he loved it. There couldn't have been anything more fitting for the man. "Maybe I'll remember if I've seen them once you describe what they look like?"

Jack sighed, scratching his head. "They're the ones I used to wear... probably a bit dull and out of date. I hung 'em up in the corner yesterday."

"They can't be far, then."

As he and Crutchie set out to look, Jack couldn't help but remember his childhood as he watched the rest of the newsies head outside with their own skates. "Crutchie, remember how, as kids, we would all go out on the pond when it was frozen and push each other around?"

Crutchie smiled at the memory. "The night before, by the half-moonlight, you'd shovel out the snow over the ice if they were calling for no school the next day, no matter how cold it was. I couldn't skate with you guys, so the boys would take a chair and get me to sit in it while they skated with me. Eventually, everyone wanted a turn."

Jack laughed. "Then we played hockey, which made other kids come by to join. That Spot Colon had no chance against us." Just then, Finch and Albert passed by. Jack stepped forward to stop them. "Hey, have either of you seen my skates?"

"I don't think so," said Albert, frowning.

"Would you help me look?" Jack was getting a little desperate. "I really don't wanna be late."

"He said he hung 'em in that corner over there." Crutchie pointed in the direction of the far wall.

Jack rubbed his neck sheepishly. "I guess it was my mistake."

So Albert and Finch joined him and Crutchie as they continued to look for Jack's skates. The two men were both married as of now, though both their wives had stayed back, taking the weekend for themselves. Finch worked in carpentry with some music gigs on the side, while Albert worked more in mechanics. As far as Jack knew, they were both very happy.

"I remember when Kloppman used to come out and play with us," said Albert, a distant look in his eye. "He used to come to our games, too, his coat buttoned up to his chin on the colder days." He frowned suddenly. "Not sure we ever told him how glad we were for that."

Kloppman had passed only a few years before. The newsies still struggled to come to terms with it, even after so long. He had been the perfect father figure for them all as kids.

"He was the best," Jack said softly. He spotted a couple of more newsies walking in—Race, Buttons, Mush, Sniper, Skittery and Kid Blink—and quickly approached them. "Have any of you seen my skates?"

"That's what's taking you so long?" Race grinned. "We were all wondering. Just like that time we were up against that big school, and you were late."

"You had them hanging in the corner," Mush recalled. "I think someone thought it was theirs."

"It was Specs," confirmed Jack. So many memories attached to a pair of skates. "His own were in his bag, but since he saw mine and thought they looked similar, he just took them."

Buttons turned to look at the wall. "You didn't have them hanging up today?"

Jack sighed. "I did. They're gone now, though."

"Might want to ask Specs again," teased Skittery.

"Hey, at least we won that game." Sniper gestured to all of them. "We gave everything we had to win it."

"We were all heroes for one night," Albert commented, crossing his arms proudly.

Finch smiled. "And every Christmas, when we get back together, you always brag about how you carried the team."

"Still didn't win that cup, though," mentioned Jack regretfully.

"Ah, we were cheated." Sniper shook his head. "It should've been ours."

Kid Blink nudged Jack towards the door. "Let's go ask the ones outside about your skates. They might've seen them."

"Good idea."

There was a little boy waiting outside for him, after all. They were going to play hockey on the pond outside, just like Jack had as a child. He would have to tell him that if he couldn't find his skates, he wouldn't be able to play. Jack hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Katherine had been gone for weeks, out in Canada for her journalism career. They both missed her very much, so Jack was glad to bring him here, hoping it would take his mind off his mother's absence.

"Has anybody seen my skates?" Jack asked one last time as he stepped outside, facing the pond where everyone stood in wait.

"Your skates?" asked Davey. "The duller ones? I thought you had 'em hanging up."

Jack rolled his eyes playfully. "Yeah, so did I... Where's Ollie?"

Jack could've sworn half the newsies smirked, the other half raising their eyes to something behind him...

He looked in the direction which they all stared and saw the fire exit, and the two people atop it. Oliver, and... wait, Katherine?... holding his skates.

"Missing something?" she asked, grinning widely.

He laughed loudly, climbing the ladder to get to the pair. "When did you get here?"

"This morning," she replied. She threw her arms around his neck, the skates hitting his back lightly. "The boys got me your skates while you were sleeping. Pretty sneaky, huh?"

"The sneakiest," he said back, before pressing a passionate kiss to her lips. She leaned towards him, deepening the embrace. Then he pulled away, and picked up his son. "Did you know momma was up here with my skates?"

Oliver giggled, nodding proudly. "We got you!"

"You did!" agreed Jack, shaking his head exaggeratedly. "I didn't see it coming at—all." He winked at the young boy. "Maybe we should see about enrolling you in espionage classes."

Katherine smacked him, but she, too, was laughing. They kissed again, and a loud whoop! came from below. Jack turned his attention to his friends on the ground, waving, supporting Oliver with his other arm. Katherine lifted up his stakes, sticking her tongue out as she showed them off, to which the boys cheered.

"I found my stakes!" he yelled down jokingly, making them all laugh and cheer once more. He descended then, helping Katherine and their son down as well.

After he hurriedly shoved his feet into the old, dated skates, and helped Oliver with his own, he glided onto the pond along with the others. As he skated, leading Oliver around with the boy's small hand in his, watching as Katherine made pirouettes as the other boys clapped encouragingly around her, Jack knew that this would be one more memory he would not soon forget.

(1262 words)

Why do I keep basing these off of songs? Regardless, this is inspired by Lennie Gallant's Has Anybody Seen My Skates, a fave of mine!

~ nutcracker645