Brooklyn Baby | Spot Conlon ¹

Chp. 5: Seize the Day

"See why I's not wantin' ya to go to Brooklyn?" Jack asks.

"Come on, Jackie, I told ya. I can handle myself there,"

"Maybe in the daytime," He muttered.

"Jack's right, Kenny. I spent a month there, and at night, Brooklyn ain't all sunshine." Boots spoke up.

"Whateva, I don't see any reason to come back, anyways."

We walk back to the square where the rest of the Newsies are waiting.

"Jack, Kenny, where's Spot?" Race asks.

"He don't think we's serious about the strike," I say, rolling my eyes.

"Well, then maybe, we should lay off a bit." Race says. "Without Spot, we don't got enough people."

"Oh, yeah? So you's just givin' up?" I ask.

"I dunno, Ken. Without Brooklyn.."

"Open the gates and seize the day,
don't be afraid and don't delay." I see David singing, and I smile.

"Nothing can break us,
No one can make us,
give our rights away."

"Arise and seize the day!" He sings.

"Now is the time to seize the day,"

"Now is the time to seize the day," Everyone repeats.

"Send our call and join the fray,"

"Send our the call and join the fray." Everyone joins in.

"Wrongs will be righted, if we're united." I sing.

"Let us seize the day!"

"Friends of the friendless seize the day
Friends of the friendless seize the day
Raise up the torch and light the way
Raise up the torch and light the way
Proud and Defiant
Well slay the giant
Let us seize the day!"

"Neighbor to neighbor,
father to son.
One for all, and all for one!"

"Open the gates and seize the day.
Open the gates and seize the day.
Don't be afraid and don't delay
Don't be afraid and don't delay
Nothing can break us
No one can make us give our rights away," Everyone sings.

Newsies are jumping and hugging, getting thrown in the air. I throw a backflip by kicking off the statue, a little trick I learned from the one and only Skiddy.

"Neighbor to neighbor,
father to son.
One for all, and all for one!"

Just then, the bell starts ringing.

"Anybody hear that?" I ask, cupping my ear.

"No!"

"So what we gonna do?" Jack adds.

"Soak 'em!"

Everyone starts to run towards the gates, and I spot Denton on a bench. I wave and follow the newsies. We run in there, and fling newspapers everywhere. I take a stack of papes and throw 'em up in the air, letting them rain down on all of us. Race is knocking over carts, and Jack is taunting Weasel by the window, making silly faces and blowing raspberries.

Just then, Weasel calls the Bulls.

"Cheese it, cheese it! It's the Bulls!" Jack yells over the crowd, and we scram. I look back and see Crutchy getting cornered, and I try to run back. Race grabs my arm, and shakes his head.