Brooklyn Baby | Spot Conlon ¹

Chp. 13: The Strike is Over, but New Things Are Starting

The next morning, our papes were everywhere. Newsies were reading them left and right.

We waited in the town square, waiting for someone to show up. No one did.

"When's they comin'?" Mush asks.

"They ain't comin'," I reply.

"I reckon nobody's comin'," Jack adds.

Les gives me and Jack a hug, which I smile at.

"Come on, Jack," Snitch says.

"Have hope, you two," Specs agrees.

Les goes over to look down the street, where no one is approaching. "When the circulation bell starts ringing, will we hear it?"

"Nah," Race says, ruffling his hair.

"What if tha' Delancey's come out swingin', will we hear it?" Race asks.

"No!" Les answers.

"Atta' boy,"

Then, we hear distant voices. Sweatshop and factory kids are coming down the streets, singing!

"When you've got a million voices singing,
who can hear the lousy whistle blow?
And the world will know!"

They come in from all different directions. We all cheer, hugging each other and raising our fists. Wait 'til Pulitzer sees this. But, there's something missing.

Just then, I see a certain crowd of newsies coming in, lead by a certain leader.

"Brooklyn!"

I try to squeeze in between people to where they were, but there was so many people.

"And the world will feel the fire and finally know!" Everyone sings. I see signs that say, 'STRIKE', and other things. I still look among the crowd to try and find Spot, but I have no luck.

"Strike! Strike! Strike!"

I see Jack and David make their way to Pulitzer's building, and Jack has Les up on his shoulders. Then, I see two of Pulitzer's men come out and bring Jack and David inside. I silently pray to myself that this works.

Meanwhile, I push through the crowd, passing some unfamiliar faces of working kids, trying to find Brooklyn. I finally did, near the building. I did all that pushing for nothing. Wow.

"Spot!" I yell, and he stops chanting when he sees me. I ran over and tackled him in a big hug. "You came back,"

"A 'course I did," He says. "I came back to win,"

Suddenly, Jack and David come back out. We all gather around him, where he whispers something into Les's ear, and hoists him up on his shoulders.

"WE BEAT HIM!"

Cheers erupt from the crowd, kids are jumping up and down with their hands towards the sky. Spot grabs me, and smashes his lips onto mine. I admit, I was surprised, but I instantly moved my lips against his.

"I came ta win tha' strike, but I also came ta win you," He says in my ear, making me grin. I was about to kiss him once more when I see the police wagon approaching the scene.

"Jack, it's the Bulls," Les says.

Jack goes to run, but Denton stops him. The Bulls let out all the refuge kids, including...

"CRUTCHY!" I yell, and run over to him. I engulf him in a hug, and help him stand up. He closes the wagon door, with Snyder trapped inside. I laugh and hug him again, so happy to see him.