Brooklyn, Baby | Spot Conlon ²

Chp. 9: New York

"Oh, I can almost smell the adventure!" Rosaline twirled around in the street. 

"That's the sewers," Anthony chuckled with Francis. "Where shall we begin?" 

"We can show Rosaline where we lived before," 

"Oh, I'd love to see," 

"She knows all our history, don't fret, brother," Kendall says when she sees his skeptical expression. "This way then," 

The quartet walked through the busy streets, Rosaline practically glowing with excitement, towards Kloppman's. 

"Oh my, look--" 

"It's Jack!" They heard a young boy yell. "Boys, it's Jack!" 

"Les?" Francis asked. 

"Les? I do not believe it's you!" Kendall laughed. 

"I don't believe it's you either! Look atcha' fancy clothes," 

"You must've taken over Manhattan, David told me much of it. At only thirteen?" 

"I do what I can," Les says. "How's life in North Carolina? Davey writes me practically every week to make sure I'm still alive," 

"It's really neat," Anthony says. 

"Any tracks down there?" 

"I don't gamble as much as I used to, but I find time every now and then," 

"Who is dis?" Boots, fifteen now, asks. 

"I am Rosaline Vanderbilt. How do you do?" 

"Do what?" 

The newsies laugh, and Rosaline shakes her head, grinning. 

"We were just headed to Kloppman's to show Rosaline where we used to live," Kendall says. "It was wonderful to see you all," 

"Bye, Kenny!" 

"Bye Jack!" 

"See ya lata', Racetrack!" 

"Who is Racetrack?" Rosaline asks. 

"That would be me," Anthony laughed. "It's a long story," 

"Here is the newsies' lodging house," Francis opens the door and holds it. "We lived here, in one room, and woke up every morning bright and early to peddle papers." 

"Wow," Rosaline looks around. "No mother and father?" 

"None of us really had parents, except David, but he didn't join the newsie life until just before the strike occurred," 

"Is that the Sullivan siblings I hear?" They heard from the back. Out came Kloppman, young as ever. "Racetrack!" 

"Good afternoon, Kloppman!" 

"Ain't it?" He smiles. "What brings ya back to humble Manhattan?" 

"This is our cousin, Rosaline, we've come to give her a tour." 

"If you wanna make it authentic," He says, disappearing into his office before shortly returning. "I found these that the lot of you left behind," 

He hands them a pile of old clothes. Suspenders, button downs, the whole deal. 

"Oh, really, we couldn't--" 

"I want to try them on!" 

Rosaline took an outfit and disappeared into the newsies' room.