Brooklyn's Queen: A Spot Conlon Love Story

Chapter 8: Seize the Day

We walk back into the main square of Manhattan. The newsies are gathering around the same statue as before. Everyone was back from their trips to other newsies. Everyone greets us as we walk into the group.

"So uh, where's Spot?" Race asks. 

Jack looks around, "He was concerned about us bein' serious. Imagine that?"

"Well, you know, maybe we's betta ease off a little." Race says. 

Kid steps, "Without Spot and the others, there ain't enough of us."

"Maybe we movin' too soon, maybe we ain't ready." Mush says. 

"I definetly think we should forget about it for a little while..." Skittery tells Jack. 

"Oh yeah?" Jack looks around, frustrated. "Who we kiddin' here? Spot was right, is it just a game to you's guys?" 

Everyone looks around and begins saying things. David puts his hand on Jack's shoulder and walk away. I hug Jack. I really hoped this strike would go through. It would show the world what we can do. I then turn and see Davey singing.

"OPEN THE GATES AND SEIZE THE DAY

DON'T BE AFRAID AND DON'T DELAY

NOTHING CAN BREAK US

NO ONE CAN MAKE US

GIVE OUR RIGHTS AWAY

ARISE AND SEIZE THE DAY."

The group break out and begin to dance in the streets.

"NOW IS THE TIMETO SEIZE THE DAY"

We repeat back to him, "NOW IS THE TIME TO SEIZE THE DAY"

"SEND OUT THE CALL AND JOIN THE FRAY 

SEND OUT THE CALL AND JOIN THE FRAY.

 WRONGS WILL BE RIGHTED IF WE'RE UNITED

LET US SEIZE THE DAY

David gets in the middle and sings, 

"FRIENDS OF THE FRIENDLESS SEIZE THE DAY."

We repeat,

"FRIENDS OF THE FRIENDLESS SEIZE THE DAY."

"RAISE UP THE TORCH AND LIGHT THE WAY.

RAISE UP THE TORCH AND LIGHT THE WAY."

We all come together, and in harmony,

"PROUD AND DEFIANT

WE'LL 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

DON'T BE AFRAID AND DON'T DELAY

NOTHING CAN BREAK US

NO ONE CAN MAKE US

GIVE OUR RIGHTS AWAY

NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR

FATHER TO SON

ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE!"

"Yeah!" David yells out and jumps up into the air. 

"Any body hear that?" Jack screams.

"No!" We all yell back.

"What are we gonna do about it?"

"Soak 'em!" 

We all run for the window and where we get our papes. We block the end of the stairs, so no one who is buying new papers can pass through. Jack stands in the front with his arms crossed. 

"What's goin' on here? Move it, move it, move it!" Mr. Weisel shouts. 

The first newsie comes down the steps. We all look at him. He drops the papes on the ground and we greet him into our union. The next few boys do the same thing. Then one tries to break through to go out and sell papes. Some boys push him back. He tries again, and he is blocked at all sides. Jack slaps the newspapers out of his hands, and when the boy bend down to pick them up, Jack kicks him in the stomach. The rest of the newsies start to do the same thing. They start to soak the rest of the boy who are not on our side. 

We all grab papes and start tearing them up and throwing them up into the air. I laugh and shout as I take the paper and shred it into small pieces. I look over and see Jack pressing his face up against the window, mocking Mr. Weisel and the Delancy Brothers. This makes me laugh as they all start shouting at him. 

A cart filled with newspapers is tipped over, almost hitting me on the way down. I jump back and look surprised. Maybe this is taking it too far. 

The boys continue to rip up every newspaper in sight. I spin around and hear the whistle of the bulls. 

Jack yells, "Cheezit, it's the bulls!"

I begin to take off. I find Race next to me and he grabs my hand and pulls me through the crowd. I look back to see Crutchy still having fun and throwing some papes in the air. 

"Crutchy!" I yell. "Scam!" 

He finally realizes that he's in trouble, and tries his best to run away. All of a sudden he is stopped by the bulls. The Delancy Brothers then come up behind him. 

"Heya fellas, whatcha doin'?" Crutchy says.

The boys knock the crutch out from under him and drag him off. I only watch this and see my friend being dragged away. Race stopped me from going after to help him. 

"The bulls 'll catch ya. Come on." He says, but not happily. 

We walk back to the lodging house and all sit on our bed, upset that we lost Crutchy in the mayhem. 

"David, let's go." Jack says getting up. 

"Where are we goin'?" He asks.

"To get Crutchy." Jack tells him, slapping his shoulder and heading for the door. 

David follows him and begins to ask Jack a bunch of questions. I tune their voices out, and think to myself. Poor Crutchy, in the refuge. Everyone knows they took him there. Its plain obvious. We need more help if this strike is going to work out. Then, an idea came to me. I could run over to Brooklyn and try to talk Spot into it. Jack's not here to stop me. I hop off my bed and put back on my suspenders. As I head for the door, a hand pulls me aside. I groan and see it's Race.

"Uh, Finn, where do ya think you's goin'?" Race asks.

I punch his shoulder lightly. "Now you's sound like me brotha." We laugh. "I'm going to try and convince Spot to join us."

He looks at me, and before he can say anything, I start talking again. "We's need the help, if we had more people there today, Crutchy wouldn't have been takin' away... This strike won't be successful wit jus' us Manhattan newsies. We need the otha newsies with us."

Race lets out a long breath and rubs the back of his head. "Jack's ain't gonna be happy if he finds out you's went there." 

I smile and kiss his cheek. "Thanks ya Race, I knew I could count on ya."

"Yeah, yeah." He said, pushing me off. "I'lls come up with a good excuse if he comes back early, but don't be gettin' me in trouble, you hear?" 

I nod and sneak out the front door. I didn't want Mr. Kloppman to stop me, he has enough trouble on his hands.