AN: This little (incredibly long) one shot was inspired by something I found, apparently in the 1890's, a Hawaiian newspaper called The Hawaiian Star hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for their newsies, so I couldn't not write about it. So, happy early Thanksgiving to all of my US readers, and to anyone who's not, I hope you have a great week!
"You want me to do what?" Joseph Pulitzer stared at his daughter as if she'd gone insane, which, in his mind she may as well have based on what she'd just asked of him.
"A Thanksgiving dinner, for all of the newsies! Don't you think they deserve it, after what they went through this past summer?"
"Fine, they deserve it, so they can have themselves a dinner, I'll pay for the turkey, but I refuse to let those filthy boys into our home!"
Katherine decided to ignore that fact that her father had just described them all as 'filthy' (though a lot of them may be), and continue with her proposition.
"We don't have to have them at our house, we can have it here at The World, set it up in one of the conference rooms. Just think, it would look great in the press, to show that you have a good relationship with all your employees, including the newsies."
"Katherine - "
"And I heard about a paper in Hawaii that did it last year, so it's not like you'd be the first."
"Who the hell cares what they do in Hawaii, it's barely US territory."
"Yes, well it is US territory, so we should start caring what they do there, you really need - " Katherine shook her head, cutting herself off before she turned this into a political debate. "Honestly, can you give me one good reason why you shouldn't throw the newsies a dinner for thanksgiving."
Unfortunately for Pulitzer, he couldn't think of one. "Very well. But for God's sake, make sure they learn some basic table manners."
Katherine just rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say."
oOo
Jack laughed when she told him.
It was very short lived however, as she immediately glared at him and he quickly broke into a rather realistic coughing fit in an attempt to hide it.
"What, may I ask, is so funny about that?"
He grinned at her, that charming grin of his that never failed to both infuriate her and make her heart beat a tiny bit faster. "Ace, it's real sweet of you to do this, but I'm not too sure me and the boys would be all that comfortable, we've never been to this type of dinner before."
"It'll just be you boys, none of my family's rich friends will be there, like at most of our dinners."
"Yeah, but your father'll be there, won't he?"
"Of course, he's the one hosting."
"And I'm gonna take a guess and say that there'll be some sorta fancy staff waitin' on us?"
"Well, we can't exactly serve ourselves."
Jack tried not to cringe at that statement. He had to remind himself that Katherine was still new to 'how the other half lives', so to speak. While she wanted to be an independent woman, completely separate from her father, and was well on her way to accomplishing that, she'd still grown up being waited on, whereas Jack had grown up not being able to eat unless he got it for himself.
"I dunno, Kath. I'll talk to the boys about it, but I wouldn't get your hopes up."
"...My father's already starting to make the plans."
