Out of Town: A Spot Conlon Story

VIII

It is Friday afternoon, and today I decided on wearing my favorite homemade skirt. It's red plaid and it comes down to my knee, it is rather high waisted and it has the straps that go over my shoulder. Underneath it is just one of Aunt Medda's cream button ups. I am heading up to Brooklyn today to see Spot. Spot sells by the Brooklyn Bridge so he can greet me when I walk into town. But today is different, I see Pete, a little boy around eleven selling where Spot usually sells. Pete is one of Spot's spy's for the Bronx, it's unusual for him to be in Brooklyn during the day. I quickly showed him the pocket knife Spot gave me on the first day we met. He nods and points up to the lodging house where they all sleep.

I walk up to the lodging house where another newsboy is standing. Again, I show him the pocket knife, and he just points to the fire escape. I climb up the fire escape until I reach the second story where the window is cracked open.

Climbing though the window and pushing away the dirty curtains I am engulfed into a mess. This room has not been cleaned in years. There is laundry covering the floor, with the occasional candy wrapper thrown about. That's when I see a lump under the covers of the bed. Having some form of common sense I know that has to be Spot. I hop on the bed not wanting to attempt the obstacle course surrounding his bed. He stirs in his sleep a little bit, moving onto his back. Remembering how my mom would wake me up, I rub his exposed collar bone gently. He slowly flutters his eyes open before squinting at the unwanted light.

"Hey, sleepyhead" I say in a sing-song voice just to get on his nerves a little bit. He attempts to roll back over to go back to sleep. I am not going to play this game, grabbing the top of his duvet I pull it down exposing his rather toned chest. I didn't realize he sleeps topless, this is kinda awkward. Just pretend it doesn't bother you, but I feel my cheeks heat up. Fabulous, I'm blushing just what I needed.

Luckily for me the king doesn't notice that I am blushing all he notices is that his warm bubble has been popped. He simply just wrestles with the sheets, he does manage to pull up the duvet against my best efforts.

"What's wrong with the king of Brooklyn today" I say in a baby voice to get on his nerves some more.

"I'm sick, and I have been sick since, ah, Wednesday" the poor boy says in a very sniffly tone. I quickly compare his temperature to mine, and he is burning up

"You're burning up, do you have any ice around here" I think out loud.

"Down stairs there's some, I think" his voice cracks and it is adorable. I laugh at him and he simply pushes me off the bed and onto a pile of clothes.

I go outside and ask the boy to bring up a bag of ice and hand towel. He obligates and goes to fetch it for me. I walk back into the room and to my dismay Spot is under the covers again.

I found his pimp cane on the ground and I threw it at him.

Man, did he jolt up.

"You are only making your fever worse by going under the covers" I tell him off just a little.

"You're not my Mom, what are you'se going to do 'bout it". This is going to be harder than I thought.

"Fine, go back to bed" I say and he seems skeptical at first before going underneath the covers again. What he doesn't know is that I have an icy surprise for him later.

However, before I could even think about doing that I need to clean this room. I find a dresser in the corner of the room with all of the drawers scattered across the room. Putting them back into the dresser I just need to put the clothes in now. I start at the top putting in a number of button ups. Followed by two pairs of pants, one pair capris, socks and finally underwear. I really do not want to be putting away his underwear but I'm basically done with putting away his clothing, and I can't just leave his underwear out. I am about to put in his last pair of underwear in the dresser when the boy comes in with the makeshift ice pack.

"Sorry it took me a while to find the ice miss" the boy spoke in a thick Jersey accent before raising an eyebrow at what I was holding. Before I could explain myself he was already out the window. I finally lay his iconic red suspenders on top of his dresser before waking the dragon.

I am aware that his reaction will be negative, but I don't care if he needs to get better. I inhale and place the ice pack on his forehead, and man I didn't know you could use so many expletives in one sentence. I am now having a laughing fit holding the ice pack on his forehead so he doesn't throw it across the room. Good thing he is sick or he would have thrown me across the room by now.

"I'll make a deal with you" I say, still holding the ice pack on his head," you can stay under the covers as long as you have ice in your head". He simply smirks at me, oh no. What is he thinking, this cannot end well.

"Only if you'se stay to take care of me"

"Only if you come to my ballet performance next Friday."

"Deal"

That went so much better than expected. I get off of him and step onto the floor, which is now mostly visible. I start to pick up some trash that is scattered around the room. This is when I see Spot sitting up.

"No, no, no, that isn't taking care of me" Spot smirks at me.

"A clean room is helping you" I say, continuing to pick up some trash.

He thinks for a second before saying, "but I want you'se in bed talkin' wit me" he gives a little bit of a pout afterwards too. All I want to do is clean this poor room, but how could I say no to that face.

"How could I say no to the king the Brooklyn"

"Das what I thought" he says patting the area beside him in bed.

We talk for hours until he eventually falls asleep with the ice pack on his head. This is my time to make my escape I thought, until I realize that I am wrapped in his arms. Before I even try I know it is no use trying to break free. I look at his slightly agape mouth letting out tiny snores. It is an injustice if wake him to leave. Besides it's Friday, I don't have curfew and a nap never hurt anyone. I snuggle into his chest and before I know it I am asleep like a baby.