The Boy Who Smelt Like Cigars

Chapter 9- Tiny

POV Spot 

I wake up with a pounding headache. I sit up ta realize I's ain't in me bed. Instead I's sprawled out on a dock near da Brooklyn's newsie lodge house. 

Last night was somethin else. Me, Bonk, and Curly met up with da Manhattan newsies last night ta watch da goigeous Medda preform at 'er new show. 

We snuck inta da liquor store a few blocks from da theater and emptied vodka in me flask. I ended up passing out after stoppin at Tibby's on da way home.

Before yous judge me, I's didn't plan on gettin completely wasted though. I's rememba meetin some new goirl named Bridge last night. She seemed alright. 

I was surprised Jackie boy didn't mention nothin 'bout her ta me before we's met up, so I chugged not knowin what ta do with me self.

Ya see, Me and Jack are both leaders of cities- we's important people. We's gotta stick tagether and be on da same page. All da time.

I finally stand up. I pick up me cane and look at da sky. It is a little after sunrise. I knows exactly where I am. I's start walking back ta da lodge tryin ta peace togetha small memories I's got of last night.

Bridge was pretty good lookin. I's gotta say. Jack told me dat me good friend Racetrack likes 'er so I backed off. 

Race hasn't liked a girl since I's known him. Sure hes had a few flings here and there, but who hasn't.

If he wasn't trying ta get together with 'er, I could have definitely worked something out between me and Bridge. Of course she woulda said yes. I'm da fucking king of Brooklyn after all.

I stop dead in my tracks. Me throat don't feel so good and me stomach turns. Shit. I's take a knee and lean over da ledge of da dock. 

I's start throwing up all da liquor from last night. Afta a few minutes, I's finally stop and keep walkin' towards da lodge.

I keep thinkin. I remember touchin her. Maybe tryin ta pull her towards me. Did I's make a move on 'er infront of Race? God I's hope not.

All da sudden, it all finally comes back to me. I's was tryin to warn her!

I didn't talk ta 'er long enough ta know or remember if she could handle 'erself on da streets. New York's a tough place ta be. 

Especially if ya ain't careful 'round gang bangin' perverts like Morris and Oscar. Dey are gonna be all over 'er.

I invited Bridge ta Tibby's ta tell her to stay away from dem and tell her about their rep. Maybe even give 'er some advise 'bout da newsie life.

I know right. I'm so nice. She declined me offer though.

I finally reach da lodgehouse and quietly run up da stairs. I head into da bedroom foirst ta check if Bonk and Curly at least made it back.

I find dem layin opposite ends of each other in Curly's bed. Bonk's nasty feet is layin so close ta Curly's face. Bums.

I walk away before I throw up again. I smile ta me self and head ta me own room. I close da door and lay on me bed and stare at da ceilin.

Ya know what gets me a room ta me self? Bein da leader of da Brooklyn newsies- dats what.

I's been da leader for two years now. I came to da lodge when I's was near six. And no, I ain't tellin yous my life before dat. What's it ta yous?

I's was a pretty tough 5 year old with a mouth of its own. But, I knew my place and dat earned me respect from da older newsies. I was basically boy with an attitude but knew when ta shut it.

Dem olda boys took me in and treated me like theys younga brodda from da start. Dey taught me to sell papes, steal, make and use a slingshot, fight, and even read a little bit.

Especially da leader, Tiny. Tiny was da leader when I foirst got ta da lodge. He was actually da opposite of tiny which is he how got his name. He even gave me da name Spot.

Da guy was a walkin God! He stole food, booze, and packs of cigarettes on a daily basis and neva got caught. He made 3 bucks a week without breakin a sweat.

He had a killa signature look of a flannel shirt and dis awesome purple cane dat he carried everywhere he went. It was like his trademark.

All of da newsies of New York knew his name and he knew theirs. Everyone respected him and always wanted his opinion on things. 

It was crazy ta me. I'd neva seen anything like it.

I was so lucky he took me in early and showed me his ways. It only made me wanna be like him more. He became me sellin buddy AND got me ta try me foirst cigarette! Been hooked since.

One day, when I was 12, Tiny turned 20. We was sittin on da docks when he told me he was leavin.

He knew some rich guy who offered him a job on Wall Street. He was leavin us ta become a hot shot business man... but I's couldn't be mad. He desoived it.

He told me dat he told everyone else about da job before me because he knew him leavin would effect me most. Which it did. I's was crushed.

Before he left, he handed me his purple cane. I remember takin the cane and just starin at it. Shocked it was in my possession shocked at how cool it was. 

I gave him da biggest hug and almost shed a tear when I watched him get picked up in a fancy carriage da next mornin. Ey! I's said almost shed a tear.

All da boys knew dat da cane bein passed ta me meant I was da next leader. I was da next Tiny.

So I's knew I's had big shoes ta fill. I took on massive stacks of papes everyday like a crazy person. I's would soak anyone dat got close ta me boys and made sure ta feed everyone in da lodge. 

I's just wanted ta make sure everyone kept their heads. But what I's really wanted was ta not only be respected, but feared. I wanted ta build a reputation like Tiny's. Be known. 

If yous ask me I think I's was pretty damn successful.

But anyways, dats what I's wanna do. I wanna follow Tiny's path and be smart enough ta land a job on Wall Street. 

I check dem papes every day ta hear people write about da stocks and da "economy". Cuz I knows one day, I'm gonna join gim. Tiny's up dare crunchin dem numbers with da big boys. 

I's know I gotta get back up in a few hours and carry da banner so I close me eyes and try ta sleep off me pounding headache.