The Lesser Kelly

Chapter Three: Brooklyn! Theyre all short!

Chapter Three: Brooklyn! They're All Short!

"I gotta be goin Spot."
"Okay, come back whenever you need a place to stay."
I stood from the big table where the brooklyn newsies eat breakfast, shook hands with some of the guys and headed on my way.
"Oh and i tell Race and Albert yo-"
He cut me off "Dont you dare."
"I will. Dont think i aint gonna."
He started to chase me around the Brooklyn lodging house.
I thought i had made it away when he grabbed me by the waist and picked me up.
"This isnt fair. Im 2 inches taller than you but you can still do this."
"Im not gonna put you down till you promise you wont tell RaceTrack about me. Well i want you to tell him about me, i mean," He sighed "You know what i mean."

"Fine I promise not to tell Race you like him."
He set me down.
"And your not two inches taller than me."
"Fine.  It's one and a half. But we're short together."
"Get outta here before i soak your ass."

I made it to the circulation gate before most of the guys.
"Hey Youse back!" Race yelled as he hugged me.
"Yep."
"How was Brooklyn?"
I smirked.
"If youse askin bout Spot, yes he's still short, muscly and yours and Alberts type."
Race took off his hat and smacked me with it.
"Hey cool it im just reportin the news."

The rest of the boys reached the gate.
"Hey!"
"Wheres jack?"
Crutchie Limped over "He's coming just bothin that goil again."
I nodded.

"Sorry we're late Mom need help with the dishes."
Davie called as he and Les ran up to the gate.
"Emerson's back!" Les yelled running over and huggin my legs.
"Yeah, I'm back."
Davie came and detached Les from my leg. "Jack nearly went insane yesterday with you gone."

"Hey here comes the headline!" Henry yelled.
Everyone looked up. 'New Price for the newsies 60 cents per hundred'
"What?"
"They can't do that!"

Jack sauntered up into the square. "Some scare you gave us!" He yelled pulling me into a hug.
"You deserved it. I'm sorry Jack. But this is more important." I said pointing at the headline.
"Relax guys, its gotta be a gag."

He walked over to the pape stand "Hundred papes please Weasel."
"Thats gonna cost ya 60."
"We aint payin no 60." i said.
"Then make way for someone who will."
We all decided to try to go see the sun but Specs and the others had already been. Every pape in the city had upped there price.
"They cant just do that can they?" Albert asked as we all gathered around Jack.
"Why not? It's their paper."
"It's their world."
"We ain't got no rights."
"We've got the right to starve, I say we just get our papes and hit the streets while we still can."
"Crutchie we cant do that. We cant give them the power to walk all over us!" I said.
"While do youse got any ideas?" Tommy boy asked. 
"Keep ya shirt on were thinkin." Jack half yelled.
Les pushes everyone away from us "Let them think!" He yelled.
"If we dont sell papes no one sells papes." I mumbled.
"Wait yeah if we dont sell papes nobody sells papes. No one sells any till Pulitzer put that price right back where it belongs!"  Jack yelled.
"Like a strike?" Davie asked.

I jumped to my feet "Thats it Davie! Youse a genius! Wes goin on strike!"
"Wait, I didn't mean."
"Wes could shut down this place like the trolley workers did with the trolley strike!" Jack yelled.

Finch elbowed him "Yeah and then the cops 'll come bust our heads. Half them strikers laid up with broken bones."
"The cops aint gonna care about so kids. Right Davie?"
He grabbed Les' hand and pulled him away "Leave me outta this im just tryin to feed my family."
I grabbed his arm "Oh and the rest of us is here on playtime? Just cause we only make pennies dont mean they have the rights to rub our noses in it."
"It doesnt matter You cant strike you arent a union."
"What if i says we are?"

"You need alot of things to have a union. Like membership."
"Whaddaya call these guys?" I asked pointing to the boys all of them including Les waved at him.
"And Officers."
I rolled my eyes.
"I nominate Jack president!" Crutchie yelled.
Everyone cheered.
Wonderful.
Jack musta seen the look on my face. "Emerson?"
"Yeah?"
"Youse wanna be copresedent?" I smiled and nodded.
"Okay!"
I turned back to Davie "What else?"
"What about a statement of purpose?"
"Yeah I musta left dat in my odda pants."
Race timedly raised his hand "Uhh what's a statement of purpose?"
"A reason for forming the union."
"What did the trolley workers have?" Jack asked.
"Fair wages, safety on the job and work hours. And wes gonna use the same thing." I said.
Romeo laughed "Thats why shes the president too Jackie."
Someone elbowed him "Oh sorry."