Spot's Dead
By Birdie Kelley

One day a girl is walking down the street. She lives in New York City, Queens to be exact. She loves it so much. All her friends and family live in New York. Her brother and his friends live in Manhattan, the rest of her friends live in other places all over the city. Most of her close friends live in Queens, but some live in Brooklyn, and some live Uptown, and some live in the Bronx. Most of her guy friends are newsies- that is, they sell papes for the World or the Sun.

She is not a newsie herself. She just basically hangs out with them and she work in a business a few times a week. She really doesn't do that much there. They gave her some well paying job in some big office, she hates it. All she has to do is come up with new ways to do stuff and present it to her boss, or read other people's ideas and do the same. She's only 18, but they seem to think she can do the job better than anyone else. Oddly enough, they actually think that. Her brother and our friends think it's really strange. First, she's a girl, second, she's 18. The office boys are all in their late 20's so they're jealous. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but hey. She's not going to argue with her success. It's their money that she's being paid. Oh well. Anyway. She was walking down the streets in Queens when some of my newsie friends came up to me.

"Hey Boidie. How's it rollin?" Mac asked. Mac's got brown eyes and brown hair hidden under his hat. He's the head guy newsie from Queens. Birdie really runs the place, but Mac shows the guys how it goes. She make the decisions for the place though. Like the strike, she had to make the ever so pleasant decision of whether or not to join. Mac wanted to hear what Spot said- Spot Conlon, the head of Brooklyn. So did she, but she wasn't going to let Spot Conlon make up her mind. That was her job.

"Not much Mac. How'se about you. Ya sellin all yer papes taday?" Birdie asked him.

"I got most a em sold, but da news is a little slow taday. Some good ones ta really blow up, but mostly slow news" he said.

"Hey Boidie, yer lookin real nice taday" Doogs said. He's got real dark blond hair and hazel eyes. He's real sweet, and gentlemanly and all, but sometimes he gets on your nerves a little. Just a little, sometimes.

"Tanks Doogs. Yer lookin right fine taday yerself" Birdie returned his compliment.

They talked for a little while. About a bunch of things- about the papes, the girl Mac was interested in, and about some other things that would be happening that evening. The girl Mac was interested in was real pretty. She and Birdie weren't really good friends, but she knew her somewhat. She had blue eyes and pretty, long, light brown hair. She was shorter than Birdie, but she wore these real tall boots. I swear they must've added a foot to her height, but she's still shorter than Birdie though.

Birdie looked at her pocket watch and realized that she had to be at work in twenty minutes. "Hey Doogs, gimme a pape would ya she interrupted. Doogs handed her a pape and she handed him a nickel. "Tanks Doogs, I'll see you'se guys lata."

"See ya Boidie" they both said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Birdie walked along the streets to her office building. It was a nice building too, real classy. It stood on Broadway, right down the street from the theatre. Sometimes the office went to the theatre to impress some clients, Birdie found it rather boring most of the time. The plays were real good, but the talk during intermission and after the play was so boring. Anyway. She walked into her office and greeted everyone on the way. A few of the office boys sort of despised her for being so well off. They did so mainly because she was a girl and girls weren't supposed to work in big offices. Oh well, not her fault, she just works there.

"Mornin" Birdie said to my boss cheerily.

"Morning Miss Kelly. I see you're in a good mood this morning" he said.

"Yes sir, I am sir. I'm having a real nice day taday Mista Iverson. Tanks fer sayin so sir" Birdie replied. She walked into her office and got to work. She didn't particularly do anything in there. Usually she just read over ideas from other people and revised them. If they were really good, she showed them to my boss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Across the city in Manhattan, Jack and his boys were selling papes. Jack was selling with his good friend Davey and Davey's little brother Les. Jack wore black slacks, a red hankercheif, a black and gray stripped vest, a white shirt, and a black cowboy hat. He has blond hair and brown eyes. Davey wore a blue shirt, brown slacks, and a newsie hat. He has dark brown curly hair and blue eyes. Les is only about nine and had light brown hair tucked under his hat. Jack was yelling headlines and Davey was saying headlines a little ways behind him. Les was working the crowd in the back- he was using his "buy me last pape mista/lady" bit. He was doing a real good job too.

"Roosevelt to run wit McKinley" Jack yelled at the top of his lungs. At that, bunches of people came over and bought a pape. Jack was pleased, with that one headline he sold almost a third of his papes. Jack began yelling the headlines again and sold the rest of his papes within the hour. Davey and Les came up to him after they were finished with theirs.

"Hey Cowboy- ya done?" Les asked looking up at Jack.

"Shoa am kid. How'se about you two, ya done?" Jack said.

"Yeah we are" Davey said.

"Ya wanna go get more of da mornin edition or just go ta Tibby's till da evenin pape comes out?" Jack asked them as they walked down the street.

"Let's just go to Tibby's and wait for the evening pape" Davey said.

"Dat's a good idea" Jack said.

They walked to Tibby's and went inside. It wasn't really lunch time yet, but they went in anyway. They just sat down at a table and talked a bit for a while. A little later some of the other newsies started coming in. Everyone ordered some lunch and talked for about an hour. Then they all started milling out into the street. Some still had papes to sell and those that didn't sat around the statue and talked some more. They had a fabulous time talking until the evening edition of The World came out, about two o'clock. They all lined up in the circulation office and bought their papes. Then they all went out and sold their new papes at their spots. All in all a pretty routine day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in Birdie's office, she was doing her ever so boring work. She was sitting at her desk reading a very lengthy stack of papers. She looked like she was about to fall asleep. Just then, her boss walked in the door. She set down the report on the corner of my desk.

"Miss Kelly, the office is going ordering lunch, would you care to join us?" Mr. Iverson asked.

"No thank you sir, I ate an hour ago. I hope you all have a good lunch though" Birdie said.

"You sure, we're ordering from Denninger's Deli" Mr. Iverson said.

"Yes sir, I'm shoa. Tanks fer askin sir" Birdie said, trying to be as pleasant as possible.

"All right Miss Kelly. I'll see you later them" he said leaving and closing the door.

Birdie shook he head and picked her lengthy paper back up. She really wasn't looking forward to reading the rest of it. It was so boring and so long. It was about some stupid idea some kid on the first floor had. The kid was sure good at writing the most boring thing she'd ever read, but it was well written. It was something about digging up some land down in Central America. Something like a canal or something like that. It sounded pretty boring, she wasn't really into stuff like that. She would probably have to present it to Mr. Iverson the next day or the next day she was in anyway. She set the paper back on her desk and walked to the window. She looked down from her fourth floor office, she could hear the newsies yelling in the streets. She loved fresh air and always had the window open, even if it was fifty below outside.

"I wonder what's in da pape taday" she said, still looking sown to the street. She grabbed it off the edge of her desk and leaned against the wall. She opened up the pape and looked at one of the stories. "Roosevelt is running with McKinley? Wow, who woulda seen dat?" she asked herself. She stood at the window and read her pape most of the afternoon. She finally decided that she better finish that paper on her desk. She went to sit back down and picked up the paper and started reading.

About an hour later, her boss came back in. He was really a people person, that was the only annoying thing about him. "Evening. You can leave now if you want" he said.

"Yes sir. I was just finishin dis pape here, sir" I replied.

"Really, what's it about Miss Kelly" he asked. He always called Birdie that, he called everyone else in the office by their first names. Mr. Iverson called her that because she was so much younger than everyone else and that's what he called his daughter, except he called her Miss Iverson. It got an Birdie's nerves once in a while, but most of the time she didn't care.

"It's about some canal dis guy wants ta dig in Central America. He writes it real well, sir, but it's a bit lengthy fer a hole in da ground." They both laughed at her remark. She could be very witty if she wanted to be.

Mr. Iverson turned to leave, at the door he stopped and turned around. "Miss Kelly." She looked up. "You can have tomorrow off if you'd like." Then he left and went back to his office.

"Tank you sir" she called after him. She began to clean up her desk so she could leave for the day. When she had finished with that she grabbed a few things and left the office. She went home and talked with her friends until late. Then she went up to her room and went to sleep.

She lived in a nice building over looking the river in Queens. It was about six stories and was pretty nice. She owned it and charged little rent to her friends. The girls that lived in the building were mostly girl newsies or just girls that worked in factories. All the girls that lived there were orphans. There were a few boys that lived in the building, but mostly it was girls. Birdie kept the building up to code, or whatever. She was a wonderful landlady as many of the girls thought. They all loved the building though, it had the best view and the best people in all of New York.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, Birdie woke up at eight and dressed and walked to the circulation office in Queens. She was going to visit some of her friends there. She was walking slowly and was in no real hurry. Just as she was getting to the circulation office, Doogs ran up to her.

"Ya hoid?!" he said, out of breath.

"Hoid what?" Birdie said confused.

"Bout Spot" Doogs replied, still trying to catch his breath.

When Doogs said Spot, Birdie's eyes widened. "What bout Spot?" she presses Doogs for the information.

"He was jumped by a bunch a scabbas dis mornin. He was soaked real bad. He's in Manhattan, at da Lodgin House" Doogs answered her inquiry.

"Tanks Doogs. I'll see ya lata" she yelled tuning towards Manhattan. She got through the crowds of people and started running full speed to Manhattan. She didn't stop for anything. She was real worried about Spot.

She ran into the square with Horace Greely. Then into the Lodging House. She almost smacked right into Kloppman. Then she walked quickly up the stairs and stopped outside the bunk room. She had to catch her breath after she sprinted across New York. The boys were all standing outside the room. The doctor was inside evaluating Spot. Birdie walked up to Jack to ask what happened.

"Hey Birdie" Jack said. "I take it ya hoid." Birdie nodded. Just then, the doctor walked out of the bunk room.

"How is he Doc?" Mush asked.

"He's lost a lot of blood. He's dead boys. I'm sorry" the doctor said. He tipped his hat to Birdie and left down the stairs.

Jack looked at his sister with sorrow. He knew she was really into Spot. Birdie walked to the door and looked in at Spot. He was just lying there, on the bottom bunk, unconscious. Birdie stood at the door looking at him lying there. Jack led her into the room, and left- closing the door on his way out. Birdie went over to Spot's bed, a tear rolled down her face. She knelt down next to his bed and looked at him. If it weren't for all the bruises and drying blood all over his body, he looked quite handsome asleep. He still was very handsome, but the blood made Birdie sadder. His blond hair was matted from blood in several spots, he had a black eye and a large cut on the side of his face. Birdie looked at him, another tear rolled down her cheek. She never had the chance to tell Spot how she felt about him. She just knelt there looking at him.

Just then, something fell out of her pocket. She picked it up off the floor. It was an amulet. A red stone with a gold backing, it had a long gold chain too. Birdie studied it for a few seconds, suddenly she knew exactly what it was. She went to the washroom and grabbed one of the guys' razor blades and brought it back to Spot's bed.

She kissed Spot's forehead and with a trembling hand she took Spot's right hand and sliced along the middle of his palm- only a small cut, not very deep. Then she did the same to her own palm. Next she put the amulet in her right hand and grabbed Spot's other hand. She closed her eyes and before she knew it, she was feeling pain. She felt a warm glow around her and Spot. After a few minutes of this, the pain was so intense that Birdie couldn't take it anymore. She let go of Spot's hand and almost as quickly as it had begun, the pain stopped. She lay on the floor, almost unconscious.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a few minutes, Jack opened the door to check on Birdie. He looked over at where Spot lay, she wasn't there. He looked around the room, she was standing at the window. Jack walked over to her and touched her shoulder. She instantly looked up at him, he could tell she'd been crying. He moved closer to her and held her to comfort her.

The other boys had walked in and crowded around Spot's bed. They were all going to miss him. He was the best newsie in all of New York, and probably everywhere else. All had removed their hats and stood there with their heads bowed- to show respect for their friend.

Just then, Spot stirred. He moaned. All the newsies looked at him. They couldn't believe he was alive. The doctor had told them he was dead. Now, all of a sudden, he was alive. Jack looked up from across the room. He let go of his sister and walked over to Spot's bed. He was glad Spot was alive. Birdie looked over at the group around Spot's bed, then she looked back out the window. She was ashamed of what she'd done. She knew she hadn't completed the ritual, it was far too painful. She just looked out the window again, tears rolling down her face.

Spot said something. "Kath... ryn" he managed to get out in two exhausted breaths.

Jack and all the newsies turned to look at his Birdie. She was still standing at the window. Now she was looking over at the group around Spot's bed.

"Kath...ryn" Spot said again, in very much the same way.

Birdie walked across the room, the newsies moved for her to get to Spot. She knelt alongside Spot's bed. She took his hand and forced a smile.

"Kathryn, I had a dream..." Spot started.

"Hush" Birdie said, putting her finger to Spot's mouth. She began to brush Spot's hair from his forehead. "You need your rest" she said quietly. She was brushing his hair away so gently, Spot felt like it was a gentle spring breeze moving across his face. "Sleep now" she said touching his forehead with her fingers. Some of the newsies swore they saw little gold specs coming out of her fingers, but they could have been hallucinating. Spot became drowsy and slowly fell asleep. Tears were coming faster down her cheeks now. Jack came over and put his hands on her shoulders.

"D'ya think he'll survive?" Jack asked his sister. Birdie nodded and stood up. She walked slowly back over to the window. The newsies just watched, they didn't know what to do. Jack shoo'd them all out into the hallway. He told them to go into the street and try to sell some papes or something. He went back up to see his sister. She was still standing at the window. Jack walked over to her and put his arm around her.

"I did it Jack" Birdie said. "I did it" she said again, more quietly.

"What?" Jack asked.

Birdie handed Jack the amulet. "Please Jack. Keep dis fer me. Never ever let me have it, no matter how much I ask fer it. No matter how much I beg ya fer it. Never give it to me. Just one ting, neva destroy it. If ya do, we won't survive. Oh, an neva give it ta anyone else. An whatever ya do, don't have it in yer hand when ya touch someone else hand" she said, still crying a little.

Jack nodded and said "Of coise Kathryn, of coise I will."

Birdie leaned up against Jack and kid her face in his shirt, she was crying. Usually Birdie wasn't the one to be crying. She was usually pretty tough, and calm about everything. No one had ever seen her cry before, not even Jack. It bothered him a lot, she was his sister after all. He didn't know why she was still crying. It was understandable when they all thought Spot was dead, but he's alive now. "Why's she still crying?" Jack thought to himself. He just stood there comforting her while she cried.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finally, Birdie stopped crying and was looking out the window again. She still wasn't her old self, but she was finished crying. No one would see her cry again if she could help it. The other newsies had come in for the night and were sulking around. Spot was still asleep and they wondered if he was ever going to wake up again. Jack had cleaned up the blood on Spot's face and body. Spot was still badly bruised, but he was much cleaner now. Birdie looked down at her bandaged hand, she had wrapped it up after doing the wretched ritual that almost claimed her soul. The bandage was soaked with blood. She walked over to the sink to wash her hand and change the bandage. Jack walked up behind her.

"Kathryn, you can stay here tonight if ya want" he said with compassion.

"Tanks Jack" she said. It was the first thing she'd said in hours. "I think dat I will."

Across the room Spot began to stir. The newsies clustered around his bed again. This time, Birdie was first at Spot's side. Spot opened his eyes and smiled. It pained him to smile, but he did anyway. He was very glad to see Birdie and Jack, and the rest of the newsies. "Hey guys" Spot said as happily as he could.

"Hey Spot!" all the newsies replied, almost in unison. Birdie smiled at them.

"Hey Kathryn, ya gonna noise me back ta health?" Spot asked.

Birdie looked at him for a long time, he didn't usually call her Kathryn. The reason he did was because of the ritual. It had brought them closer together than anything ever could. They had shared something special, as special as it could be. "Of coise Spot, if ya want me ta be" Birdie answered. She knew the answer just by looking into Spot's eyes. For some reason, now she could hear what he was thinking. Not words exactly, but more like images. She figured he must've been able to feel the same thing. Then she looked up at Jack.

Jack was glad for both Spot and his sister. They both seemed to be doing better. He put his hand on his sister's shoulder and said "I takes it yer gonna be stayin here fer longa den tonight den."

Birdie smiled and then she had a confused look on her face. She could hear what Jack was thinking too. This disturbed her a little. She looked around the room slowly, she realized she could hear all of them. She dismissed it, it wasn't the most pleasant of thoughts at that moment. She looked back at Spot, and then up at the other newsies.

"Aw right guys, ya all need yer rest, so go ta bed now here" Birdie announced.

The guys looked at her and then started to go to their beds and undress. None of them wanted to argue with her. She was pleasant at the moment, but she had a rather short temper. They didn't want to get on her bad side right then. Her temper would most likely be shorter than usual, Spot and all. None of them really cared that they were undressing in the presence of a girl either. She would most likely be preoccupied with Spot, and not care what they were doing either.

All the newsies had finished getting ready for bed and piled into their bunks. Birdie was sitting on the floor next to Spot's bed. Kloppman had shut the lamps off and told Birdie that she could stay there and she didn't have to pay for the night. Birdie tried to protest, but Kloppman wouldn't hear of it.

None of the guys could get to sleep. They were all still worried about Spot and if he'd make it thought the night. Some of them stayed up talking while others just tossed and turned.

"Kathryn, why don't ya tell us a story, ta get us ta sleep" Spot suggested. He couldn't sleep either.

Birdie smiled in the darkness. "Tell ya what" she said. "I'll do betta den dat. I'll sing you guys a song ta get ya ta sleep. How's dat sound?" None of the guys objected. Birdie thought for a moment, then she began to sing. She had the most beautiful voice any of them had ever heard. The song wasn't really a lullaby type song, but the way she sang it made them all drift into sleep. The song had a slow beat, but it was pretty the way she sang it. It was about two groups of people- mountain and valley people- that fought over a treasure only to find out that the treasure was peace. As soon as Birdie was finished with the song, she too fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Birdie was last to wake. Even Spot was up before she was. He had walked- or rather been helped- over to the washroom. Birdie awoke to Jack shaking her.

"Huh? What?" she said, still not awake.

"Time ta git up Kathryn" Jack said.

Birdie opened her eyes fully and looked where she was. She was still sitting on the floor next to Spot's bed. She stretched and looked over at Spot's bed. He was gone! She quickly looked around the rest of the room and finally spotted him in the washroom with most everyone else. She slowly stood up and said "Tanks Jack." Then she walked over to the washroom where Spot was. "I sees yer feelin betta" she said to Spot as she leaned against the archway to the washroom.

Spot nodded and said "Yeah. I'se am." He said it in his usual way and gave her his trademark smirk. The other newsies laughed and continued about their business. "Ya think yer up ta sellin papes wid me taday?" Spot asked Birdie.

"Spot, I don't tink yer up ta it yerself. You need yer rest....." she said. "afta whad happened las night" Birdie added.

"It was worth a try Spot, sorry" Race said. Birdie laughed and went back into the bunkroom. She began to pick up all the sheets that had blood on them. It would be almost impossible to get the blood stains out, but maybe if she used lye soap-or maybe bleach.

Spot walked slowly back into the bunkroom-he leaned heavily on his cane. He had made it most of the way across the room on his own but he tripped and Birdie got there just in time to catch him. She wasn't going to let him hurt himself anymore than he already was. Birdie helped him over to a bunk and he sat down.

"Tanks" he said. He heard her say 'yer welcome' but she didn't say it. This confused him. Spot watched her pick up the sheets and bring them downstairs. He assumed she brought them down to Kloppman to ask where she could wash them up.

Just then the guys walked back through the bunk room ready to go to work. A few of them stopped by Spot to talk. Among them was Mush, Race, Bumlets, Blink, Specs, Skittery, and Jack. Spot looked up at all of them and laughed for a second. He held his side- it hurt to laugh.

"Ya want us ta bring ya a pape ta read in here?" Specs asked.

"Dat's a good idea. Sounds good" Spot answered.

The group talked for a few more minutes before they had to be at the circulation office. Jack always had to be first in line- to peruse the merchandise for everyone else- you know. The group bid goodbye to Spot and left the Lodging House. Birdie walked back upstairs with some breakfast.

"Here Spot, ya hungry?" Birdie asked.

Spot nodded. "Shoa, what is it?" he said.

"A muffin from cross da street an some milk." Spot made a face at the milk. "Don't give me dat. Ya need some milk in dat body a yers. It'll do ya good. I've drinkin milk ever day fer me whole life. You can survive it fer a day er two" she said.

Spot gave in and accepted the glass of milk. He thought to himself "Well, I guess milk really does do a body good." He was checking her out, she had a great body according to Spot. Birdie shot him a "will you just eat yer breakfast" look. He immediately began eating.

"Tanks fer breakfast" Spot said after a few minutes.

Birdie nodded. "Say, Spot. I've been meanin ta ask ya. Who did dat to ya yesterday?" Birdie asked.

"I don't really know. It was real quick dat dey did it. One minute I was sellin me papes in downtown Brooklyn, da next I was bein soaked. Den, lata dat day. I rememba somethin real strange. Like a glow a pain er somethin. I felt like I was bein pulled back here. It hoit, but I was happy dat it happened aftawoids. Ya know what I'm tawkin bout?" Spot said.

Throughout what Spot had been saying, Birdie was rubbing her bandaged hand. She wondered if it had finally stopped bleeding. She thought about what exactly Spot had said before answering him. She looked into his eyes and began "Yeah, I know what yer tawkin bout."

"Ya do!? Ya know what it is?" Spot asked.

"Unfortunately, I do." Spot looked at her confused. Birdie began to slowly unwrap her hand.

Just then Specs and Boots walked in, each carrying papes. "We got yer pape Spot" Specs said cheerily.

Boots nodded and said "I got some real good shooters too."

Birdie laughed and hid her hand- which was now unbandaged. Spot put his hand out to receive them. They were real nice colorful marbles. They would do very nicely when Spot could use his slingshot again. Spot looked them over and stuck them into his pocket. "Yeah. Tanks Boots. Tanks fer da pape too Specs" he said. He wasn't really too fond of Specs, and Specs knew it. But Spot would be nice to Specs if he really had to. Spot also knew that if he didn't thank him for it Birdie would reprimand him for it.

"See you'se two lata" Specs and Boots said leaving the room.

"So, what about dat ting you was tellin me about" Spot said, not forgetting their previous conversation. Birdie hoped he would, she really wasn't up to explaining it.

Birdie looked at the palms of both her hands and then showed them to Spot, he was rather confused. On her left hand there was a gash that looked like it had been recent. And on her right hand, a burn mark it looked like. Spot studied her palms and then looked at her. He was still confused. Spot's thoughts began to churn. Then he looked at his own hands. His right was bandaged. He unwrapped it and looked at his palm. He too had a gash across his palm, he looked at his other hand. A burn mark was there too. He looked up at Birdie again, almost asking "what happened?"

Birdie sat down next to Spot and took a deep breath. "I found dis amulet, a red stone on a gold back plate it was. I looked at it fer a long time last night. After a time, I knew exactly what it was. Den, I took one a da razor blades and cut into both our palms. Den I took da amulet an put it between our other hands. Den I closed me eyes an was overcome wit pain. It hoit so much Spot." She was almost crying. Spot put his arm around her shoulders in comfort. "It hoit so much. I could.... feel warm glow round us. Den da pain became so much I couldn't take it no more. I let go an.... Next ting I knew I was lyin on da floor an still holdin dat blasted amulet. I wrapped up both our hands an den stood at da window fer da longest time." Spot was looking at Birdie, still somewhat confused. He didn't understand why she was crying.

"Kathryn, why're ya cryin?" Spot asked turning up her face to look at him.

"Because. I did it. Somethin I thought dat I'd neva eva do meself." She began sobbing so much that she just couldn't talk anymore. Spot comforted her and after several minutes she stopped crying. They just sat there- Birdie leaning up against Spot, and Spot with his arms around her.

Out on the streets on Manhattan the newsies were all selling their papes like nothing ever happened. Jack, Davey, and Les were still selling together. Geez, you'd think after a year they'd get sick of selling together. Apparently not.

"Ya think he's gonna be awright Cowboy?" Les asked.

"Coise he his Les. Spot Conlon don't let nothin get him down" Jack answered. Even though he too was very worried about Spot. Spot had never been soaked that badly before and Jack didn't want him to die. After all, who'd be his best friend if he died. Also, who'd date his sister- well all the newsies wanted to- but who'd she date that she liked as much as she likes Spot?

"Ya really think so?" David said as Les ran off to sell a few papes by himself.

"I don't now what I think Dave. I want him ta be betta. It wouldn't be New Yawk wit out him. Ya know" Jack answered. Davey nodded and they continued selling their papes.

~~~~~~~

In Central Park Blink and Mush were selling together, something they did sometimes. It was almost lunch time and their hearts really weren't into selling papes that day.

"Whadda ya think?" Blink asked.

"Bout what?" Mush asked.

"Bout Spot, ya think he'll make it?" Blink answered.

"Coise. Ya saw him dis mornin. He was walkin an everthin. Why wouldn't he get betta?" Mush said.

"I don't know" Blink answered. "It's just dat I had dis weird dream last night. About Spot an Boidie. Dey was dead, but not really. It was weird an it's been buggin me" Blink explained.

"Maybe you should tawk wit her bout it. She's real learned and stuff, she could- I don't know- tell ya what it means or somethin" Mush said. Blink shrugged and they both went back to selling their papes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Queens everyone was worried about Birdie. She usually wasn't gone this long. Maybe the day and she got in late that night, but not one day and half of another day. This was very unusual. Of course they'd all heard about Spot being soaked, but they had no clue that Birdie was sweet on him. They just figured that she enjoyed walking around Brooklyn, which she actually did. Not because of Spot- because Brooklyn was fun to walk around. No one ever tried to hurt her there, they knew that if they did they'd have to deal with pretty much every single person in New York.

"Hey Doogs" yelled Mac. Doogs stopped and turned around. "Ya seen Boidie?" Mac asked.

"I saw her yesterday, why?" Doogs said.

"She ain't come back yet. I'm worried bout her. She ain't neva gone dis long befoa. Where'd she go last ya know?" Mac said.

"Uh, she went ta Manhattan afta I told her bout Spot. She probably still dere, tendin to him er somethin" Doogs answered.

"Could ya go check an see if she is? I'd go meself, but I gots a date wit dis goigious goyl" Mac said.

Doogs nodded and said "Shoa, I'll see ya lata." With that the two boys parted. Doogs to Manhattan and Mac to the Lodging House to clean up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the Lodging House in Manhattan, Spot was sitting on a bunk reading the days pape. Birdie was on the roof putting the sheets up to dry. The news was pretty slow that day, Spot was almost glad he didn't have to try to sell it. A few minutes later Birdie walked in and Spot looked up.

"Hey dere, dollface" he said as she walked in.

Birdie just smiled and shook her head. "Ya feelin betta?" she asked.

"Shoa am. See fer yerself." He folded his pape and layed it on the bed. Then he stood up and walked over to her- without his cane.

Birdie, astonished, chuckled. "Yer right Spot. Ya do look like yer feelin betta" she said as he walked up beside her. "How's yer head, ya gots a real bad bruise deya."

"Let's find out." Birdie looked confusedly at Spot. He took her by the waist, dipped her, and kissed her.

A minute later, "Yeah, I'd say yer head's feelin fine" she said, still astonished that he actually kissed her. Of course she'd wanted him to in the first place, but still. "Awright Spot, enough fun fer now. Yer gonna rest up da rest a da day an tamorra, you'se can go back ta Brooklyn. Dat sound good?" she said.

"Sounds great!" Spot exclaimed. Spot went back to read his pape. He motioned for Birdie to go with him, but she shook her head.

Then she went over to her usual spot- the window- and looked out. She looked down to the street for a minute and saw someone she knew. "Hey Doogs!" she yelled out the window. Doogs looked up and waved. Birdie smiled and laughed and waved back. Doogs walked into the Lodging House and up the bunkroom.

"Hey ya Boidie. So dis is where you'se been hidin" Doogs said as he entered. "Yer lookin betta Spot" he said as he walked over to where Spot was sitting. He sat down on the opposite bunk.

"Hows it rollin Doogs?" Spot said as Doogs was sitting down.

"Just fine Spot. Tanks fer askin. Boidie noisin ya back ta health?" he asked- almost teasing Spot about it.

"She shoa is Doogs, she shoa is" Spot said looking up at her.

"So, Doogs. What ya doin here?" Birdie asked.

"Mac was worried bout ya. He woulda come hisself, but he had a lunch date" Doogs answered.

"Who wit Doogs?" Birdie asked.

Doogs shrugged- he really didn't really care. He knew she didn't care either, but she did like to know what all was going on in her territory.

"Speakin a lunch..." Spot started, hoping they'd get the hint.

"Oh, lunch. Think yer up ta Tibby's?" Birdie directed her question to Spot.

Spot grinned- he really wanted to get out of there. He hated being cooped up in one place for too long. "Absolutely!" he said jumping up.

"Awright den. Doogs, ya comin?" Birdie said.

"Shoa, why not. I ain't got nothin betta ta do on such a nice day" Doogs said, following Spot and Birdie out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Tibby's the newsies were all eating lunch. They weren't really in a cheery mood yet. So much had happened in two days. They were all just eating and talking- even when someone attempted a joke all it got was a "yeah, dat was funny" and whoever told the joke. The newsies were really down that day. Then Birdie, Doogs, and Spot entered. All the newsies instantly brightened when they saw him walk in.

"Hey Doogs!!" a bunch of the younger newsies yelled when he walked in. Doogs just had to laugh at them. They loved his name- it was so much fun to say. Everyone thought the same thing, but they were nicer about it- they just said his name way too often.

"Hey ya boys" Birdie said cheerily.

Jack stood up and walked over to his sister. "Did ya have ta soak him dat hard ta get him ta come here?" All the newsies started laughing, the younger ones didn't get it. They thought Spot had been soaked by the Delanceys, they were very confused.

"No Jack. All I had to do was ask nicely and do this" she started to pet Jack's head. Tibby's exploded with laughter again. Jack had this annoyed look on his face. He knew what she was doing though. She was trying to get the guys in better spirits. She was always good at that, whether she was beating them up or romancing them or just because she felt like laughing. She could get anyone to laugh at the strangest times.

"That's great Boidie" Blink said, still laughing uncontrollably.

"Come on Spot, let's sit down" Birdie said, somewhat laughing herself. Spot, Doogs, Birdie, and Jack went to sit at a booth. A waiter came over and asked for their orders. "My treat boys" she said as they wondered what to order. They ordered and the waiter left to fix it up.

"Tanks Kathryn" Spot said, kissing her on the cheek.

Jack raised an eyebrow and grinned- even though he knew it was bound to happen. "Oh shut-up Birdie said as she saw Jack's grin. Jack just started chuckling.

They all ate their lunch and had a grand time at Tibby's that afternoon. They had never had such a good time after something like that had happened. No one expected to have such a good time the day after Spot almost died- well actually, he did die.

All the newsies started strolling out of Tibby's around 1:30 or so. Birdie and Spot went back to the Lodging House. Jack and Doogs went off to sell their papes together- they hadn't talked in a while and they were good friends. The rest of them split up and sold their papes with one or two others. Spot stayed in Manhattan the rest of that day and the next morning Birdie walked with him to Brooklyn. He was really glad to be home.



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