Strikes and Ladders

Chapter Fourteen: Sellin'

The next day, Davey is surprised to see Spot at the Manhattan circulation gate, having expected him to go home as soon as possible. When he asks about it, Spot groans.

"Turns out I'm in a worse way than I thought. Tried to slip back to Brooklyn this mornin' and almost found myself face-first in the street. So I'm gettin' my papes and then Racer's gonna help me over the bridge." The two boys both look over at Race, who is taking money from Crutchie and Romeo.

He walks over to them, looking like the cat who caught the canary. "Alrighty Dave, here ya go." Davey gets a penny out of the pile of four of them. "Well Spot, let's get in line. We've gotta get goin' if we wanna get to Brooklyn before the mornin' rush is through, yeah?"

Before Spot can respond, Davey interjects. "Actually, would you guys mind if I tagged along? I mean, it'd be easier for you guys to cross the bridge with me helping and I just... can't deal with Jack today. Or any day. Never seeing him again would actually be preferable to me."

Spot nodded with a laugh, and he sounded happy, considering the painful journey across the bridge he was about to take. "Racer, go with Mouth and get my papes along with yours, yeah?" He hands Race money and he and Davey go up to the counter to get their papers and when they come back, Race is explaining something.

"The trick is that you gotta be sellin' from the second you leave this place to the second you sell your last pape. If I only started sellin' once I actually got to Sheepshead, it'd take me all day to get rid of em. But I sell on the bridge and I only need half of that time."

Davey is nodding at the words and the corner of Spot's mouth tilts up in a small smile at the sight of them. "Yeah and if we don't head out soon, none of us will sell anything, so let's get goin'." His companions both agree, so they head out for the bridge, selling the whole way. Spot's knee is better than yesterday so he doesn't need much help outside of the occasional grabbing onto of the nearest friendly arm. This just happens to be Davey most often, because Race is up ahead selling and chatting and all around being himself. They talk and sell and Race is right, by the time they get across the bridge, half of their papes are gone. They walk Spot to his usual selling area.

"I'll see you's around, yeah? Maybe head over to the Brooklyn house when you're done with those." He motions to the now partially depleted pile of papers in his hand and they both agree. He claps them both on the shoulder and they leave, walking to Sheepshead. Normally Davey can give Race a run for his money, both of them talking and talking like its a competion until someone (Usually Spot) tells them to stop, but today Davey is mostly quiet.

"Penny for your thoughts, Mouth?"

He shakes his head with a small laugh. "Keep your money, Race. I'm just thinking."

"...About?"

"Jack Kelly."

"Ah, shoulda guessed. What about 'im?"

Davey sighs heavily. "His eyes. And his arms. And the way his voice sounds when he's all wistful. All of the things I love about him have just come rushing back all at once."

Race nods seriously. "Been there. You just gotta stay strong. Soon you'll remember all the little things he did to piss you off. Like, he ever get any of that charcoal shit on your clothes?"

"Yes! Once, he got some on the inside of my pants. I had some cover-up explaining to do to my momma after that."

"Oh yeah, Albert got that treatment too. Handprints right on his ass. Spent an hour washing them out."

"Albert too? Jesus. So who exactly has Jack dated, at least within the newsies?"

"It'd be easier to say who he hasn't been with. So, anyone too much younger than him and anyone only into dames. Except him and Mike. They made out once even though Mikey isn't into dudes. I don't know." He shakes his head and shrugs. "We call it the 'Jack Kelly Effect'"

Despite the fact that they're talking about his very recent ex, Davey laughs. "The Jack Kelly Effect? Really? You guys are crazier than I thought you were."

"Well, I live to surprise and confuse." This is punctuated by an over the top bow and Davey realises they're at the track. "Well, I'll see you around, yeah Dave? I'll take this side, you take that one. Divide and conquer and all that."

Davey hastily nods. "Sure thing. Thanks for letting me sell here today, I know it's your turf and everything."

"What's mine is yours, Mouth. Anything at all." Race leaves with a wink and it takes Davey a second to process. He's still thinking about it as he starts to get rid of his papes. He still can't believe Race said that, and so nonchalantly too. Does he not understand the weight of that? Still, even coming in such a lighthearted tone, Davey believes him.