Twelve Days of Christmas

Day Eight

ᎾN ᎢᎻᎬ ᎬᏆᏩᎢᎻ ᎠᎪY ᎾF ᏟᎻᎡᏆᏚᎢᎷᎪᏚ(Ꮖ ᎻᎾᏢᎬ YᎾᏌ ᎢᎻᏆᏚ ᎾNᎬ ᏆᏚ ᏟᏌᎢᎬ), ᏴᏌᎢᎢᎾNᏚ ᏆᏚ ᏆN NᎬᎬᎠ ᎾF Ꭺ NᎬᏔ ᏴᎾᎾᎢ

***

Buttons wasn't the best newsie in Manhattan, nor did he claim to be. However, he was good enough to make enough money to live. He had just enough to buy daily meals and to stay in the lodging house, but not much extra.

That had never bothered the boy too much. In fact, he barely even noticed until the July following his thirteenth birthday.

Buttons had known for a long time that his boots were getting too small. How could he not notice the pinch in his toes every time he laced up his boots?

Yet there was nothing he could do about it. A decent pair of boots would cost him a good three dollars, and he didn't have that kind of money.

Buttons would just have to survive another year or two until one of the older boys outgrew their pair. He could wait.

At least, he thought he could. That belief began to falter in mid-July, when Buttons experienced a long awaited growth spurt. However, his excitement faltered considerably when he got around for work that morning.

"Well, would ya look at that," Romeo whistled lowly as Buttons entered the washroom. "Heya, Specs! Come check this out!"

Specs dried his face with a towel and squinted as he looked at Buttons. "Gosh Buttons, what've you been eatin'?"

"The usual," Buttons shrugged. "Why?"

"You mean you ain't noticed?" Romeo asked. "I think you grew about two inches overnight!"

"Man, you gotta be nearly as tall as Elmer now!" Specs agreed.

"Really?" Buttons grinned.

"Mmhmm," Romeo hummed. "About time too. I was thinkin' you'd be short forever!"

Buttons threw a towel at Romeo, who caught it and shot him a cheeky grin in response.

"What's goin' on in here?" Albert yawned as he ambled into the room.

"I'm growin'!" Buttons said proudly.

"Wow, how excitin'!" Albert snarked, rolling his eyes.

Buttons' face fell and Specs, having taken notice, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry Buttons. He's just jealous 'cause he ain't no bigger than the new kid, what's-his-face..."

"Thomas," Romeo supplied.

"That's it! Thomas. He's almost as big as Albert, and the kid's ten!"

"Whatever," Albert scowled, heading to the sinks to wash his face.

Buttons had luckily finished washing up and he headed back into the bunk room. There he was greeted by the familiar sight of a dozen or so boys in various states of undress, hurrying around and getting around for the day.

Buttons weaved his way throughout the boys, but couldn't avoid bumping into some people. Race, who was pulling his shirt on, couldn't see the boy and nearly fell over when Buttons hit him.