The Runaway Girlsie

New York is Closed for Business

Phones were going off constantly in Pulitzer's office and he was growing tired of it.

Jack and I brushed past Bunsen who was yellin' behind us.

Jack slapped a copy of the Newsies Banner down on Pulitzer's desk. "How ya doin' this mornin' fellas?"

"You're behind this! Both of you! We had a deal!"

"And it came with a money-back guarantee!" Jack replied as he threw the money back at Pulitzer. "Oh, and thank you for the lesson on the power of the press."

"Did you read this boss?" Seitz asked. "These kids put out a pretty good paper! Very convincing."

"No doubt written by my daughter and Miss Walsh, here," Pulitzer frowned.

"I would sign both of them before someone grabs them," Jack complimented.

"I demand to know who defied my ban on printing strike-related material."

Jack sat down in one of Pulitzer's chairs and said, "We're your loyal employees. We would never take our business elsewhere."

"That old printing press in the cellar," Seitz answered almost immediately.

"I gave you the offer of a lifetime. Anyone who does not act in his own self-interest is a fool."

Davey and Spot entered and Davey said, "What does that make you? This all began because you wanted to sell more papers. But now your circulation is down 70 percent. Why didn't you just come talk to us?"

Jack scoffed. "Oh, guys like Joe don't talk to nobodies like us. But a very wise reporter once told me bein' a boss doesn't mean you got all the answers, just enough brains to snatch the right one when you hear it."

--

Newsies:

And the world will know.

We been keepin' score.

Either they gives us our rights or we gives them a war.

We been down too long and we paid our dues.

And the things we do today will be tomorrow's news.

And the die is cast.

And the torch is passed.

And a roar will rise and the streets will grow and grow...

--

"Have a look out there Mr. Pulitzer," Spot said. "In case you ain't figured it out, we got you surrounded."

"New York is closed for business," Jack replied smugly. "Paralyzed. You can't get a paper or a shoe shine. You can't send a message, ride an elevator, cross the Brooklyn Bridge--you can't even get out of your own building. So what's your next move?"

"Mr. Pulitzer, the mayor is here, along with your daughter, and... and you'll never believe who else," Bunsen informed.

"Good morning, Mr. Pulitzer," the mayor said as he entered the office. "I think you know the Governor."

"Governor Roosevelt!" Pulitzer cried.

"Joseph, Joseph, Joseph. What have you done now?" Governor Roosevelt asked.

"Wait until you hear my explanation..." Pulitzer began.

"Thanks to Miss Medda Larkin bringing your daughter to my office, I already have a thorough grasp on the situation--graphic illustrations included! 'Bully' is the expression I usually employ to show approval, but in your case, I simply mean 'bully'. And is this the boy of whom you spoke? How are you son? I was told we once shared a carriage ride."

"Pleasure's mine, Mr. Governor," Jack answered with a surprising amount of calmness.

"Well, come along, Joe. Don't just stand there letting those children sing...endlessly. Give them the good news!" Governor Roosevelt said.

"What good news? Mr. Pulitzer asked.

"That you've come to your sense and rolled back prices. Unless, of course, you want to invite a full state-centered investigation into your employment practices."

"You wouldn't."

"After the pressure you wielded to keep me from office? I'd do it with a smile! Come along Joseph. There is one thing worse than a hard heart and that's a soft head. Think of all the happiness you'll bring those children... He doesn't do happiness, does he?"

"Mr. Kelly, if I may speak to you. Alone."

I followed Katherine outside to the front of Pulitzer's office.

Jack's POV:

As the Governor was leavin' he said to me, "Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground. You can do this."

After he left, Pulitzer turned to me. "I cannot put the price back where it was. I'm sorry, I can't. There are other considerations."

"I get it, Joe. You use the same face in front of all these folks. I ain't stupid, but I have constituents with a legitimate gripe!"

"What if I reduce the price by half and get the others to do the same? It's a compromise we can all live with."

"But... you eat our losses. From now on, every pape we can't sell, you buy back full price."

"That's never been on the table! And what's to keep newsies from taking hundreds of papers they can't sell? My costs will explode!"

"No newsie is gonna break his back carryin' around papes he can't sell; but if he can take a few extra with no risk, he might sell those and then your circulation will begin to grown," I explained obviously. Then I continued and mocked him. "It's a compromise we can all live with."

"That's not a bad head you've got on those shoulders."

"Deal," I said as I spit into my hand for a spit-shake.

Pulitzer made a face and I smirked as I said, "That's just the price of doing business."

Pulitzer reluctantly returned the spit-shake.