Alice the Newsie

(11) Newsie School [1/4]

I slowly open my eyes to the sun starting to peak out in the sky. I was so tired, all I wanted was to sleep. But this was the only chance I had to get ready. I look around at the room to see if anyone was up yet. Doesn't look like it. I crawl out of bed, my back was sore from sleeping on that stone mattress. I go into the bathroom area and get ready: Putting my hair away in my cap, washing off the disgusting goop off my eyes, and washing my face. I go back to my bed and grab my boots from under the bed and start to tie them. I start to hear banging nearby, I look around the room with wide eyes, but see no one else is up. "NEWSIES, GET A MOVE ON. YOU'S NOT GONNA MAKE MONEY IF YOU'S SLEEP ALL DAY." I hear from outside Jack yelling. Groans fill the room as newsies start to get up. I finish tying my shoes and look around the room. It looked like chaos, newsies were all over the place getting ready. "Come on Specs, we's need'a get a move on!" I turn my head at the mention of Specs and see a newsie standing by his bed, aggressively shaking him. "let me's SLEEP." Specs throws a pillow at the newsies face. The newsie throws the pillow back at Specs. I see the newsie trying to wake up Specs look at me. "Hey'a dark eyes, how about you's be helpful and wake Specs up."

"Don't force da new kid da do you job Jojo." A newsie said as they passed-by, putting on their cap. "Well Buttons, how about you's try and wake up miss diva then." Buttons sighs, then shouts at Specs. "SPECS IF YOU DON'T GET UP. THEN YOU PARTNER IS GONNA BE DAVEY." Specs instantly sits up at Buttons yelling, some newsies laugh at Buttons comment. I see Jack come into the room from a window, "hey come on! Da sun is almost up already. Which means people are already out." Newsies hurry and grab something out of a box in the corner of the room. It looked like bags to keep the papers in. Well that's going to make selling papers easier than holding them in your hands like I did. I grab one of the bags, it had fun mystery stains. I join the rest of the newsies who were running down the stairs.

 I walk with the crowd of newsies, who were being as loud as ever. I feel someone poke my shoulder and turn my head. "How you's doing?" Specs asked me, I notice something weird with Specs clothes. "S-Specs, why are you wearing o-only one shoe?" 

"Couldn't find it in time." He shrugs, we get to church and everyone enjoys their breakfast. Even though this is my second day of being a newsie this had to be my favorite part of the day. The church was just very peaceful. We make it to the gates, which were already opened. I see the newsies gather around the chalkboard where the headline was being put up. The man steps aside and leaves a clear view of the headline. Kitten breaks into school, "is this some kind of joke?" A newsie says, the other newsies agree with him. "Who cares about some kitten when there's more cool things happening!" 

After buying the papers with what little money I have, I start to walk toward the streets. "Hey Pete!" I turn around and see Jack, with a newsie standing next to him. "Meet Henry, you's gonna sell with him today." Henry looked nice enough. I follow Henry's lead out onto the streets.  

Selling with Henry was fine, he wasn't much for small talk which I was very happy about. It was very hard to sell today, since no one cares about some kitten. But somehow I still managed to sell most of my papers. I saw that the sun was starting to set. I see Henry leaning against a wall, counting his money. He notices me and starts to walk, waving at me to follow him. I was glad to get back to the lodge, maybe I could get some sleep. We reach the lodge and go inside. Wasting no time getting up the stairs. It didn't sound like many newsies were here yet. I open the door of the bedroom and start walking over to my bed. But a voice stops me from jumping on my bed.

 "Hey'a new kid, you's name is Pete right?" I nod my head. I look over at the newsie who was speaking to me: he's tall, thin, and has light blue eyes, there was a cigar hanging out of his mouth. "Well by da orders of da all mighty Jack, I got's da train ya." A newsie close by cigar boy calls out from the top of a bunk bed. "Woah, I didn't know that we's train newbies nows." The cigar newsie looks over at him, "well, if you's want'a make you self useful Al, and not be lazy. You can help me's." The newsie gets down from the top of the bunk bed. He was very short next to cigar boy. Both of them walk closer to me. The short newsie wraps his arm around my shoulder. "Sit down Pete, because you's newsie ed'a'cation is starting." I get his arm off me and sit down on my bed. 

"Now there's is lots of different ways da sell papes, we's is gonna teach ya da one of da different ways today." Cigar boy says, I nod my head. "Da first way we's teaching ya is ta lie about da headline, because when da headline is rubbish you's need da make something up." There was no way I was going to lie, my parents always told me to tell the truth. "Okay Pete, watch as me's and Albert here show's ya a example." Cigar boy walks over to the other side of the room, and calls to Albert. "Pretend i's is a fancy rich white lady walking down da street," Albert nods his head. I carefully watch both of them, the cigar boy starts to walk across the room with his nose up. There was no way I could take this seriously, a small smile was starting to form on my face. "AMERICAN PEOPLE BEING MADE INTO SOUP!" Albert pretends to hold a newspaper. Cigar boy goes up to him and pretends to give him money. "Okay Pete, now i's want ya da make something up." I quickly think, and choose the first thing that comes into my head. "G-grand piano b-breaks," cigar boy takes his cigar out of his mouth. "That's as boring as today's headline, make it more deathly." I instantly think of something I guess was better. "G-grand piano k-kills two little g-girls." Cigar boy pats my back. "That's better."

After making up more lies for cigar boy, I was even more tired. "Well Pete, I hope ya learned a lot. Tomorrow i's will teach ya some more." I nod my head. Cigar boy and Albert go over to another part of the room to talk with a group of newsies. Maybe now I could get some sleep. I start to pull my blanket over myself, not caring that I hadn't even got ready for bed. But as I start to close my eyes, I see Specs doing a "follow me" hand motion. I get up from the rock bed and follow him.

"What were you's doing with Race and Albert?" We were siting on the stairs, the metal was cold. "Well, they were teaching me how to s-sell, which was i-interesting I guess." Specs nods his head. "How was selling with Henry?" I look in Specs eyes. "Well, h-he was a way better selling partner than y-you." Specs playfully punches my shoulder.  We chat for a little longer before we realize that everyone else was in bed. I happily climb into my bed and fall asleep in a matter of seconds.