Newsies Oneshots

The Interview

Jack Kelly sighed and looked through the paper, trying to find an extra job after the sons of Joseph Pulitzer took over running the World, cutting his pay by quite a bit, even though they knew he was saving to marry their sister. 

After days of fruitless searching the help wanted section of numerous different publications, he found an ad looking for a freelance artist to create a large scale sign for some fancy lawyer firm. He made arrangements to interview for the job, snagging a time slot the next day.

*******

"Elizabeth? You can send the next one in now," David "Davey" Jacobs, the tired trainee-clerk combo to some of the most annoying lawyers in New York City, said to the pair of men's secretary, not actually wanting the next man to come in to show his portfolio. The next man had been squished in after Davey's work day was over, but the lawyers wanted their sign as soon as possible, were in charge, and were sponsoring him through law school. 

As he waited for the next man, who somehow hadn't come back yet, Davey glanced out of the window at the busy streets and passersby. He saw a couple of newsies on the street, which made him yearn for another, simpler time where he, his little brother, and his adoptive brothers roamed the streets selling "papes" to the people. He realized how much he missed the other boys, who he had all  but lost touch with when he was selected to go through with this law student scholarship opportunity.

********

Jack walked into the law offices and was directed to a small back office to be interviewed by a student, no doubt. He entered the room, and found a young man about his age, but almost certainly from a better neighborhood, looking out the window at the streets of New York.

"I'm sorry I'm late, but I got held u-" Jack started, only to be cut off by the man asking him to sit down and start the interview. Jack sat, and the man started talking, still facing the window. 

"I assume you saw the ad in the New York Sun for this job," the law student said. 

Jack agreed with the statement, and the man continued, still looking out the window.

"Can I have your name please?" the student asked.

"Sure. The name's Jack Kelly."

******** 

"Sure. The name's Jack Kelly."  the man who had come for the job said, shocking Davey enough to get him to turn from his window. Jack Kelly was the name of the boy who had become like a brother to him in only a few short days. Could this really be the same Jack Kelly?

Davey studied the other man for a minute; the other man seemed to do the same. Wanting to test his theory, Davey continued the interview like nothing had happened.

"Mr. Kelly, do you have any experience with painting large pieces?" he asked the man- Jack.

"Yes; I've painted sets for a family friend."

"How about commercial illustration?"

"I'm a cartoonist for the New York World."

Ready to test his theory fully, Davey pulled out a curveball question.

"Here's a question- do you know anything about unions or labor strikes?"

********

As the interview went on, Jack studied the other man. He seemed very familiar, maybe one of the boys was an illegitimate son of this man's rich father or something. But he couldn't match any of this man's features to any of his brothers, at least not the ones who he still saw, but maybe-

Then the curveball question was thrown.

"Here's a question- do you know anything about unions or labor strikes?" the interviewer asked. Immediately, Jack recognized the man.

"Davey? I thought you had died or something. Where have you been hidin'?" Jack asked the man- Davey- as they both figured out who the other was.

"It seems that I've accidentally sold my life to a law firm; at least they are paying for law school. How are the others?" Davey asked Jack excitedly. At first, Jack wanted to be mad at him, but then realized that most of the distance wasn't his fault and that they actually lost track of each other.

"The boys are good, Katherine and I are engaged, and Darcy and Bill both own their papes now. How's Les?" Jack responded.

"He's good, alw- wait, you and Katherine are engaged!" Davey cut himself off, shaking Jack's hand in congratulations, and kind of ending the interview.

"So, I'm gonna take this as I got the job?"  

A/N: The prompt is by writerscape on Instagram.

-Calliope