This is unbelievable, Joesph Pulitzer thought as the stormed down the street toward the lodging house he had been told the newsies stayed at. The boy hadn't even worked in his new position for a whole month and he was already skipping work.
Pulitzer began to climb up the flight of stairs in hopes to find his soon to be ex-illustrator. The man vaguely remembered his daughter Katherine saying something about the boy's "penthouse", which was really just roof of the run-down building that showed multiple signs of being home to a herd of teenage boys. Luckily for the man who - though he wouldn't admit it- was getting up in the years in terms of age.
Pulitzer found Kelly asleep in one of the bunks, though it was hard to fully make him out given the number of young boys that were sleeping around or on the teen. All of the boys looked like they couldn't be older than seven and they seemed to be using various parts of Kelly as a pillow. One of the boys seemed to have taken prime real estate by laying on top of the teens back. Two more were sleeping with there heads on Kelly's legs and one more was sleeping next to the newsboy leader who had an arm thrown around the child in a way that looked sloppy but Joe was certain it was to make sure that the child didn't fall off the top bunk and if Pulitzer was to bet there was probably another child on Jack's other side in a similar position.
Unbelievable, teaching bad work ethic to those at such a young age.
Joesph grabbed the grey cap that he had seen much to often and hit the older boy over the head with it.
"What the hell, Race you rat headed bastard?" Jack said, lifting his head up from the pillow.
"Good to see you decided to join the land of the living Mr. Kelly."
"Oh shit. Sorry Joe," Jack said turning shifting to face his boss, careful to not wake any one in the cloud of boys around him.
Joe was taken aback by the boy's looks, not that he ever looked particularly clean, but the sight in front of the older man was something different altogether. One of Kelly's eyes had a gash over it while the other was swollen and discolored. The damage continued to a split lip and bruises on the boy's chest that resembled the Santa Fe sunsets he had once been obsessed with.
"I was going to ask why you decided to not show up to work today, but know I am more interested in what happened to you."
"Glad to see your concern Joe," The spunky teen said shifting off the boy that had been using him as a mattress before carefully leaping out of the bed, not without a few winces though. "Good fa you the twos connected."
Kelly grabbed this staple blue shirt and begin to leave the room while putting it on, "Ya gonna follow me, Joe?"
The older man followed the teen to what looked like a common room with multiple worn down couches and seats, none of which matched.
"What happened Kelly?" Pulitzer asked, pointedly not taking a seat.
"Had to rescue a couple of the boys from the Bronx last night." Jack winced as he stretched. "Forgot how scrappy theys was."
"I thought you Newsies got along with each other. I mean I've seen the cigar boy at the races in Brooklyn multiple times."
"Well yeah Joe we're fine with each udda when sellin' 's over, but ya gotta protect ya turf. Anyways a few of the newbies accidentally stumbled to the other side a tha bridge afta lunch an' I didn' notice until almos' dinna."
"But they are children."
"Age doesn' matta when one pape can make or break wetha or not ya eat that night. Luckily the kids managed ta get themseleves stuck uppa tree, but I still hadda deal with a group a angry newsies an' the walk back tryin' ta getta bunch a 'alf a sleep boys back to the house. I was still plannin' on goin ta work bu' I guess the udda boys had a different idea."
Pulitzer sighed, "You would probably scare most of the office anyway." The man pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why don't you just finish your drawings here and you can come into the office tomorrow."
The tension that had been present in Jack's shoulders disappeared at Pulitzer's statement. "A course sir. Thank ya so much."
Joe began to leave, "And Kelly?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Try not to get in any more fights," Pultizer said, leaving the lodging house with just a tad bit more respect for his duaghter's boyfriend.
