Alice the Newsie

(13) Newsie school [3/4]

I was walking among the street, making sure my cap was in place, walking with my selling partner for the day which is Elmer. I have no idea where we are going, Elmer just told me to follow him. But so far everything looks kind of the same, or maybe that's because everything In New York looks the same to me. I see the church building come into view. I want to ask Elmer why we're going back to the church but I just guess that Elmer knows what he's doing

It was now early afternoon, the sun was shining bright on this autumn day. I have really not sold any papers at all, the church was a very slow area and it was kind of boring and worried me at the same time that there was barely any people. I walk over to where Elmer is, "E-Elmer, is it a-anyways this s-slow at the c-church?"

"Well yeah, not a lot of people come by, it's always this boring." I nod my head, I look back at the area and see that the streets were still empty. "Hey, maybe we's could just hang out, just yelling and standing around ain't gonna do much when no one is around." Elmer says, "S-sure." I see Elmer walk over to somewhere, I follow him and we both stop at some wooden boxes. He sits at one and pats the box for me to join him. "So where are you's from?"

"O-Ohio." I say, "woah really? I heard that Ohio is pretty." Wow for once someone has said something nice about Ohio, "I-it is pretty, where are y-you from?"

"Of course da greatest borough, Manhattan." I nod my head, I check the streets just in case there's anyone. Still no one, "s-so have you a-always been s-selling here?"

 "Yeah, everyone likes da call me da church newsie. Even though I hate da church I still like selling here." Elmer looks at something on the ground and picks it up, it was a cigar box. He opens the box but nothing is inside. "Hey, for once I see a empty cigar box that isn't crushed, do ya want it? It's good to use to store money." 

"S-sure, thanks." I take the box and put it away in my pocket. "S-so how long have you been a n-newsie?" 

"About 2 months, but for 2 months I's have seen a lot." Curious I ask, "l-like what?" He takes a deep breath. "Like da strike,"

"W-what's the strike?" He stands ups, "Oh you's better be ready because i'ms gonna tell ya one heck of a story."

Elmer goes on in the next ten minutes telling the story of the strike, which the story was very dramatic and interesting. Elmer was all over the place doing jumps and recreating scenes of the strike. He is very entertaining. "So that is why when you's are a rich man, you's don't treat everyone like trash." Elmer bows, I stand up from the box and clap for him. I notice someone on the street, finally a person. I let Elmer go to them since he put on an amazing show. Elmer comes back from talking with person, but doesn't look to happy. "D-didn't sell?"

"Didn't sell, da church is such a tough crowd, you's would think it's would be easy da sell da old people." Elmer says, putting the paper he had in his hand back in his bag. "But I guess da best we's can do is try our best."

"Hey'a Racer, Pete is finally back!" Albert said as I stand in the doorway, out of breath from running. I had to stay out later selling because I was not going to waste any of the papers I bought. Somehow Elmer and I both sold all of our papers. "It took ya long enough Pete, alright today's way ta sell papes we's gonna learn is ta flirt." Okay someone needs to get me out of here. Still puffing I sit on my bed. "Now, you's can flirt bad, our goal is that you's don't turn into a Romeo."

"Hey I heard that!" Who I was guessing was Romeo said, "well you don't seem ta hear when a girl don like ya." Race replied, Romeo crosses his arms. "Okay Pete, da best bet when it comes ta flirting is da say something nice about how they look, it works most of da time. Okay Albert," Albert jumps down from his bed. "HEY CRUTCHIE I NEED YA." Race calls to Crutchie, Crutchie comes limping over. "Okay Al you's will da girl, Crutchie just do what ya good at." Albert and Crutchie both nod. I'm not ready to watch this, did we have to go over flirting? "La, la la, I's a girl." Albert says as he skips across the room, I cover my mouth smiling, this is the stupidest thing ever. "Hello there," Crutchie says to Albert, smiling. Either on purpose or because of Albert's voice. "You's have such beautiful hair, can I interest you's in a pape?" 

"Why of course random boy!" Albert pretends to give Crutchie money, and Crutchie pretends to give Albert a paper. Race goes over to them, "okay Crutchie ya did good. But Albert, no girl acts like what you's just did." Albert shrugs his shoulders, "Ya didn't say it had ta be good Race." Race sighs, he turns back to me. "Okay Pete, i'm not gonna make ya do any flirting since it's getting late, one more lesson tomorrow." I nod my head, I was glad I didn't have to do any flirting. I did what I did every night, which was wait until all the newsies were asleep and get ready by myself, I put all the money I earn (which has been staying in my pockets,) into the cigar box Elmer found for me, and go to bed. Resting in peace before another day of as Jack would say carrying the banner.