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Post by Don't Ask on Apr 18, 2009 16:00:36 GMT -5
"Don't Ask," Don't Ask said by way of introduction, slapping his hand into Dutchy's for a shake, then elaborated. "Well, they call me Don't Ask, 'cause my name's Zbigniew. 'What's his name?' 'Don't ask,' get it?" He noticed Dutchy giving him the once-over and shifted slightly, his hand fingering the top button on his shirt, deftly sliding it back through the buttonhole. Despite the fact that he'd left the forge to escape the overwhelming heat for a while, and that it was only marginally cooler out here, he wished he'd put his waistcoat back on before leaving. He wasn't certain, but he thought that his chest binder might be visible through the fabric of his shirt when he was sweating, as he was now.
He took a slight backward step, tucked one arm across his chest, and took a long drag on his cigarette, blowing the smoke away from them out the side of his mouth. "Next time you're tryin' to sell near the smithy, poke your head in and tell me to knock off the racket for a while. I'm probably the one who's makin' all the noise anyway. Boss goes 'round peddlin' at the race tracks and stables for shoeing most mornings, I'm the only one there."
He took another drag, and pointed to the few papers tucked under Dutchy's arm with his cigarette. "Got one to spare? I didn't get a chance to flag a newsie down this morning."
He looked to the boy petting Horseshoe, who was nuzzling the kid's petting hand and beating out a steady tattoo against Don't Ask's leg with his tail. "I think he likes you, there, kid," he said.
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Post by pupdawkinseitz on Apr 18, 2009 16:58:19 GMT -5
Pup smiled when he heard Don't Ask's real name. He wondered what country he could have been born in to get a name like that. He wasn't always in particular a huge fan of his own name, Stuart, but now he felt much more partial to it. He could see why Dutchy was called Dutchy. His blonde hair and light blue eyes pretty much gave it away. He liked hearing all the different newsie nicknames that people came up with. The newsies were really clever people.
"I'm Pup," he piped up slightly for a moment, coming out of his shell a little bit. He wanted to introduce himself since they introduced themselves.
"I think he likes you, there, kid," Pup grinned and wrapped his arms around the dog, rubbing under its belly. He stood up and tugged on Don't Ask's shirt. "What's his name?" He asked pointing to the dog.
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Post by Don't Ask on Apr 19, 2009 0:20:52 GMT -5
"I'm Pup."
Don't Ask gave the boy a grin. The reason for his nickname was blindingly obvious, with those big, sad eyes and hangdog expression. This kid probably made a mint selling to the softhearted ladies in the city.
"What's his name?"
Feeling Pup pull at his shirt, Don't Ask instinctively jerked away, jumping out of the boy's reach and hastily pulling his shirt back into place. Aware that he just put himself into an awkward position, he felt his face flush as he stammered out a meager apology, carefully stepping forward again. "Er, sorry, I call him... I call him Horseshoe. 'Cause he likes to gather up horseshoe nails around the forge and bring 'em back to me."
He cleared his throat and made a show of avoiding eye contact with the other two boys as he flicked ashes from the tip of his cig and stamped them into the dirt.
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Post by dutchy on Apr 19, 2009 0:52:36 GMT -5
"Smart dog." Dutchy commented, but Don't Ask's movement didn't go unnoticed. Either the guy was skiddish to personal contact as they came or just wasn't used to kids pulling on his clothes...
He shrugged it off, taking a drag. It wasn't his business to pry. A small smile came to his lips thinking of how brave these two thought he had been. He wanted to be honest, as he usually always did. But what harm was there in this... Just once he could be the hero, the center of attention.
Then Dutchy remembered Don't Ask had asked for a paper.
"Hmm," Dutchy made a small noise in remembrance, removing a paper from his megar stack and handing it over to Don't Ask. He clutched the cigarette between his thumb and forefinger, exhaling smoke.
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Post by Don't Ask on Apr 19, 2009 2:06:39 GMT -5
"Smart dog."
Don't Ask chuckled lightly, trying to shake off the flush he'd picked up. "Yeah, he's a smart one. Sometimes I think maybe he's human, he picks up things so well."
"Hmm."
He took the proffered paper, trading Dutchy a coin for it. "Thanks. I hate when I miss something big." He folded the paper into thirds and tucked it into the back of his pants. Horseshoe took his eyes off Pup for a moment, just long enough to eye the paper longingly. Don't Ask saw the dog's gaze and shook a finger at him. "Nuh-uh. Don't even think about it." To the boys, he said by way of explanation, "He wants me to throw it. So he can play fetch. Except his idea of fetch is to run after it and then make me run all over the damn place to get it back before he shreds it."
Another good drag finished his cigarette, and Don't Ask dropped it to the ground, grinding it out with the toe of his boot. He eyed Dutchy carefully for a moment, then bit back a small smile to say:
"Er, I dunno if you'd be interested, but if you're done for the day, Horseshoe an' me were on our way to Central Park. He likes to chase the frogs in the pond. Wanna come and help me make sure he doesn't have frog legs for dinner?"
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Post by pupdawkinseitz on Apr 19, 2009 12:43:23 GMT -5
Pup didn't give Don't Ask a strange look, though he was surprised when he pulled away. Pup looked up at him, thinking about his own past of his mother beating him everyday. He was always jumpy on contact too.
"Er, sorry, I call him... I call him Horseshoe. 'Cause he likes to gather up horseshoe nails around the forge and bring 'em back to me."
"Smart dog."
"Wow! He sure is, he has a little old job all of his own!" Pup mused in delight, looking down at Horseshoe with shining excited eyes. He returned to stroking the dog gently, listening to their conversation once more.
"He wants me to throw it. So he can play fetch. Except his idea of fetch is to run after it and then make me run all over the damn place to get it back before he shreds it."
Pup laughed for the first time in a long time at that remark, he was just positively enamored by Horseshoe, and Don't Ask was nice, and he definitely admired Dutchy for what he had done.
"Er, I dunno if you'd be interested, but if you're done for the day, Horseshoe an' me were on our way to Central Park. He likes to chase the frogs in the pond. Wanna come and help me make sure he doesn't have frog legs for dinner?"
Pup glanced up and saw Don't Ask's look in Dutchy's direction. Pup stood back and looked at his shoelaces shyly, trying to hide any sign of disappointment. He knew they wouldn't want a little kid tagging along.
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Post by dutchy on Apr 19, 2009 14:12:54 GMT -5
Dutchy laughed at the remark about the dog. Funny he could be so helpful in the shop and a real terror with a newspaper. Guess Don't Ask wouldn't do much business as a newsie with the dog around.
"Er, I dunno if you'd be interested, but if you're done for the day, Horseshoe an' me were on our way to Central Park. He likes to chase the frogs in the pond. Wanna come and help me make sure he doesn't have frog legs for dinner?"
Dutchy shrugged, but gave a smile and nodded. He had about three papers left thanks to Don't Ask. And Central Park was always good for selling. He learned if it got too late in the day and you still have over five, you'd probably be sunk. But just three or two left and they got picked up easily.
He took another drag on the cigarette and exhaled the smoke away from his small group before speaking, "What about you, kid? Don't think Snyder will be heading for the Park."
Pup was looking at his shoes and Dutchy knew the kid was shy infront of older boys and probably still scared from the whole ordeal. Wouldn't do just to leave the kid behind. Being as Dutchy became a newsie around this kids age, he always felt he should look after the younger kids. Alot of guys didn't feel the need to and alot of younger boys didn't even want it, but Dutchy had never been either of those groups and doubted Pup was much like that either.
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Post by pupdawkinseitz on Apr 19, 2009 16:40:05 GMT -5
"What about you, kid? Don't think Snyder will be heading for the Park."
Pup looked up in surprise, blinking thrice before the widest grin spread across his small dirt smudged face. "You mean...I mean, well Yeah!"
Pup may have been one of the quietest little kids but once you got him excited, he bounced up and down, a wide grin on his face. He giggled as Horse shoe danced around too, whining in excitement. He was wrong Dutchy and Don't Ask weren't like other kids, they were nice.
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Post by emilyb on Sept 11, 2009 12:33:05 GMT -5
*New Day*
Emily Braithwaite did not enjoy being a newsgirl. It wasn't that she was shy or anything, but the long headlines came out her mouth sounding chewed on or mumbled with her thick accent. On top of that, it just wasn't something she fancied seeing herself doing. Yelling at the top of ones lungs to sell something for a penny seemed none too rewarding. It was definitely a job someone had to at least care for in order to be successful, which is probably why she never had much luck.
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