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Post by Administrator on Aug 30, 2008 21:34:16 GMT -5
Right off the edge is the river below. Don't go takin' a long walk off a short dock! You might just end up sleepin' with the fishes.
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Post by jib on Aug 31, 2008 9:42:30 GMT -5
Jib sat on the dock, looking quietly out to the water. He had finished work for the day; unloading and loading ships. Twice today he almost forgot to get off the ships. He wasn't sure why he decided to come back and work around ships, but it was getting easier.
In his hand he held a smooth rock. He flicked his hand and skipped the rock; 4 skips. He fingered his red bandanna tied around his wrist as he let the breeze blow his white shirt and short hair.
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Post by impatient on Aug 31, 2008 10:25:12 GMT -5
Impatient was looking around for Royal in the Bronx, but she hadn't seemed to find him. In that case, she started to walk along the Harlem River and enjoy the smell and breezes.
Noticing a boy around her age, maybe a little older, she sat a few feet away from him on the docks so she could study him. He had almost dirty blond hair, a red bandana on his wrist, and he also had a strong build. Impy couldn't tell the color of his eyes since she was too far away, and it was also dark outside.
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Post by jib on Aug 31, 2008 10:45:23 GMT -5
Jib gazed out to where the horizon met the water. It was hard to see because the sky and water were both dark. He though he heard something; maybe another dock worker resting after work. Jib turned his head slightly and saw the person out of the corner of his eye; a girl? She didn't seem familiar, yet she was watching him.
Interested, he turned his whole body to face her. "Can I help you?" He lifted a hand, inviting her to move closer if she wished.
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Post by impatient on Aug 31, 2008 10:48:24 GMT -5
When the boy caught her staring, her face turned a shade of red. She didn't mean to stare, she just wanted to know what he looked like.
Walking over to him and sitting down next to him she commented, "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare."
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Post by jib on Aug 31, 2008 10:58:34 GMT -5
"Oh, no... it's ok." He smiled to show that he wasn't angry. "I'm Jib, I work here at the docks." He didn't mean to embarrass her, so he continued talking to try to lighten the mood. "I just finished work and was resting before heading home." He sat back, a little more relaxed. If there was one good thing he got from his captain, it was a use of body language to change the mood of the surroundings.
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Post by impatient on Aug 31, 2008 11:06:29 GMT -5
Impatient smiled back at him. "Ya, I haven't been doing much work at all. I live in Manhattan at the Lodging House, 'cause I'm a newsie," She added quickly, "But, we haven't been getting any money, and I don't know how much longer we can stay like this. I might have to sleep on the streets and steal food."
She shuddered at the thought, but she was also thinking about why she was telling him all of this. "Sorry for dumping all this one you, it just came out." Giving him a sly smile she turned her head to the water and gazed at it.
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Post by jib on Aug 31, 2008 11:22:20 GMT -5
Jib listened intently when she said that she was a newsie. The life of a newsie had interested him, he tried it once, but preferred to working on docks and boats. He sat upright at her statement. "Wait?" He couldn't believe it. When she apologized, he wouldn't accept it. "It's ok... but sleeping on the streets? Sealing food?" He just couldn't accept it, and he didn't even know her. "I got enough room at my place, an old couch has to be better than the streets."
It suddenly didn't matter that Jib didn't know her. "I mean, there are some young kids selling papes." He knew he wasn't that old, but he had to do something. "I can't promise food, but if someone's about to end up sleeping on the streets, send them to my place." It wasn't like he owned anything that was worth anything.
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Post by impatient on Aug 31, 2008 11:25:01 GMT -5
Impatient's eyes widened as he invited her to stay with him. "Oh, I don't know, I don't want you waisting stuff on a street rat like me, it wouldn't be right..." She wasn't sure about going with Jib, she needs a place to stay..but..
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Post by jib on Aug 31, 2008 11:59:09 GMT -5
"I don't own much; a bed, a couch, a small table, a small fridge, and a bunch of boxes where I keep my clothes." He thought about his apartment; he decided he'd have more money if he went for less stuff. More money meaning a third meal a day. "I just, don't like seeing people sleeping on the streets. Especially some of those younger kids I see selling papes."
Jib thought about this, he forgot something important. "I, uh, didn't catch your name." His mind was flowing with thoughts that he couldn't remember if she told it or not.
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Post by impatient on Aug 31, 2008 12:03:07 GMT -5
"Oh, sorry. My names Impatient, hehe...or you can just call me Impy, whichever you prefer." It was kind of weird for Impatient to give out her name, so she decided she could trust him with her real name. "My real name is Margaret Cataldo."
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Post by jib on Aug 31, 2008 12:07:58 GMT -5
"Well, my real name is Peter; but I think I've been called Jib more than my real name. Even by my parents." He thought back as far as he could remember and it had always been Jib. "It's the smaller sail on a boat... my day was a sailor." He didn't want to think about two sad events, so he moved back to the first one.
"There has to be a way I could help you guys. other than just offering a place to stay." He couldn't think to imagine what it would be life for him if he couldn't make enough money to have a home and food.
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Post by impatient on Aug 31, 2008 12:12:04 GMT -5
"I don't really know what you could do, since a few of our leaders want to strike, I think my leader Jack doesn't want to again. I would like to, but only if we do something different. 'Cause if we don't, they know what will be coming, and so will we.."
Glancing up at the dark sky, she started to remember when her and her mother always came out when she couldn't sleep and they watched the stars. Leaning against the post, Impatient felt tears come to her eyes, but she wiped them away before they could fall, but at the same time she was humming along.
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Post by jib on Aug 31, 2008 12:19:20 GMT -5
"You have leaders?" For some reason this surprised him, yet at the same time it didn't. That's what people need during the good and bad. "Maybe with some support he'll strike. I'll offer anything i can to help you guys. I'm not as hard off as you, I have stuff to spare." He didn't need everything, he lived on a ship where you had to survive with the minimum, it wouldn't be much different.
He was going to continue talking when he noticed a shimmer in her eyes. When she wiped at her eyes he only had one guess what caught the little about of light. The sound of her humming just made him feel bad. He reached out a hand and placed it on her shoulder, and moved closer. He wanted to promise that she'd be fine, but at the moment he really didn't know enough about what was going on.
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Post by impatient on Aug 31, 2008 12:22:26 GMT -5
Impatient smiled at him when he moved closer. She really needed someone to comfort her, and he seemed nice enough. Without having a care in the world, she just leaned into his chest and cried a little bit.
Remembering her mother didn't do much for her, since she hardly remembered anything. Impatient trusted Jib, and that wouldn't change.
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