Outside

[Administrator]

Outside of Irving Hall

[Specs]

Specs had been planning on wasting the day in the lodging house doing nothing of importance, because that seemed to be the day everyone was having. Jack had finally passed out in the bunk room (he hadn't even bothered to go to his own bed, a testimony to the fact that he literally passed out) and Specs and Racetrack had helped a few other boys heave him onto the closest cot, which happened to belong to Specs. Jack was still sleeping as far as Specs knew, and as for him, he'd been temporarily evicted to the sofa in the downstairs room. The way the mood around the lodging house was at the moment, Specs was considering sitting on the couch all day doing whatever didn't require him to stand up.

Then he tried to remember the last time he'd taken a girl out. And it was far, far too long ago.

That particular motivation made him able to wash, shave and dress quickly and head out to Irving Hall, where he knew he'd see a few beauties--female newsies who knew how to wear a skirt, pretty young theatergoers, those actresses and dancers with romance on their minds... It was just a matter of waiting. And Specs had quite a bit of time on his hands. He leaned against the wall of the theater, next to a poster advertising some Italian tenor who would be in town next month, and looked attractive. Someone would walk by eventually.

[zoo]

NEW DAY <open>

Zoo walked up to the front. Well, she had walked up to the front about half an hour ago. She had been pacing for most of the time after that. She had learned her lesson about giving notice of leave from plenty of other people - she didn't know how difficult it would be to begin singing at the Hall again. How much begging, pleading, and sucking up she'd have to do.

She had put on her best, but it still didn't seem good enough. She had tried to take a few extra clothes from home with her, but with the situation being uncertain in New York, there was only room for necessity, and the lighter the better. But she brushed the dust off her skirt, took a deep breath, grabbed the door handle....and promptly let it go again. This was too difficult. She pulled a cigarette from the pocket she had made in the skirt and played with it. She almost split it open before she realized how foolish that would be. She played with her hair, tying it up, then letting it down, then tying it up again. She slumped against the brick wall.

[mush]

Mush had been out selling papers and had happened to turn the corner and watch Zoo's antics with the stage door. He watched her fiddle with a cigarette and had to stifle a laugh. Eventually when she slumped against the wall, he decided that maybe he'd go and say hello, maybe he could be of use.

"Hello? Miss, is something wrong?" he asked. "You look... lost or confused," he smiled at her, which couldn't help being charming under his hat and scarf. "...maybe you need a light?" he asked pulling out his lighter. Perhaps she'd stop fiddling with the cigarette if it was lit and hot? He was only trying to help.

[zoo]

Zoo was too preoccupied to even notice the young man walking up to her. She almost bit her tongue she was so startled. But she looked up, and recognized the hat as a sign of common occupation. Newsies were positively recognizable from a mile away - that is, as long as they wanted to be.

"Hello? Miss, is something wrong? You look...lost or confused....maybe you need a light?"

Zoo didn't mean to actually laugh. A laugh happened in her mind, but she didn't realize she was vocalizing it until it actually happened. She thought of what she must look like, standing around outside a music hall. She thought for a moment about accepting the young man's offer, but then shoved the cigarette back in her pocket.

"Thanks, but...I probably shouldn't. And, I'm not lost, exactly, just" - she gestured goofily to the door - "trying to get the gump to cross the threshold."

The young man still had the lighter in his hand, and she almost felt rude for putting it back. She pulled the cigarette back out of her pocket and offered it to him. "Warm up on a cool day?"

[mush]

"Naw," he said shaking his head and putting the lighter back in his pocket. "I don't actually smoke. Just carry the lighter cause a lot of my friends do, and they usually loose theirs," he said with a shrug on his shoulders and a twinkle in his eye.

"Sooo...going inside huh? What's there to be so scared of in there? It's just Irvin' hall, just Medda, just one of the nicest ladies you'll meet this side of the Hudson river," he said smiling at the door fondly, and looking absolutely adorable.

"You a singer?" he asked as he pulled a couple of cookies wrapped in a napkin out of his pocket, one of these he also offered her. He found that chocolate is always a good way to make a person smile. He had a sweet tooth himself, and found it a better habit than smoking. Plus he was too nice to be selfish.

[zoo]

"Naw, I don't actually smoke. Just carry the lighter cause a lot of my friends do, and they usually loose theirs."

Zoo smiled and put the cigarette back in her pocket. "That's very kind of you to do. Lord knows how many lighters I've misplaced...or matches lit on accident".

Sooo...going inside huh? What's there to be so scared of in there? It's just Irvin' hall, just Medda, just one of the nicest ladies you'll meet this side of the Hudson river."

Zoo was quiet at that. Sometimes her imagination built Medda up to be the typical show stopping singer - rude, inconsiderate, and not very forgiving. But the young man reminded her of all that Medda had ever done for the newsies, and knew that she was making the situation far more complex than it needed to be. Still, there was a bit of doubt in her mind.

"You a singer?" He pulled something wrapped from his pocket. Cookies. Now that was adorable. He offered one to her, and she smiled and accepted it. When was the last time she had shared a cookie with someone? Besides, she wasn't the paranoid type that didn't take candy from strangers. She cleared her throat after swallowing a small bite.

"I guess you could say that. I used to sing here a few years ago. Nothing too fancy, and not very often. More the type of music you would hear in a pub. I'm from Boston, so I guess I can't help my taste."

She smiled. Chocolate. So wonderful. She cocked her head to the side. "And what about you? You come here often, I suspect."

[mush]

Mush nodded with a smile on his face, closed lips though, he was still eating a cookie. "Mmhmm!" he swallowed. "Yeah, me and a bunch of my friends spend a lotta time here," he said enthusiastically. "It's one of our favorite places to hang out and just have fun," he smiled a little wider now. "After all, Medda kinda gives us a break on shows and stuff. She figures we need the culture and need to learn music and... stuff," he said shrugging. "So sometimes she'll let us in the stage door, or get our tickets for us," he said. "So yeah, we come here a lot." Mush especially. He really liked the... culture.

"Oh geeze!" he said realizing all at once. "Heh, I ain't told ya who I am. What kinda gentleman am I?" he asked. "M'name is Mush." He took his hat off of his head for a moment. "I live here in Manhattan, and I sell newspapers." He was quite articulate for a street kid, and a gentleman besides. There was some motherly voice in the back of his head, always reminding him to be a gentleman, especially to ladies. He dusted his hand off on his pants, what little good it did, and offered it to her. "What's your name ma'am? he asked with a sincere, and rather adorably charming smile on his face.

[zoo]

Zoo smiled at the boys remarks on Irving Hall. Medda was known to be a little outrageous with her performances, it was no wonder the boys clamored in whenever possible.

"Oh geeze. Heh, I ain't told ya who I am. What kinda a gentlemen am I? M'name is Mush. I live here in Manhattan, and I sell newspapers." His gestures were cute, but not quite childish.

"What's your name ma'am?" His wiped his hand off on his dirty pants, but she would have taken it even if he hadn't. She grabbed it kindly, almost a slap grab, and shook it.

"My name's Zoo. Just got back back from Boston, and it's a pleasure to meet you Mush. So, what else do you do besides sell papers?"

[mush]

Mush had to admit, he was taken aback by her hand shake. Not that there was anything wrong with it, it just hadn't been what he had been expecting. He let go of her hand, a now even bigger smile on his face as he looked at her. "Zoo huh? Like the kind where they keep the animals? If it's not too strange of a question, may I ask how you got that nick name?" It was nothing but a good natured question, and one could tell he meant no harm.

He thought about it a second. "Well really I... don't do much else when it comes to earning money. But I do like coming here," he motioned to Irving Hall, and spending time with friends," he realized how sappy he was sounding so he played the next part off as a joke, "night rain storms and long walks on the beach," he said it in almost a dreamy tone to make it even more ridiculous. "Naw, he said, "ya know if I really had the money I'd learn to bake all the things i like to eat. Like these cookies, cupcakes, roles and doughnuts and stuff., ya know?" he smiled a little. "People think it's kind of dumb, but I have a soft spot for my sweet tooth."

"And, if I may ask" he added, "what else do you do besides stand outside of Manhattan buildings and decide whether or not to go inside?" he added with a slight sparkle in his eye.

[zoo]

"Zoo huh? Like the kind where they keep the animals? If it's not too strange a of a question, may I ask how you got that nick name?"

Zoo found a barrel a few feet from the door and sat down on it. "Well, I had two brothers when I grew up, one older, and one younger. " She thought quietly for a moment, looking Mush up and down. "Hmm...my younger brother would probably have been about your age. Anyway, they were crazy, so I had to try and beat them at the crazy, since anything girls can do, boys can do better." She smirked. "Zorana is my real name. Zoo seems a little easier to swallow."

Mush seemed like the sweet type. But he was friendly, and that was more than anyone could ask for. She smiled as she listened to him.

"Well really I...don't do much else when it comes to earning money. But I do like coming here, and spending time with friends...night rain storms and long walks on the beach."

Again, the burst of laughter couldn't be contained and it was in the open before she could stop it. She put her hands dramatically to her chest and sighed. "Oh, I feel the same way! The romance! The wonder!"

"Naw, ya know if I really had the money I'd learn to bake all the things I like to eat. Like these cookies, cupcakes, roles, and doughnuts and stuff, ya know? People think it's kinda dumb, but I have a soft spot for my sweet tooth."

"That's not dumb at all. It only makes sense to surround yourself with the most wonderful tasting things in the world. Who wouldn't want to have enough cupcakes to sleep in?" she said, grinning.

"And, if I may ask, what else do you do besides stand outside of Manhattan buildings and decide whether or not to go inside?"

She cleared her throat. "Ahem, do you have a problem with people admiring the architecture of wonderful Manhattan buildings? It's an art." She smiled and winked at him. "Well, I sell a few papers myself, but I try to study my nursing book as much as I can."

[mush]

Mush smiled, he liked this girl, she funny, nice, and cute too. What wasn't to like? He followed her over to the barrel, but was content to just lean against the wall rather than sit down. "Well thanks," he said with a shrug. "And can you imagine sleeping on cupcakes? I mean that's the most comfortable idea in the world, but I think you'd wake up pretty sticky." He chuckled. "And that's not counting the frosting." He couldn't help but laugh along with her.

He watched her as she spoke of her love for architecture and cocked an eyebrow at her. "Yeah, it's an art... but I don't think many people go around playing hot potato with door knobs," he said doing a nod towards the door knob of the stage door.

He listened as she spoke of selling papers and wanting to be a nurse. "Oh wow, so you have like... a life plan and such?" he thought that was admirable, especially for someone who regularly sold newspapers for a living. "A nurse huh? Why you wanna be a nurse? Any specific reason, or just kinda a child hood dream?" he asked genuinely curious.

[zoo]

"Oh wow, so you have life...a life plan and such? A nurse huh? Why you wanna be a nurse? Any specific reason, or just kinda a child hood dream?"

Zoo kicked the barrel a little, examining how dirty her shoes had become. It was an honest question, but a testimony for nursing wasn't exactly something she had prepared. Ever. She pursed her lips together then looked at him. He really seemed curious about it. Not a passing by question. It was nice.

"I wouldn't call it a life plan at all. I don't know if I'll even be able to get a job, or when I'll be able to get back into school. I came to school here a few years ago. Bellevue is the best nursing school there is, and they'll even accept women. So my parents decided to pay for me to come, my father being all supportive of nursing since he was in the Civil War and all. But then the war with the Spanish started, and my brothers wanted to fight. So I went home. And, well, my younger brother died." It was strange to say aloud. She hadn't been around people that she had to tell. It had been fast paced news at home among friends, but here it was just her. "So I wanted to come back and hope, maybe I can help save someone elses brother." She set her head on the brick wall. "That sounds so...mushy." She realized what she said and smirked and looked at him. "No pun intended."

She leaned forward, settling herself on the barrel a bit more. "And what about you? Do you live over in the Manhattan house, or do you have family?"

[mush]

Mush listened quite intently to all she said and nodded. As she told the story of her brother dying he couldn't help but feel sorry for her loss. He knew people lost siblings and family to war and such every day, but just the same, it's always sad to hear about it. When she thought what she said sounded mushy he couldn't help but chuckle. He let her finish and then shook his head. "No, no, not mushy at all I think it makes a lotta sense, and it's a good goal," he said nodding.

When Zoo asked about his family he could only shake his head no. "I don't really remember if I have family or not. I mean... kinda, but really I live with the boys at the lodgin' house. I don't have family here in New York if that's what you mean. I gotta bunk at the lodin' house and the guys there are pretty much my family. It works well, we take care of each other like brothers. Most of the time, there's no where else and no one else I'd rather live with." He smiled and was proud of the Manhattan lodging house. They were a strong group of boys who never gave up on one another, that was something they could always say.

[zoo]

"...Most of the time, there's no where else and no one else I'd rather live with."

Zoo looked at the boy, and tried to think if he was familiar at all. She was normally pretty good with faces, remembering almost everyone she had ever met since she was eleven or twelve. But she couldn't remember anyone that looked even slightly like Mush. She felt bad, but she knew that he was right about the Manhattan boys - they all seemed to be close as family to one another.

Zoo hopped off the barrel and stood in front of the door again.

"I think it's time. What do you think?"