I'll Cover You

Chapter 3

To err is human; to forgive, infrequent.

-Franklin P. Adams

In shock, I had stared at Kid Blink until he left me. I was horrified with how he had treated me.

Well, excuse me for not wanting to be friends.

I looked down at Jesse. His brown eyes looked up at me in almost pity. Like he was disappointed with me.

"What?" I snapped. Jesse whined, still looking at me with his huge brown eyes. "We're fine as we are, Jess. You know we don't need any body else."

Jesse did nothing and then let out a huge sigh. The golden retriever left my side and began to climb the stairs to the boarding house.

"Jesse!" I said, stepping up the stairs to follow him. He didn't look at me, nor make any noise to let me know that he heard me at all, and yet I had a distinct feeling that he was thinking 'Joanna, you're a fool.'

My dog disappeared up the stairs.

Fine, fine.

If Jesse was so insistent, I'd apologize. But that certainly didn't mean that I'd have to like it.

Like a spoiled toddler, I stomped up the stairs and knocked on the door. There was silence, and I raised my hand to knock again before a very old man opened the door and glared at me.

Apparently I had woken him up from a very deep sleep… and was not too happy to be back in the land of the living.

"Yes?" He croaked. "Do you want a place to stay, boy?"

I said nothing for a second, my eyes bulging at the man that looked like could have fallen over and croaked at any second.

Jesse pushed his way through and disappeared into the darkness of the boarding room. "Well?" The old man said, looking very tired and very old. I nodded.

"Well then, get-," The man let out a huge yawn the size of Texas. "Get inside."

I ducked underneath his arm and he slapped me on the back genially, almost like he considered me a son already.

"Got to register you," he said, adjusting his glasses and grabbing his fountain pen. I leaned against the counter.

"Name?"

"Jonathan," I said.

"I need your last name, son," He said. Panicked, I spurted out that I didn't have one.

"No need to get defensive," the Old Geezer said. "Lots of boys don't have last names either. Well," the man said, closing his record book. "You're registered, then. Your bunk is 12B, next to Skittery Stakem. Get goin'," He started to move away from his desk.

"Wait," I said. "What should I call you?"

Somehow I doubt 'Old Geezer' would not be acceptable.

The old geezer tapped the name plate. "Can't you read?"

"No," I said, feeling rather insulted. "I don't. Is that a problem?"

"Lordy," the man said, rubbing his temples. "A newsie that can't read,"

I remained silent.

"My name is Kloppman. We need to do something about you not being able to read…" and then more to himself than to me, he whispered "Ms. Van Wyck often does charity work…"

Oh God above, Van Wyck? Was I never to be rid of her? Choke me. I frowned.

"Well, get to bed. Ask a boy where 12B is." He turned away from me. "I'll wake you in the morning."

He handed me a pillow and a blanket, and pointed me to the stairs. I climbed, a little worried on what I might find… a furious Kid Blink and possibly that Mush guy as well…

And Jack… A smile crept on my lips. Maybe this wouldn't be too bad.

"'Ey," a boy said, "Is this your dog?"

"Yeah," I said, petting Jesse and smiling. Well, maybe Jesse would help me with making friends here...

"Dog's aren't allowed in here. Get him out, Crutchy's allergic."

…Or maybe elephants will fly out of my pants.

Glancing over at Kid Blink, who shot me a stare of death, I knew that I had dug myself pretty damn deep with this one.

I led Jesse outside. "I'll come back for you later, Jess." I said, kissing his head. He gave me a pleading look, but I could do nothing. "I'm sorry."

When I got back, the boys pointed me to 12-B, but not before leading me to 6B, 10B, 20B and 14B first…

As I climbed into my bunk, I turned away from the boys and buried my head in my pillow.

I hate my life. I hate it here. I hate being a newsie.