"Racetrack, tell us your story. You've heard all of ours. How did you'se and Ace come to livin' on the streets?" asked a young boy no older than ten. Racetrack looked over his shoulder and shrugged.

"I'se don't wanna bring up any bad memories. Maybe later." he said and walked out of the room turning down a hand of poker, something he never did. He walked out side to the hot muggy air and waited for his sister to show up after work. Somehow the world seemed smaller to him now than it ever did before. Everything was messed up.

Within ten minutes he saw a young girl heading toward him. She was about 5'6", barely shorter than Race. Her brown hair came down to her mid back and was tied back in braids. She had deep brown eyes that gave her the perfect puppy dog face when she wanted her way. As she neared Racetrack noticed she was sporting a bruise on her face and a cut on her arm.

"What happened?!" he cried.

"Nothin' it's just a cut Race."

"It ain't nothin' and you'se know it." he said taking her arm and looking at it. She pulled away as if saying she didn't need his help all the time that she was old enough to take care of herself. Racetrack looked into her eyes and could see she'd been crying. He brought her gently into a hug. "Let's go inside I'se need your help ta tell a story to da guys."

With a newly formed smile the two kids entered the lodging house and went to the bunk all the newsies were gathered around. Two of the younger kids sat on the floor waiting for Racetrack to say something.

"I'se don't know if any 'a you'se know this but me and Ace weren't always orphans. Once long ago we had parents and a nudder sistah to…" he began gaining the interest of all the newsies.