The little boy reached up and kissed his mother on the cheek. She stooped down crying, her blonde braid slapping him in the face as she kissed him hard. "I love ya darlin'. Now you take good care of yerself Joey an' don't worry 'bout me an' Celia." She whispered. He smiled as he looked down at his little sister who was clinging to her mother's dress and gazing at him with sad eyes. "I won't Mama." He knelt down to face the little girl and she took a few steps closer to him. "Now, you'se gonna be a big goil an' help Mama right Celia?" Celia nodded. " 'Cause I don't wanna come home an' find out uddawise. You be a good goil an' I'll come fer ya. Maybe we kin sell papes tegedda. Would ya like dat?" Joey asked. Celia nodded again and dropped her head. "I'll miss ya Joey. Promise you'll come back." She pleaded softly. "Sure an' I promise. I swear. Bye now Celia! Bye Mama! I'll be back soon!" Celia clung to her mother's skirts as she watched her brother walk off. His hand reached up and moved the eyepatch over his bad eye.
Despite what he said, Joey didn't come back. He sent money through a messenger to his mother, but he never came himself. Celia hung around the house for a while, but soon realized that she needed to do more if she and her mother were going to survive. She couldn't count on her mother, who lay about in a drunken stupor half the time, so she one day when she was eight years old, she walked determindedly down to the Distribution Office in Queens. There was a long line of boys waiting and she joined the line. "Hey quit pushin' kid!" A boy cried out in front of her. "I didn't push ya! So shove off!" Celia protested, glaring at the boy.
The boy glared right back at her, his blue, almost black eyes standing out from his tanned face. He pushed back a strand of black hair with his dirty hand as he looked at her. "You ain't from around here." He said. "Yeah I am! Lived here me whole life!" Celia protested. The boy frowned. "You cain't be. I ain't neva seen ya 'round dese here parts. Where ya from?" He asked. "I'm tellin' ya, I'm from Queens. I live on da South side wit' me Mama." The boy's face relaxed. "Oh. So why's ya here wid us if ya gots a Mama?" He asked. Celia dropped her head. "Well, um, we needs some money an' Mama, Mama cain't do too much." She mumbled, unwilling to tell the truth. The boy nodded. "Aw, yer Mama's a drunk." Celia's head popped up and she stared at him. The boy shrugged. "Hey, I hear dat all da time from me boys. Da names' Archer, James Edward Archer at yer seivace." Archer said, bowing low.
Celia wasn't sure whether to be angry or to smile, so she smiled. "I'm Celia." She said softly. Archer shook his head. "Naw, yer Blue." Celia frowned. "Whaddya tawkin' 'bout?" Archer sighed and put his arm around her shoulder. "Look, if yer gonna be a Newsie, ya gotta have a Newsie name. Me, da boys couldn't rightly run around screamin', 'James Edwad Archer!! Where is ya?' right? So dey shortened it ta Archer. Yer sad, so I'm gonna call ya Blue, unless ya've got a betta idea." Archer said, leaning up against the wall. Celia, or Blue, smiled. "Dat's all good Archer. Danks." She said as she walked up to the distribution office.
"Yeah what'll it be?" The man behind the desk asked in a bored tone. "Um, I dunno. Whaddya mean?" Blue gulped. "What is dis Archer? Dis kid don't know nothin' 'bout even buyin' papes! How's she supposed ta sell?" A crude voice came out from behind her. Blue turned to look at the speaker who was glaring at her. He was tall and thin, his hair like Archer's was black, but his eyes were brown. "Cool it Cape. I'll teach her. It won't take long. She's quick." Archer said reassuringly. Cape frowned again and walked up to Blue. "Where ya from? Ya eva done dis before?" Cape fired at her. Blue started then began to answer his questions. "I'm from da South side of Queens. I need money fer meself an' me Mama. An' no I ain't neva done dis before." She said slowly. "Den what makes ya tink dat you should be here?" Cape sneered.
Celia frowned and her fist shot out before she realized what she was doing. The next thing she knew Cape was lying on the ground, holding his stomach and groaning. Archer looked at her, then at Cape and smiled. "Nice woik Blue. Ya made an' enemy." He said with a smile. "I'm sorry. I, I didn't know what I was doin'." She gulped. "Well watch next time. If ya gotta beat people up, ya kin do dat in udda districts." Archer said, his lips still stretched in a pleased smile. "Maybe ya shoulda called her Fists Archer." A laughing voice remarked. Blue looked up into the laughing face of a boy with somewhat long blonde hair and blue-green eyes. He winked at Archer, then turned to her. "Da name's Fox kid. Any kid who kin punch out Cape an' still be livin' is a friend of mine." He said spitting into his hand and holding it out. Blue looked at his hand, then at Archer, who indicated that she do the same. She shrugged and did the same, shaking the boy's hand.
"Dere now, dat wasn't so bad. Blue is it? Yeah, good name. Aw Cape, quit whinin' yer gonna live." Fox said, looking down at the boy on the ground still holding his stomach. "You should talk! You didn't git punched right in da stomach." Cape groaned. "Yeah, well at least I kin hold me tongue an' tawk nice." Fox retorted, winking at Blue who giggled. "Fer dat Cape ya kin go ta da back." Archer said. Cape's eyes widened. "But Archer, she," He began. "Jest git up an' go to da back ya baby." Archer retorted sharply. Cape got up, wincing and glared at Blue. When he turned his back, Blue stuck out her tongue, much to the amusement of Archer and Fox. "Don't worry kid. He's got troubles. I'll protect ya, jest don't be doin' any more of dose lightnin' moves anymore." Archer laughed as he stepped up to the desk. Blue gulped and tugged on Fox's sleeve. "Um Fox, I dunno how ta buy papes, or sell 'em." She said sadly. Fox smiled. "I didn't expect ya to. I was intendin' on showin' ya, unless ya wanted ta do it yerself." Blue brightened and grinned. "Yeah! Please Fox!" She pleaded. Fox smiled and put his hand on her back. "Sure Blue. Sure."
Blue's mother died not long after that day. In fact it was only a week. Blue had rushed into the apartment after the end of a long day, excited to show her mother all the money that she had earned. Her mother was lying on the floor, a beer bottle on the floor, her mother's hand grasping the neck of it. Blue shook her head in disbelief and stepped backwards out the door and began to run. She was almost to the Lodging House when a voice stopped her. "Whassa matta Blue? Yer Mama need some more beer?" Blue whirled around to face Cape, who was standing behind her, a smirk on his tan face. "From what I seen, she don't need no more. Ain't dat right Blue? Is yer Mama dead? Aw, poor, stupid Blue." Cape barely saw the girl's fist coming towards him before it was too late. Her fist slammed into his lip, making his teeth cut against them. Blood was pouring out of his mouth when Blue stepped away. "You take it back Cape." She whispered angrily. Cape remained standing, his mouth holding his shredded lip.
Blue shook her head and smacked him again, this time hitting his nose. Blood spurted out of his nose and Cape yelled. "I give! I take it back!" He yelled, trying to staunch the flow of blood. Blue was sobbing now and she ran away from the spot, barely able to see where she was going. When she ran into a person, she stumbled and fell backwards. "Blue! Watch where yer goin' kid! Whassa matta Blue? What happened to yer hand?" Fox knelt down by Blue and took her scratched and bleeding hand in his. "I came home an' Mama was dead, an', an' Cape was teasin' me dat she was dead so I punched him an' punched him, in da lip an' da nose an', oh Fox what am I gonna do?" Blue sobbed, falling against him and hugging him.
Fox held her quietly, rocking her back and forth. He had knew that this day would come. It had come for him three years ago, when he was nine years old. Only it was his father. Now twelve, he felt that he would be the first one to comfort Blue when this day came. He just knew. "It'll be okay Blue. Shhh. Don't worry. Ol' Fox is gonna take care of ya now, ya hear?" He whispered. "But what 'bout Mama? I cain't jest let her lay dere." Blue whispered. "I tell ya what, I'll go tell Archer ta send one of da boys ta tell da bulls 'bout yer Mama. You kin stay wid us in da Lodgin' House. Would dat be okay?" He asked quietly. "Yeah, I guess so. Danks Fox." Blue said, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Well ain't dis touchin'. Fox, neva tought ya liked 'em so young." Fox narrowed his eyes, gently pushed Blue away from him and jumped up. "Ain't you had enough Cape? Why don't ya go nurse yer wounds." Fox scoffed. Cape was a mess, his face was smeared with blood, and a handkerchief covered his lip. He sneered. "Ya didn't answa me Fox. Whassa matta? 'Fraid ta say dat yer in love wit' a little goil?" Cape sneered. Fox growled and sprang up on the dock beside Cape. Cape paled and took a step backwards. "I didn't mean nothin' Fox." He whined, putting his hands up. "Dats betta. Don't lemme hear ya say anytin' like dat 'bout Blue again. Ya undastand?" Fox asked. Cape nodded feverishly. Fox nodded and took his place beside Blue. Cape glared at her and she glared right back. Cape finally walked away, but Blue still stared at him in pure hatred. Between them, there would always be an irreversible impasse. They would get in many more fights, some often leaving one or the other of them almost dead. This would cause irreversible trouble for Blue and also Queens.
Despite what he said, Joey didn't come back. He sent money through a messenger to his mother, but he never came himself. Celia hung around the house for a while, but soon realized that she needed to do more if she and her mother were going to survive. She couldn't count on her mother, who lay about in a drunken stupor half the time, so she one day when she was eight years old, she walked determindedly down to the Distribution Office in Queens. There was a long line of boys waiting and she joined the line. "Hey quit pushin' kid!" A boy cried out in front of her. "I didn't push ya! So shove off!" Celia protested, glaring at the boy.
The boy glared right back at her, his blue, almost black eyes standing out from his tanned face. He pushed back a strand of black hair with his dirty hand as he looked at her. "You ain't from around here." He said. "Yeah I am! Lived here me whole life!" Celia protested. The boy frowned. "You cain't be. I ain't neva seen ya 'round dese here parts. Where ya from?" He asked. "I'm tellin' ya, I'm from Queens. I live on da South side wit' me Mama." The boy's face relaxed. "Oh. So why's ya here wid us if ya gots a Mama?" He asked. Celia dropped her head. "Well, um, we needs some money an' Mama, Mama cain't do too much." She mumbled, unwilling to tell the truth. The boy nodded. "Aw, yer Mama's a drunk." Celia's head popped up and she stared at him. The boy shrugged. "Hey, I hear dat all da time from me boys. Da names' Archer, James Edward Archer at yer seivace." Archer said, bowing low.
Celia wasn't sure whether to be angry or to smile, so she smiled. "I'm Celia." She said softly. Archer shook his head. "Naw, yer Blue." Celia frowned. "Whaddya tawkin' 'bout?" Archer sighed and put his arm around her shoulder. "Look, if yer gonna be a Newsie, ya gotta have a Newsie name. Me, da boys couldn't rightly run around screamin', 'James Edwad Archer!! Where is ya?' right? So dey shortened it ta Archer. Yer sad, so I'm gonna call ya Blue, unless ya've got a betta idea." Archer said, leaning up against the wall. Celia, or Blue, smiled. "Dat's all good Archer. Danks." She said as she walked up to the distribution office.
"Yeah what'll it be?" The man behind the desk asked in a bored tone. "Um, I dunno. Whaddya mean?" Blue gulped. "What is dis Archer? Dis kid don't know nothin' 'bout even buyin' papes! How's she supposed ta sell?" A crude voice came out from behind her. Blue turned to look at the speaker who was glaring at her. He was tall and thin, his hair like Archer's was black, but his eyes were brown. "Cool it Cape. I'll teach her. It won't take long. She's quick." Archer said reassuringly. Cape frowned again and walked up to Blue. "Where ya from? Ya eva done dis before?" Cape fired at her. Blue started then began to answer his questions. "I'm from da South side of Queens. I need money fer meself an' me Mama. An' no I ain't neva done dis before." She said slowly. "Den what makes ya tink dat you should be here?" Cape sneered.
Celia frowned and her fist shot out before she realized what she was doing. The next thing she knew Cape was lying on the ground, holding his stomach and groaning. Archer looked at her, then at Cape and smiled. "Nice woik Blue. Ya made an' enemy." He said with a smile. "I'm sorry. I, I didn't know what I was doin'." She gulped. "Well watch next time. If ya gotta beat people up, ya kin do dat in udda districts." Archer said, his lips still stretched in a pleased smile. "Maybe ya shoulda called her Fists Archer." A laughing voice remarked. Blue looked up into the laughing face of a boy with somewhat long blonde hair and blue-green eyes. He winked at Archer, then turned to her. "Da name's Fox kid. Any kid who kin punch out Cape an' still be livin' is a friend of mine." He said spitting into his hand and holding it out. Blue looked at his hand, then at Archer, who indicated that she do the same. She shrugged and did the same, shaking the boy's hand.
"Dere now, dat wasn't so bad. Blue is it? Yeah, good name. Aw Cape, quit whinin' yer gonna live." Fox said, looking down at the boy on the ground still holding his stomach. "You should talk! You didn't git punched right in da stomach." Cape groaned. "Yeah, well at least I kin hold me tongue an' tawk nice." Fox retorted, winking at Blue who giggled. "Fer dat Cape ya kin go ta da back." Archer said. Cape's eyes widened. "But Archer, she," He began. "Jest git up an' go to da back ya baby." Archer retorted sharply. Cape got up, wincing and glared at Blue. When he turned his back, Blue stuck out her tongue, much to the amusement of Archer and Fox. "Don't worry kid. He's got troubles. I'll protect ya, jest don't be doin' any more of dose lightnin' moves anymore." Archer laughed as he stepped up to the desk. Blue gulped and tugged on Fox's sleeve. "Um Fox, I dunno how ta buy papes, or sell 'em." She said sadly. Fox smiled. "I didn't expect ya to. I was intendin' on showin' ya, unless ya wanted ta do it yerself." Blue brightened and grinned. "Yeah! Please Fox!" She pleaded. Fox smiled and put his hand on her back. "Sure Blue. Sure."
Blue's mother died not long after that day. In fact it was only a week. Blue had rushed into the apartment after the end of a long day, excited to show her mother all the money that she had earned. Her mother was lying on the floor, a beer bottle on the floor, her mother's hand grasping the neck of it. Blue shook her head in disbelief and stepped backwards out the door and began to run. She was almost to the Lodging House when a voice stopped her. "Whassa matta Blue? Yer Mama need some more beer?" Blue whirled around to face Cape, who was standing behind her, a smirk on his tan face. "From what I seen, she don't need no more. Ain't dat right Blue? Is yer Mama dead? Aw, poor, stupid Blue." Cape barely saw the girl's fist coming towards him before it was too late. Her fist slammed into his lip, making his teeth cut against them. Blood was pouring out of his mouth when Blue stepped away. "You take it back Cape." She whispered angrily. Cape remained standing, his mouth holding his shredded lip.
Blue shook her head and smacked him again, this time hitting his nose. Blood spurted out of his nose and Cape yelled. "I give! I take it back!" He yelled, trying to staunch the flow of blood. Blue was sobbing now and she ran away from the spot, barely able to see where she was going. When she ran into a person, she stumbled and fell backwards. "Blue! Watch where yer goin' kid! Whassa matta Blue? What happened to yer hand?" Fox knelt down by Blue and took her scratched and bleeding hand in his. "I came home an' Mama was dead, an', an' Cape was teasin' me dat she was dead so I punched him an' punched him, in da lip an' da nose an', oh Fox what am I gonna do?" Blue sobbed, falling against him and hugging him.
Fox held her quietly, rocking her back and forth. He had knew that this day would come. It had come for him three years ago, when he was nine years old. Only it was his father. Now twelve, he felt that he would be the first one to comfort Blue when this day came. He just knew. "It'll be okay Blue. Shhh. Don't worry. Ol' Fox is gonna take care of ya now, ya hear?" He whispered. "But what 'bout Mama? I cain't jest let her lay dere." Blue whispered. "I tell ya what, I'll go tell Archer ta send one of da boys ta tell da bulls 'bout yer Mama. You kin stay wid us in da Lodgin' House. Would dat be okay?" He asked quietly. "Yeah, I guess so. Danks Fox." Blue said, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Well ain't dis touchin'. Fox, neva tought ya liked 'em so young." Fox narrowed his eyes, gently pushed Blue away from him and jumped up. "Ain't you had enough Cape? Why don't ya go nurse yer wounds." Fox scoffed. Cape was a mess, his face was smeared with blood, and a handkerchief covered his lip. He sneered. "Ya didn't answa me Fox. Whassa matta? 'Fraid ta say dat yer in love wit' a little goil?" Cape sneered. Fox growled and sprang up on the dock beside Cape. Cape paled and took a step backwards. "I didn't mean nothin' Fox." He whined, putting his hands up. "Dats betta. Don't lemme hear ya say anytin' like dat 'bout Blue again. Ya undastand?" Fox asked. Cape nodded feverishly. Fox nodded and took his place beside Blue. Cape glared at her and she glared right back. Cape finally walked away, but Blue still stared at him in pure hatred. Between them, there would always be an irreversible impasse. They would get in many more fights, some often leaving one or the other of them almost dead. This would cause irreversible trouble for Blue and also Queens.