BACKBEAT LOVE

Chapter 9

(The next morning Morgan was woken up really early, at first she forgot where she was, she tried
to slap the hand away from her)

Morgan: Olivia leave me alone, it's too early.
Sarah: Who's Olivia?
(Morgan opened her eyes to see Sarah looking down at her with a confused look on her face.)
Morgan: Oh sorry, it's nobody, I'm up.
(Morgan got dressed, she fixed her chin length wavy hair and slipped on the newsie cap. she noticed
Sarah watching her)
Sarah: I still think you should be working with me in the factory.
Morgan: No way, I don't want to be stuck in a hot factory, when I can be making good money selling
papes and besides, I don't know anything about making those dollies, girly things and you won't catch
me wearing a dress.
Sarah: Is this how the girls where you come from act?
Morgan: Some do.
(Sarah got up and fixed her hair, she grabbed her basket and then headed to the kitchen. Morgan
followed her)
Esther: Did you sleep ok Morgan?
Morgan: Yes, the bed was very comfortable.
David: Come on Les, we gotta go, you can eat your bread on the way there.
Les: Ok, ok, come on Morgan we gotta go.
(Morgan took her bread with butter, she ate it quickly and then drank up the coffee. She left with
them. Jeffrey woke up to an old man yelling, he rubbed his eyes and at first forgot where he was until
he looked around and saw all the other boys. he got up, he got to the washroom and got ready. Once ready
he followed the other boys outside towards the D.O. He caught up with Race to give him his money back.)
Jeffrey: Here's your two bits back, thanks for lending me the money.
Race: It's ok.
Jack: So Jeffrey, you ready to sell?
Jeffrey: Yeah, I was thinking of buying some extras papes today.
(Morgan walked with Sarah, David and Les, until they got to a factory and dropped off Sarah.)
David: I think my sister is determined to get you into a dress Morgan.
Morgan: She can forget it. I ain't getting into no stinking dress.
(David had to laugh. David, Morgan and Les met up with Jack and Jeffrey. Once they arrived and were going
to stand in line, something was going on)
Skittery: Can you believe that, 10 cents a hundred, I'm barely making enough already.
Boots: Looks like I'll be sleeping on the streets.
Jack: I'll go find out what's going on.
(Jack went up to the window)
Jack: Why the jack up Weasel?
Weasel: Cause it's a nice day.
(Jack goes back to the Newsies, he sits down)
Blink: This isn't fair.
Mush: With all the money Pulitzer makes, why would he gouge us?
Race: Cause he's a tight wad dats why.
Race: What are we gonna do Jack?
(Blink hands Jack a cigarette, he takes a puff on it and then hands it back to Blink)
Morgan: How about a strike?
Race: Are you nuts?
David: Morgan we are we suppose to do, we're just a bunch of angry kids with no money.
Morgan: Then take up a collection.
Jeffrey: Yeah, you with the crutch, take up a collection.
Crutchy: My name is Crutchy. (annoyed)
(Crutchy takes off his hat and passes it around)
Jack: We need to tell them that we're not going to be pushed around, no matter what.
(Jack starts to make a speech, everyone starts yelling. Morgan watches as they agree about the strike)
David: Ok Jack, now that you're the leader of the strike, you need to tell Pultizer.
Jack: Me to Pulitzer?
Morgan: You are the leader.
(Jack thinks for a minute and then grabs Les and they head into the building. Morgan pulls Jeffrey aside)
Morgan: The omni still red?
(Jeffrey carefully takes it out of his pocket, opens it up and looks at the blinking red)
Morgan: Still red, do you think it means we have to stay to make sure the strike is successful?
(Jeffrey shrugs his shoulders, closes the omni up and slips it back in his pocket)
Jeffrey: You'd like that wouldn't you?
Morgan: What do you mean, I want to get back to Olivia and Bogg, Jeffrey.
Jeffrey: So you like Jack?
Morgan: He's nice.
Jeffrey: Yeah, but don't forget, no romance when the omni's red.
Morgan: Hey you and Bogg may have that agreement, but Olivia and I don't, so stop trying to tell me
what to do.
(Jeffrey was about to tell Morgan something when a man comes up to them)
Man: So what's this about a strike?
David: Yeah the newsies are going on strike mister.
Man: My name is Bryon Denton and I'm a reporter.
Morgan: He's the reporter that covers the strike Jeffrey.
Jeffrey: Really?
Morgan: Yeah, he's the only one that covers it and he becomes pretty close to the newsies.
David: You think a guy like Pulitzer will listen to a bunch of kids?
Denton: Probably not, unless you're David and he's Goliath.
David: No, but we are gonna make them put the price back to where it was before.
(Just then Jack and Les and thrown out)
Jack: You tell Mr Pulitzer he needs an appointment with me!
(About 15 minutes later, Morgan, Jack, David, Les and Jeffrey are at a restaurant called Tibby's
eating their full as Jack and Denton talk.)
Jack: So this really snooty gave us the boot, he's like, you cawn't see Mistah Pyoo-litzer, no one
sees mistah pyoo-litzer, real hoity-toitly like.
Les: That's when he threw us out.
(Morgan noticed Jack elbowing Les, when Les said that and Morgan giggled behind a hand)
Denton: He doesn't talk to newsboys.
Jack: Oh yeah, well I ain't just a newsie, I'm the leader of the strike.
Denton: Strike? Who's striking?
Jeffrey: We are.
Jack: Wait a minute, maybe we shouldn't be talking to this guy so free and easy, he might be one of
Pulitzer's stooges.
Denton: Oh no, I work for the New York Sun, infact I'm their competition.
(Everyone introduced themselve and everyone had ideas about the strike.)
Morgan: We have to win this strike or how are we suppose to eat, most of us can barely make enough to
eat once a day.
Jeffrey: Yeah, I don't like not being able to eat at least once a day.
Denton: This is where I work.
(Denton handed Jack his business card)
Denton: Keep me inform of everything, I'll make sure it's in the papers.
Jeffrey: You make is sound like this is something important.
Denton: Jeffrey, only history can be the judge of that, just remember that big changes are often done
by little people.
(After they left Tibby's they came back to the square to get newsies to spread the word, when it came to Brooklyn, nobody spoke up for Brooklyn.)
Jack: What's the matter, scared of Brooklyn?
Boots: We ain't scared of Brooklyn, but that Spot Conlon makes us alittle nervous.
Jack: Well he don't make me nervous, so why don't we take Brooklyn?
Morgan: I ain't scared of nobody.
Jack: Morgan you should stay here, it's too dangerous.
Jeffrey: Yeah.
Morgan: Just cause I'm a girl, doesn't mean I can't defend myself.
David: Who's gonna walk Les back to the apartment.
Morgan: Fine, but you better tell me what happens.
Morgan: Come on Les, I'll take you home.
(They watch Morgan leave)
Jack: Ok, it's settled, Me and Boots will go with David and Jeffrey.
(Morgan talks to Les as they head to the Jacob's apartment. Meanwhile Jeffrey walks with the others to Brooklyn.)
David: I've never been to Brooklyn.
Boots: I spent a month there on night.
Jeffrey: So is he as bad as they say?
(Nobody answered Jeffrey, Jack and Boots just laughed as they crossed the Brooklyn Bridge, they
stopped and Jack and Boots screamed at the top of their lungs off the bridge. Jeffrey and David
just looked at them. When they crossed they got to a sign that read Brooklyn Excursions---closed.
Jack led them to under the pier and to a bunch of boys coming from behind tons of junk that made up
the place. One boy stood out, he had blond hair, wearing red suspenders, a large key was hanging on
a long string. he was carrying a cane. Jack spat in his hand and held it out for the boy.)
Spot: As I live and breathe, it's Cowboy Jack.
(Spot spat in his hand and then shook it Jack's hand. Jeffrey made a discusting face and imagined how unsanitary it is.)
Jack. Glad to see you're moving up in the world.
Spot: You're coming here, doesn't have anything to do with this newsie strike you started?
Jack: It ain't stupid.
(For the next 15 minutes Jack, David and even Jeffrey explained to the Brooklyn leader how important
the strike was, Spot noticed Jeffrey and asked him)
Spot: Would you run if a bunch of men with clubs and chains came after you?
Jeffrey: No.
Spot: I'm not sure if I believe you, until I know for sure, I'm not sure if I want to get involved in the newsies strike.
Jeffrey: Well then you're making the biggiest mistake of your life.
David: Yeah the most respected newsie in Brooklyn, do you know how many other newsies would follow you if
you joined us?
Spot: I don't know, I need to see that you won't run when you're faced with men with chains and clubs.
Jack: Because we're telling you Spot.
Spot: Not good enough Cowboy.
(They left disappointed that they couldn't convince Spot to join them. Meanwhile Morgan and Les arrived at
the apartment and we greeted in an empty apartment)
Les: Good thing you took me home.
Morgan: I would hate to see that you were home alone Les.
(Back with Jeffrey and the newsies, they come back to the square and see that Spot isn't with them.)
Skittery: So what happened?
Jack: Spot doesn't think we're taking this newsie strike seriously.
Jeffrey: Yeah, he thinks we'll run if we see men with clubs and chains.
Mush: Well, maybe we're getting alittle ahead of ourselves.
Jeffrey: Maybe Spot was right about you all, all I know is I'm gonna strike if it means that the price
goes back down to where it was.
Jack: Jeffrey's right, we gotta stick together and let the big wigs know we mean business.
(The other newsies aren't sure, but Jeffrey tries another thing to get them going)
Jeffrey: Just think of what will happen once the word of the newsie strike goes around, maybe even kids
in factories and kids all around New York strike, think of what we can achieve with it.
Jack: Jeffrey's right, it isn't about just the newsies, if we win, things might change for all of the
kids in New York who are sweating in factories and kitchens, we have to stirke.
(Jeffrey smiles at what Jack said, he's really enjoying being a part of the newsie strike. Later that
night when Jeffrey and David came to the apartment, they both had alot to say. Everyone listened to them
and Morgan felt left out alittle bit, but she tried not to show it. After supper, Morgan headed out to the
fire escape by herself. Jeffrey noticed it and followed her out.)
Jeffrey: This whole newsie strike is really exciting.
Morgan: And you wanted to leave remember?
Jeffrey: I'm glad we didn't.
Morgan: Jeffrey the more I stay in that apartment, the more it feels like home.
Jeffrey: Morgan, you know we have to leave as soon as it's a green light, we have to get back to Bogg and Olivia.
Morgan: I know.
(David pokes his head out of the window connected to the fire escape)
David: It's late, Jeffrey would you like to sleep here tonight?
Jeffrey: No, I gotta get back to the Lodging house.
Morgan: Ok, but be careful walking ok?
Jeffrey: Yeah.
Morgan: And Jeffrey?
Jeffrey: Yeah?
Morgan: Tell Jack I'll see him tomorrow in the town square ready to strike.
Jeffrey: Ok.
(Morgan watches as Jeffrey climbs down the fire escape and walks away. she sighs. Morgan heads back
into the apartment. Jeffrey heads to the newsboys lodging house, meeting up with Race halfway)
Jeffrey: Hey Race, you ready to strike?
Race: Yeah are you?
Jeffrey: Oh yeah, those big wigs are in for a surprise.
(Jeffrey and Race walk in. Jeffrey gets ready for bed, he lays down his bunk and closes his eyes, tired
from all of the excitement of the strike. Morgan gets ready for bed, she slips under the covers and looks
over next to her at Sarah sleeping already. Morgan sighs and closes her eyes. Her last thoughts are of
Jeffrey and Jack. Soon she is fast asleep)