Run Your Mouth (David Jacobs x Fem Brooklyn Newsie)
Request: While David and Jack are in Brooklyn trying to convince Spot to join the strike, Davey sees a girl in the corner of his eye.
Davey’s POV
“So is this Spot Colon a big deal?”
“Just wait and see.”
It’s funny how fast a person’s life can change in a day. First I’m selling newspapers, the next I’m being taken to Brooklyn. I’ll admit I’m really anxious to be in such an unfamiliar atmosphere, especially with the tough Brooklyn newsies watching our every move.
“Where is he?” I whisper to Jack, trying to stick as close a possible. Meanwhile Boots keeps looking around with a laid-back smile.
“Be patient,” the cowboy mutters.
“Well if it ain’t Jack be nimble, Jack be quick.”
We both look up and literally spot the one I think is the Brooklyn leader named Spot Colon.
“See you moved up in the woild, Spot. Got a river view and everything,” Jack comments.
‘Spot’ hops down and I see he’s hold’n a cane. Him and Jack do tha spit handshake and grin at each odda.
“Is that Jack?” A distant voice asks. It’s a girl’s voice.
Just then, in the corner of my eye I see a tall figure step out from behind the crates, and my heart stops. If it weren’t for her voice, one might say she’s a boy from this distance. A few strands of blonde hair poke out from under her newsie cap. She’s wearing faded gray overalls and a messy, oversized blue shirt that’s left with two undone buttons, leaving part of her chest exposed. As the Brooklyn newsie steps closer, it only highlights her feminine charms even more. It’s the eyes. Her eyes. Those ocean blue eyes that I’m drowning in- Get a grip, David!
She twirls a walking stick as she struts forward to meet us, appearing to size me up. “Who’s the geek?”
“I, uh-” For once in my life I dunno what to say!
Lucy’s POV
Spot likes to keep things simple in Brooklyn. We’s the toughest there is, therefore there’s little threats. But that also means we don’t get too much action ‘round here. I thought the highlight-a the week was gonna be when Bucky threw Scab into the river, but I was proved wrong when Jack came by for a visit. I’s one-a Spot’s lookouts, so I’d overhoid earlier about ‘Hattan’s strike business. I just never believed they’d have the guts to come here and ask for help. Jack’s here, and he brought company. I recognized Boots immediately, but then see an unfamiliar face. A cute one at that. I know Spot will club me for think’n like a lovestruck dumb blonde, but just ‘cause I’s a Brooklyn newsie don’t mean my goilish instincts are shut off.
Now the guy keeps look’n at me, his piercing blue eyes analyzing me as if I’m a museum art piece.
“Who’s the geek?” I ask, both curious and as a flirt.
“I, uh-” the blue-eyed newsie stutters.
I can tell Spot already knows what game I’m playing ‘cause he keeps try’n to block me from get’n closer.
“Jack, tell the mouth he’s got no chance with Pickens. You know the rules.”
Cowboy looks back and forth between us, then accepts defeat as he pulls the ‘mouth’ away.
Now Spot turn to Boots. “How’s it hang’n?”
“Got some nice shooters for ya!”
Boots hands him a few smooth rocks. Spot then takes out a slingshot, loads it, and aims at a nearby bottle. “So Jackie boy, I’s been hear’n things from little boidies.” He shoots, caus’n the bottle ta shatter poifectly. “Things from Queens… Harlem. They been chirp’n in my ear, tell’n me Jackie’s boys are plann’n on a strike.”
“Well, we are,” the new guy says assurin’ly.
I’ll give him credit for spunk. Most folks don’t even got the cahonies to look at Spot, let alone talk back to him.
“Oh yeah? Yeah?” Spot gets up in his face, try’n to intimidate him. “Whis is this Jackie boy, some kind-a walk’n mouth?”
Jack looks out from under his cowboy hat. “Yeah, it’s a mouth with brains. And you’ll here what he’s gotta say.”
Spot considers this, then agrees by lean’n against the crates and wait’n for their explanation. “So Jack, are all the odda boroughs pitch’n in?”
“They is wait’n for what Spot Colon is do’n.”
Now the new guy jumps in. “They say that Spot Colon- you’re the key. That Spot Colon’s the most famous newsie in all of New York. And if you join, we’ll be unstoppable. You just gotta join!”
Spot seems to think it over, and I can tell it’s really got him think’n.
“You were right, Jack. Brains. But I got brains too. How do I know you got what it takes? How do I know you’s won’t go run’n the first time some goon comes at ya with a club?”
“‘Cause I’m tell’n ya, Spot.” Jack replies.
Spot sighs impatiently and begins to walk away towards me. “That ain’t good enough, Jackie boy. You gotta show me.”
That’s Brooklyn talk for “no,” which don’t seem to please Jack. He nods respectfully and gestures for the two boys to follow him out. Deep down, I’d be lying if I said I weren’t disappointed to see the mouth go. He must feel the same, because he keeps looking back at me and is hesitant to follow. So much that Jack has to grab his arm to lead him outta his trance.
“Sorry, Davey. Rules state that goils don’t get involved with business.”
Davey? Ah, so the geek has a name.
I saunter forward and go to stand next to Davey, give’n Spot a sassy look. “Who says this is business? I’m go’n for a walk, and you can’t say no.”
Just like that, the King ‘o Brooklyn is reduced to a speechless mess. “Wait- You can’t- You seriously- Him?”
I laugh at his scatterbrained speech and point to Davey. “Yes, him. Be back in an hour!”
Quickly, I grab Davey’s arm and pull him through the crowd-a Brooklyn newsies towards the bridge. Once we’s alone, I relax and set a leisurely stride. All the while Davey looks as if he’s seen a ghost.
“You ok?”
He nods slowly, still stare’n at me.
“Can ya still talk?”
Davey flashes a noivous smile and licks his lips. “Hehe, maybe. Depends if you’re gonna stop being too gorgeous to look at.”
His woids make me suspect a joke, but his face don’t say that. He ain’t kidding.
“You… think I’s gorgeous?” I tilt my head in consideration. “Yeah, just like every guy in Brooklyn. Look’n at me like a piece-a meat.”
This seems to erase all-a Davey’s worried nerves, because he’s got a different look on his face. One more determined, like a debate leader.
“I don’t think you are. Why would they think that?”
I scoff. “Everyone does! Like I’s just a dumb blonde who don’t know squat! Just anodda pretty face. No offense Davey, but I was hope’n you’d be a break from those guys.”
Davey halts in his tracks and grips my shoulders, and I have to resist my fight response to punch his adorable face.
“You’re not just a pretty face. I don’t know much about Brooklyn, but I do know that Spot Colon is a big deal. I admire how you’re confident enough to dominate over him, but don’t have an intense ego. If you’d like, I wouldn’t mind having an intellectual conversation with you instead of gushing about how you’re making my heart melt.”
He takes a deep breath, have’n just spilled his guts to me. This, in turn, has left me speechless. Never once has any newsie in Brooklyn been smart enough to carry on an educated conversation odda than what’s in the papes. Heck, some of ‘em can’t even read!
Davey must take my silence as rejection, because he’s get’n noivous again.
“Sorry if I upset you. I… have the tendency to talk too much.”
“I like that.”
His eyes go crazy, almost try’n to double think what I said. “Y-You like it? It’s not annoying?”
A smile grows on my face and I nod. “Go right ahead, Davey. Run your mouth. I don’t mind.”
Something gets triggered in Davey, because he immediately starts lecturing about social issues. Part of it I understand, but some is a bit too complicated.
“Wait, wait. How do you know all this?”
Davey gets a cute blush on his cheeks. “I used to be in school, before my father had an accident that took him out of work. Now I gotta sell papers to earn money.”
“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. You got family, yeah?”
“Yeah. Do you?” Davey rethinks this and quickly adds: “I’m sorry, that’s a personal subject. We don’t have to talk about it.”
“No no, ‘s alright. It ain’t new to me. I never knew my folks. They threw me in an orphanage as soon as I could talk, and I’s been a newsie since I was five. So, you was say’n ‘bout the problem of over-achieving?”
Davey gets back on track and continues. “I believe that success should be celebrated but to an extent. We shouldn't let our praise go to politicians and business men's heads. After all, living a healthy and free life is its own reward. What's wrong is that our economy has made it appear that being rich and important is better than being content with the little things in life.”
“Ain’t that a fact,” I scoff. “They don’t know what real wealth is.”
“By the way, we never got a real introduction.” Davey stands up straight and holds out a hand to shake. “My real name is David. David Jacobs. I- I know we literally just met, but- Are you familiar with the story of Romeo and Juliet?”
The name washes over me. “No?”
Davey shakes his head and tries again. “There’s something called love at first sight. Maybe you'd know about that, Miss…? Gosh, I don’t even know your real name!” He chuckles. “Some romantic I must be. They call you Pickens, right?”
His innocent smile makes me soften up, bringing a hand over to grip his. “It’s Lucy. My real name’s Lucy, in case you wanted to know.”
“I- I did want to know. But I gotta ask- why me? You didn’t even know me, yet you’re so open to talking with me.”
“Because-a you, genius. You’s actually got brains in that pretty head-a yours, unlike most guys here who got cement for brains. And if at any time you’s ever feel like talk’n, come visit me. Or bedda yet, ya could ask me out?”
Davey stops dead in his tracks, blabbering on like a drunk squirrel. “Ask you- Like- Like a date?”
“No, like an interview. Of course a date, genius!” I laugh.
Davey still ain’t convinced. “But I’m me. I’m not like most guys-”
“All the more reason I’d luv to go on a date with you, David Jacobs.”
He laughs out loud and foist I think he’s make’n fun-a me, but then he gets a bewildered look on his face. “I was just thinking earlier about how fast a person’s life can change in a day. Now my life’s changed even more!” Davey smiles and gently takes my hand. “Thank you, Lucy! Thank you so much! I- I’ll be good to you, I promise. And you can choose the date location, of course.”
“Always a gentleman, I see.” Look’n into his kind eyes, I lean up and give a quick peck to his cheek. “Thanks, Davey.”
By now Jack and Boots have caught up, both give’n us funny looks.
“Hey, um, David. Spot instructed very clearly for us to tell you to send Pickens back. I suggest you do it before something intense happens.”
Davey nods in response, still dazed by my kiss, then turns to me to give me a quick handshake. “See you soon?”
“I’ll count the minutes, genius.”
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Ok buckle up cos I'm about to tell you why 92sies Santa Fe hits HARDER than Livesies and Uksies
Not to say that JeJor's Santa Fe doesn't hit hard, it does but for different reasons
First of all, in Livesies we have a Santa Fe (prologue) so we know that it's something Jack dreams of and wants to go there because he's feeling suffocated in New York. And I kind of always read that as a companion song to Carrying the Banner because that one puts Jack in the position of a leader right off the bat. He's feeling responsible for the newsies or at least the ones that live in the lodging house. It also makes sense because viewing those songs together it's clear that while Jack loves the newsies he's feeling like he's got no options no future in the city. He wants a breather, where he is not responsible for others, he's not being chased and put in jail for helping and protecting others. He wants to be the one who is protected. When Crutchie asks him "You got folks there?" He bitterly says "I got no folks, nowhere" and even though he's so defensive about it deep down he wants that. He might not had parents or had abusive parents and ran away from home we don't know that's but it's interesting that even though he says he doesn't need them he still created in his head that image of loving and welcoming comunity. That's why he's so SURE saying "Folks walk up right and say, welcome home son, welcome home to Santa Fe". For me it's incredibly important that he says "son" and "home". That is clear indication that deep down he is yearning for someone to take care of him, take this incredibly heavy burden of his shoulders and let him just be.
And in Santa Fe, he's even more frustrated with not being able to protect others. He lead them to think strike was a good idea and they got hurt. Crutchie is in the Refuge. And it's all. His. Fault. And later on that's why he decides to 'betray' the others because if Jack can protect others, if there is a way to ensure they will be safe he will take it, no matter the cost. And listen Jack isn't stupid, he knows he can never go there because there is no way that a homeless kid selling papers can get himself to Santa Fe but he needs this dream, because his family is here and he needs them to be safe but at the same time he's a KID and he needs to be safe too. And if noone is going to provide for him, well then he'll make up a city made of clay where he'll be free to play, to mess around, where he will be welcome and taken care of.
And in the end he stays in New York because he feels like he doesn't need to be the ONLY one that is responsible for the newsies and is the only one protecting them because the newsies, Davey and Katherine have his back and would do everything for him as well. He's still looked up to but he has definite help now in dealing with everything. He learns to rely on other people to help him and take care of him. That Santa Fe can be people if he lets them.
Now 92sies
Now in 92sies Santa Fe is placed after Carrying the Banner and we only have few comments in between how Jack wants to go to Santa Fe. Also, so far Jack is shown as someone who's looked up to, but mainly because he sells most papers and kind of just is? He's escaped the Refuge and that made him famous but so far in the movie there is nothing to indicate that he's the leader or feel somewhat responsible for the other newsies.
What is important what Jack says in those few comments about Santa Fe that precede the song is that he's got folks there. We can see that David thinks it bullshit and frankly so did I because why would his folks be in New Mexico and he was living in NYC hawking papers? But I say it's important he talks about his parents because the following scene, at the Jacobs is absolutely heartbreaking. Seeing a happy family, that little interactions they have during supper is like a punch in a gut for Jack. That's why he starts with (what always makes my heart twist):
"So that's what they call a family. Mother, daughter, father son. Guess that everything you heard about is true.
So you ain't got any family. Well who said you needed one? Ain't you glad, nobody's waiting up for you?"
And later on he finishes with
"So that's what they call a family. Ain't you glad that you ain't that way. Ain't you glad you got a dream called Santa Fe"
92sies Jack dream is not Santa Fe (neither is Livesies!Jack rather what it represents but it's different for them. Livesies!Jack wants safety and security for himself. He might think it's a little selfish that's why instead of saying it he just makes a whole ass place) it's family. Now you might say that, well Jack had, has and will have the newsies.
Well the thing is, that Livesies!Jack does, he treats them as family and sees himself responsible for them. 92sies!Jack doesn't.
First he's shown as just another kid, the camera focuses on him more of course because he's the protagonist but other than that he isn't much talkative with other boys. At the beginning only Mush asks him "How'd you sleep Jack?" But the others just do their thing and so does Jack.
In the evening when he returns to the Lodging he exchanges greetings with Race, and they are similar in a way. They just do their things. Other newsies either returned to their families or to the Lodging much earlier so it seems and they are the two independent ones who come and go and they please.
Even as a leader I questioned why the hell he's in charge. He seems to know as much about what he's doing as the next guy and he doesn't seem that component doing it. Why not give this role to Kid Blink? Or Mush or Crutchie or Race? (Missed opportunity to make it actually historically accurate but ok) Jack is popular, yes but why? He sells most papers. He escaped the Refuge, sure. (Although if I remember correctly it's not stated explicitly why he was there? Not like Livesies!Jack who was stealing for the kids there) I might be wrong so let me know.
But he's just there. He is part of the group but does not consider newsies his family. He's constantly looking for one and he thinks Santa Fe is the answer. He says "I'm alone but I ain't lonely. For a dreamer nights the only time of day" Santa Fe is security. It's "a feelings that time can never take away".
But 92sies Jack is not so sure that's it's going to be all unicorns and rainbows when he gets there. Unlike Livesies!Jack who is convinced that's the place, or trying to convince himself and Crutchie, Bale says:
"Santa Fe, are you there? Do you swear you won't forget me? If I found you would you let me come and stay?"
Will he also fit in there? Will he find his family? Will he have what the Jacobs have? He had this perfect picture in his head. He and his family, happy and then he's brutally faced with reality, well with Davey's reality and finally see that what he thinks is a pipe dream is normal for others.
+ West Endsies
I think that Michael!Jack intentions are much like JerJors although his Santa Fe is more like a fever dream, he barely makes it up that fire escape and it's not that just he's angry or resigned it's almost as if he can see Santa Fe right there and wants it to take him in into safety but I've only seen Uksies twice and it was a hot minute so if anyone wants to add to that please do
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