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Post by Spot Conlon on Feb 14, 2019 13:56:29 GMT -5
Spot wasn't much of a reader. Yet, somehow he found himself wandering down Book Row of Manhattan. It had been about a day or two since he had left Brooklyn to spend some time in Staten talking with Thunder. Now, it was time to head back to Brooklyn and be the responsible leader he was expected to be. There were several things he needed to get done... but somehow he just didn't feel like heading to Brooklyn just yet. He was hoping to maybe talk with Jack before heading home, but he just found himself walking to an area that even Jack rarely frequented. If he wanted to see the Manhattan leader, Book Row wasn't the ideal place. Only the academic and bookworm newsies hung around here.
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Post by Jack Kelly on Feb 18, 2019 22:33:01 GMT -5
Jack wasn't normally the type to walk around Manhattan quite this much. However, after he had finished selling early, he figured that he could go looking for a good book. Sarah had been mentioning that her birthday was coming up, and Jack wanted to get her something nice that she would enjoy. She had told him about a series that she was reading, and frankly he hadn't paid much attention, but he figured that he could try getting her the next book or something like that.
It wasn't long, however, before a familiar face came into view, and confusion overtook his features. "Spot?"
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Post by Spot Conlon on Feb 18, 2019 22:35:33 GMT -5
"Spot?"
He could only respond with a similar question "Jack?"
Spot certainly hadn't expected to see the the leader here, even though he had been trying to meet up with the Manhattan leader. It seemed fate had decided that he needed to see Jack.
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Post by Jack Kelly on Feb 18, 2019 23:02:45 GMT -5
"Jack?"
The Manhattan leader frowned a bit. "What are ya doin' here? Ya don't seem like the type ta read books much."
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Post by Spot Conlon on Feb 18, 2019 23:07:20 GMT -5
"What are ya doin' here? Ya don't seem like the type ta read books much."
Spot shrugged. Normally, he would be irritated, but lately, he just didn't feel like being his normal snarky self. "Jus' walkin'. I was hopin' ta bump into you eventually."
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Post by Jack Kelly on Feb 18, 2019 23:11:00 GMT -5
"Jus' walkin'. I was hopin' ta bump into you eventually."
Jack bit his lip softly. "How was Staten?"
He didn't figure that anything could have gone wrong when he had just been there visiting his brothers, but he hoped that Thunder had more advice to give him than Jack had.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Feb 18, 2019 23:13:09 GMT -5
"How was Staten?"
"It was all right. Jasper was happy." Spot pursed his lips. "And well, I guess that's kinda why I wanted ta talk with ya now that I'm headin' back ta Brooklyn."
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Post by Jack Kelly on Feb 18, 2019 23:14:23 GMT -5
"It was all right. Jasper was happy."
Jack nodded a bit, a small smile tugging at his lips at the thought. "As he should be."
"And well, I guess that's kinda why I wanted ta talk with ya now that I'm headin' back ta Brooklyn."
He nodded again, more slowly this time. "What did ya need ta talk about?"
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Post by Spot Conlon on Feb 18, 2019 23:21:32 GMT -5
"As he should be."
Spot had a small smile on his face. Jasper was always so excited when he came to visit. He probably should do so more often.
"What did ya need ta talk about?"
He hesitated, but he really couldn't keep it like this forever. "About that leader meeting..."
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Post by Jack Kelly on Feb 18, 2019 23:22:38 GMT -5
"About that leader meeting..."
Jack almost instantly frowned. What had happened?
"What do ya mean, 'about that leader meeting'?" His arms crossed over his chest.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Feb 18, 2019 23:27:03 GMT -5
"What do ya mean, 'about that leader meeting'?"
Spot huffed as the Manhattan leader crossed his arms. "Really Jack. Don't get your papes all in a wad... it ain't what you're thinkin'. I just want to push the meetin' to be sooner 'cause I'm stepping down."
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Post by Jack Kelly on Feb 18, 2019 23:30:27 GMT -5
"Really Jack. Don't get your papes all in a wad... it ain't what you're thinkin'."
Jack didn't relax. Something felt off about this whole thing, and he didn't like it.
"I just want to push the meetin' to be sooner 'cause I'm stepping down."
His eyes widened. "What? What do ya mean, you're steppin' down? You ain't makin' any sense, Spot."
How could Spot really step down now? Did he even have someone to replace him?
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Post by Spot Conlon on Feb 18, 2019 23:35:00 GMT -5
"What? What do ya mean, you're steppin' down? You ain't makin' any sense, Spot."
Spot frowned at Jack. "You know exactly what I mean. I'm gonna announce a new leader for Brooklyn at the meetin'."
He stuffed his hands in his pockets, glancing at the window of the nearby bookstore. "The boys have been antsy about it the past two years. I should've done this already by now. We're both gettin' too old to be playin' newsie. With all that's been happenin', it ain't good for anyone for me ta stay as leader. I'm gonna step down an' move ta Staten with Thunder and Jasper."
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Post by Jack Kelly on Feb 18, 2019 23:37:59 GMT -5
"You know exactly what I mean. I'm gonna announce a new leader for Brooklyn at the meetin'."
Of course, Jack understood that such a thing was eventually bound to need to happen. However, that didn't make it any easier to swallow that such a long-time friend was stepping down.
"The boys have been antsy about it the past two years. I should've done this already by now. We're both gettin' too old to be playin' newsie."
Jack sighed with a slow nod. It was unfortunate, but he had been looking around at a few of the others to see who would make a good new leader. He was just planning on trying to get at least up until the summer.
"With all that's been happenin', it ain't good for anyone for me ta stay as leader. I'm gonna step down an' move ta Staten with Thunder and Jasper."
Perhaps the most confusing part was the fact that Spot was now talking about leaving Brooklyn. Brooklyn was his everything, he had referred to Brooklyn as his girl for years. Now he was just giving up?
"You're leavin' Brooklyn? Just like that? What about the people you're leavin' behind?" Sure, the walk wasn't a terribly long one, but it was still a walk.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Feb 18, 2019 23:41:23 GMT -5
"You're leavin' Brooklyn? Just like that? What about the people you're leavin' behind?"
Spot huffed. "It ain't like I'm packin' up and leavin' Brooklyn in one day. Don't get all excited like I'm abandonin' my borough."
He turned his gaze towards the nearby park. "It was bound ta happen anyways... I can't stay in Brooklyn forever. It's time I start lookin' for my own path. I talked with you and Thunder... been thinkin' and I think it's for the best of my borough and myself if I stepped down in the next couple of days or weeks. However long it'll take ta get the new leader adjusted."
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Post by Jack Kelly on Feb 18, 2019 23:44:24 GMT -5
"It ain't like I'm packin' up and leavin' Brooklyn in one day. Don't get all excited like I'm abandonin' my borough."
Jack huffed. This was a big deal, and yet Spot didn't seem to want to think about just how much Brooklyn would miss him even if he wasn't there as a leader. Brooklyn and Spot Conlon were nearly one entity.
"It was bound ta happen anyways... I can't stay in Brooklyn forever. It's time I start lookin' for my own path."
"Don't start tryin' ta sound smart with me now, Spot." There was a level of tightness in Jack's chest whenever he thought about leaving the newsie life behind... even if it was to go to his precious Santa Fe.
"I talked with you and Thunder... been thinkin' and I think it's for the best of my borough and myself if I stepped down in the next couple of days or weeks. However long it'll take ta get the new leader adjusted."
"Spot," Jack ran his fingers through his hair, "Who's your next leader?"
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Post by Spot Conlon on Feb 18, 2019 23:53:52 GMT -5
"Don't start tryin' ta sound smart with me now, Spot."
Spot scowled. "I ain't tryin' ta do that. I'm telling you straight what I've been thinkin'," he replied sharply. It wasn't like he wanted to leave Brooklyn. He didn't... but he knew deep down, he couldn't stay there. For the sake of his borough, he would have to give it up. You know the phrase, 'if you love it, set it free'? That was what Spot knew had to be.
"Spot. Who's your next leader?"
He sucked in a deep breath. There had been a lot of debate on this one. Not just with him and Jack (and Thunder too), but also with all the boys in Brooklyn. Many thought Cloud would be set up as leader since he was always filling in for Spot. But no, Spot knew he couldn't thrust that kind of responsibility on the poor guy. No, he had someone else in mind. Someone not well-known, but would be respected by all.
"Bridges."
The boy was a couple years younger than them and was an up-and-coming newsie. He had talent and skills, and Spot felt he had what it took to be a good leader.
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Post by Jack Kelly on Feb 18, 2019 23:55:54 GMT -5
"I ain't tryin' ta do that. I'm telling you straight what I've been thinkin',"
Jack let out another sigh. The whole situation just felt like it was coming too soon. He didn't feel like an adult yet. He didn't feel like he was ready to go out living a life without his family of newsies around him all the time. What was he if he wasn't a leader?
"Bridges."
His brows furrowed. "Who?" He had never heard of the kid, but he didn't figure he should be surprised.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Feb 19, 2019 9:46:18 GMT -5
"Who?"
Spot raised an eyebrow. He had thought he had mentioned the kid to Jack at least once? Perhaps not. "Bridges. One of my boids. The boys respect him, an' I think he gots what it takes to lead Brooklyn."
Sure, he tended to put Cloud in charge, but that was because Cloud was older than Bridges and could briefly take leadership. Cloud couldn't be the official leader. He wouldn't stand for it and well, he too was getting close to adulthood. Not as fast as Spot, but faster than Bridges.
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Post by Jack Kelly on Feb 19, 2019 10:38:38 GMT -5
"Bridges. One of my boids. The boys respect him, an' I think he gots what it takes to lead Brooklyn."
Jack let out a sigh. If Spot trusted him when it came to leading Brooklyn, then he was probably a good fit. He wasn't going to question Spot there.
"You're sure about this?" His voice was quieter this time.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Feb 19, 2019 10:46:40 GMT -5
"You're sure about this?"
Spot nodded firmly. "I'm sure. It ain't a hasty decision. I've been thinkin'..." More than normal too. He had been thinking about this for a long time, but now he was getting serious about his thinking. It was time to act on his thoughts.
"Brooklyn needs a change."
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Post by Jack Kelly on Feb 19, 2019 10:48:15 GMT -5
"I'm sure. It ain't a hasty decision. I've been thinkin'..."
If Spot was really sure that he wanted to do this, then unfortunately, there wasn't much that he could do beyond hoping that Bridges would be the great leader that Spot thought that he could be.
"Brooklyn needs a change."
The thought itself was sad, but Jack found himself slowly nodding nonetheless. "Well... In that case, I s'pose I wish ya the best."
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Post by Spot Conlon on Feb 19, 2019 10:51:14 GMT -5
"Well... In that case, I s'pose I wish ya the best."
Spot pursed his lips, noting that Jack didn't seem too thrilled about this change. He wasn't too excited about it either, but that's how change was. You never really liked it.
"So you got a date for that meetin'? I want Bridges ta be ready by the time we meet."
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Post by Jack Kelly on Feb 19, 2019 10:52:23 GMT -5
"So you got a date for that meetin'? I want Bridges ta be ready by the time we meet."
Jack sighed softly. "Right now it's about a week and a half from taday."
If it needed to be moved up, then it needed to be done soon.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Feb 19, 2019 10:56:21 GMT -5
"Right now it's about a week and a half from taday."
Spot furrowed his brows for a moment then nodded. That seemed like enough time to prepare Bridges while also not too short of time to keep the matters of borders antsy for too long.
"Sounds good ta me," he agreed. "I'll bring Bridges around sometime before then ta get properly introduced to ya."
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