In The Stands

[Anthony Higgins]

Normally, Racetrack wouldn't go to Nassau County, or Queens, as a matter of fact. But after a good day of selling he had almost fifty cents in his pocket and was feeling good overall. He had heard the Belmont Park Track was a good one, and it would be a nice break from Sheepshead Bay. He was on the point of swearing those races were fixed. Maybe he would have better luck in Queens...

He manages to elbow his way to the front just as the gates opened and the jockeys took off. Although he wasn't one to start screaming at the top of his lungs, Race watched the horses with zeal. He often watched the races before he bet on any of them, and these races looked promising. Even if he had to leave Manhattan for it, he could get used to this track.

[Houdini]

Houdini charged through a bunch of giggling women, who attention had been drawn to one of the younger jockeys. They screamed and sidestepped as she barreled through. She had been searching for an opening or a weak spot throughout the stands so that she could make her way to the front, and the giggling, well dressed women seemed like the perfect candidates.

It was fairly normal to see Houdini at the tracks, especially here in Queens, because a lot of the Jockeys were friends of hers. She dodged a vendor and almost jumped over a small child holding on to his mothers hand. She knocked into the child, making it cry, so she turned around quickly apologizing and backing away.

As she zipped back around again, she slammed right into someone. The force of the Impact sent her sprawling onto the ground. Looking up to see who it was that had so easily managed to block her path, she saw a familiar face.

"Race!" she called out, still sitting on the ground. "Bet on Number 3!" she added, knowing that Number 3 had been training far too well to NOT lose.

[Anthony Higgins]

Race had been watching the second lap when someone rammed into him. He was shoved into the railing, getting the wind knocked out of him. Turning around and gasping for breath, he shouted angrily, "What's the big idea?!"

He finished turning to see Houdini lying on the ground. His reaction changed. Houdini might have been a girl, but she was the head of the Queens newsies, and he was on her turf. Race didn't have much respect for anyone outside of Manhattan, but he knew the leaders were the leaders for a reason. "Whoa...'scuse, Houdini, didn't know it was you." He held out a hand for her to pull herself up. "How's it?"

He glanced back at the track to find number three. It hadn't looked too promising in the first lap, but as they passed it looked like it was pulling towards the front. "Number three, eh?" he said thoughtfully. "Sure about that?" He was sure she would. She knew this track better than he did.

[Houdini]

"Whoa...'scuse, Houdini, didn't know it was you."

Houdini smiled reassuringly, so as to be sure he knew that she wasn't inconvenienced enough to be mad at him. She took his offered hand and pulled herself up quickly.

"How's it?"

She tilted her head, "Eh..Ya know how it is...Losin' bets, not sellin' da usual 'mount a papes..Tha only thing that seems to be woikin' for me is these hea' horses." she said gesturing towards the still running horses on the track.

"Number three, eh?""Sure about that?"

Houdini laughed, "I ain't nevah been surer." she said tearing her gaze from him and onto the slender chestnut with the #3 on his silks. "I been watchin' numbah three's Jocky and Trainer gettin' him ready for the past 2 years, and he's already won two minor races." she added, moving past Race Track and leaning onto the railing.

[Anthony Higgins]

"Tha only thing that seems to be woikin' for me is these hea' horses."

He nodded and tugged at the brim of his cap. "Same kinda thing with me," he concurred. "Lousy luck all the time...an' I'm gettin' to thinkin' the races at Sheepshead are all fixed." Racetrack may have gambled a lot, but he was fairly careful about it. He knew the odds, and no matter what they were it seemed he always ended up losing. "I tell ya, I'm about to start bettin' on the horse I think's gonna lose..."

"I been watchin' numbah three's Jocky and Trainer gettin' him ready for the past 2 years, and he's already won two minor races."

"You come here a lot?" he asked. He was always surprised when another newsie was big on the races. It had always been something Racetrack alone enjoyed. Maybe it was just a Manhattan thing? He asked Houdini as he mimicked her position on the railing, "All dese races clean and good?"

[Houdini]

"I tell ya, I'm about to start bettin' on the horse I think's gonna lose..."

Houdini snickered. "Well, thats a new perspective..but..what evah trips your trigger..." she said glancing over at him out of the corner of her eye.

"You come here a lot?"

"When I have a bad sellin' day - I hit the tracks. Other than that, I'd be hea' every weekend - Or whenever I aint busy," she replied in a monotone. She was beginning to wonder why Race was interested in when she came...She wouldn't always be handing out free tips like that.

"All dese races clean and good?"

Houdini turned so that she was facing Race full on. "It Depends on who's runnin'. Nobody's perfect, you know?" she stated squinting into the sun.

"So how are things in Manhattan? I've heard a few tidbits hea' and there - but from a Manhattaner - How are things?" she asked casually turning back to the rail.

[Anthony Higgins]

"Other than that, I'd be hea' every weekend - Or whenever I aint busy."

"Ain't that somethin'," he said with a nod. Not many other newsies liked going to the tracks, but Houdini sounded bored, and Racetrack redirected attention back to the race as the crowd screamed and the horses finished their final lap. "You was right..." he said with a nod in the direction of the finish line, where Number 3 had pulled in first.

"It Depends on who's runnin'. Nobody's perfect, you know?"

"You're tellin' me!" Racetrack chuckled. "You should see the crooks at Sheepshead, no kiddin'." Compared to that track, it looked as if Belmont Park was just fine, but Race didn't know it too well yet. If he came back he would have to scope it out a little more.

"I've heard a few tidbits hea' and there - but from a Manhattaner - How are things?"

Racetrack shook his head. "Nothin' new, really. The coppers' been after us for a while, cause they says we cause disturbances. I tol' one of 'em, we ain't disturbin' no one, mister. We doin' our job. Maybe you should do yours..." He grinned to himself at the recollection of the officer's face at his smart-mouth remark. Returning the courtesy, he nodded to Houdini. "An' Queens?"

[Houdini]

Houdini grinned as Number 3 won. "Way ta go Shamrock.." she muttered under her breath.

"Nothin' new, really. The coppers' been after us for a while, cause they says we cause disturbances. I tol' one of 'em, we ain't disturbin' no one, mister. We doin' our job. Maybe you should do yours..."

Houdini raised an eyebrow and then burst out into a fit of laughter. That, she figured, was one of the things that made her and Racetrack allot alike. They both spoke the language 'Sarcasm'. "Thats a good one Race, but i think I may have just thrown a punch an' been done wid it in that circumstance." she added after she was able to control her laughter.

"An' Queens?"

Houdini shrugged. "We can't hardly get inta any of the performance halls no more - the new owners aint takin' to street rats as well as the last ones. All da guys are bummed - Though most of me goils dont care." she stated sadly. She had always enjoyed going to the concerts and performances. "I guess it didn't help much that I threw ice at the dancers..." she muttered.

[Anthony Higgins]

Houdini laughed. "Thats a good one Race, but i think I may have just thrown a punch an' been done wid it in that circumstance."

He chuckled after her. "I'm sure ya would've. But some of these coppers...I saw one the other day with a nightstick thicker'n my arm. Best t'just beat up with things ya says, I think. S'pecially them Manhattan ones..." For some reason the cops in Manhattan were the meanest Race had ever seen. Granted, he hadn't seen many cops outside Manhattan, but the principle remained the same.

"I guess it didn't help much that I threw ice at the dancers..."

'You threw ice at the dancers?" Racetrack echoed incredulously, and laughed a little before checking himself. "Ain't that a shame. But ya still got them halls around the other places, huh? I'm thinkin' Jack would have you and your boys welcome at Irving Hall..." He couldn't think of much reason why not. If the Manhattan newsies were kicked out of Irving, Race knew that Jack would expect the newsies in surrounding areas to let him into the halls near them.

[Houdini]

'You threw ice at the dancers?"

Houdini raised her eyebrows. She hadn't exactly meant for that to be heard, it had just been one of those random outbursts of thought that would utter themselves from her lips.

"Ain't that a shame. But ya still got them halls around the other places, huh? I'm thinkin' Jack would have you and your boys welcome at Irving Hall..."

She hadn't thought about asking Jack if Queens could join him in Irving Hall. They were on friendly terms and she was sure he wouldn't mind.

"I'll have to ask him next time i see him." Houdini replied thoughtfully. She had been so wrapped up in her conversation with Race Track, that she had barely noticed the flood of people had all but left the stands where they stood. The next race wouldn't be for another hour or so.

[Anthony Higgins]

"I'll have to ask him next time i see him."

"Want me to talk t'him for ya? I'll have someone let ya know, send one of the boys over. Ain't no use waitin' around for Jack..." There wasn't, really. Jack was someone who did his own thing and didn't wait around for anyone else. Racetrack thought there would be a quicker reply for Houdini and the Queens newsies if someone else was sent to talk to Jack, and back to them.

The crowds began to clear from the stands. "When's the next race?" he asked. At the Sheepshead there was always about twenty minutes between races, but he didn't know what would happen at Belmont.

[Houdini]

"Want me to talk t'him for ya? I'll have someone let ya know, send one of the boys over. Ain't no use waitin' around for Jack..."

"That'd be great! Thanks!" Houdini said, and in her impulsive nature, hugged him quickly. She hadn't a clue why she had just hugged him - and the bewilderment showed on her face.

"When's the next race?"

Houdini was happy to have something to break the awkwardness of the situation and changed her expression back to its normal expose. "Normally its about 20 ta 30 minutes - but since its a meal time right now, it'll be an hour." she stated looking around at the empty stands.

"They'll all be headin' to one of the restaurants in Queens for a bite to eat - and then show up hea' again." she added, sharing her wisdom with her fellow track goer.

[Anthony Higgins]

"That'd be great! Thanks!"

Suddenly she gave Racetrack a quick hug. Taken aback by the gesture, Racetrack only had time to awkwardly pat her back a little before she pulled away. She had a look that clearly stated she had no idea why she had just done that, and Race privately echoed the question. He decided to ignore it. "No problem," he replied. "I'll get to him next chance I get."

"They'll all be headin' to one of the restaurants in Queens for a bite to eat - and then show up hea' again."

"An hour, eh?" Race said thoughtfully. That was quite a while to wait. He glanced around and caught sight of the clock tower near the top of the stands. Sure, he could wait an hour, but what a wait! He looked at Houdini. "Whaddya do when you're waitin'?" he asked. He was moreso concerned with what people do in general, besides go to eat (he barely had enough money to bet on the horses, let alone eat for himself), but he was sure that whatever Houdini did personally would be acceptable.

[Houdini]

"No problem," he replied. "I'll get to him next chance I get."


Houdini was relieved that Race didn't make something out of the awkward hug.

"An hour, eh?" "Whaddya do when you're waitin'?"

Houdini smirked. "Well, sometimes I go around and pick up all da money people dropped in the confusion, and then go eat at Renolli's." she said casually. "Renolli's is pretty damn cheap." she remarked.

Glancing around for a moment, she started scanning the seats and the ground until her sharp eyes would pick up a glint of copper, silver, or if she was lucky, green or gold. Her eyes caught something black, and she headed over to it. Picking it up she saw that it was a nice leather wallet, and it had 6 dollars in it.

She considered just making a run with the money, but then remembered Race Track, she turned around and headed back over to him. She wasn't the type of person who would ditch a fellow newsie, though she had no problem stealing some rich guys wallet.

She pulled out three dollars and stuffed it into his hand. "Wanna go to Renolli's?" she asked grinning. That was the best part about that track, she thought. Finding all the money that the careless rich people slung around while placing bets.

[Anthony Higgins]

"Renolli's is pretty d**n cheap."

Race nodded, thinking what a good idea that was. He wondered if he could pick up dropped change at the Sheepshead. "Not a bad plan," he remarked. He thought for a moment. If Houdini was off to Ronolli's or wherever she had said, that would leave him with an hour to kill. He considered giving the race card a look over and see who else he could bet on, aside from the obvious.

As he was thinking, he realized Houdini had left. He looked around and saw her in the stands. She picked something up, and Racetrack's eyes widened when she thumbed out several dollar bills. His eyes widened. He had never seen so much money before. Forget Ronolli's, Houdini could go somewhere way less cheap with six bucks under her belt.

He was further shocked when three dollars were pressed into his hand. Race gawked at it for a moment. Houdini asked, "Wanna go to Renolli's?"

He looked from her to the absolute fortune in his hand. "Definetly," he said, and pocketed the money securely. "Thanks a billion, Houdini, no kiddin'."