Chapter 5: Triple N
799 Words
Chapter 5
Triple N
“PA, I DON’T need this much for one bottle of milk.”
“Do as I say, Eddie. Be a good gossoon, take this money, and bring me what I asked for. Go on, off with ya.”
Edward Murphy Senior had three things to do before his son returned: pack his bag, finish his last bottle of whiskey, and leave. He reasoned one last time with himself. This is what the boy needs to become a man. Same thing happened to me. Sure, I was a little bigger, but my parents left me on my own too—the boy’s got to be able to fend for himself. That’s the way of the world. After all, he’s got some money, this apartment for another week, and neighbors who’ll help him out. All he’s got to do is flash his thousand-dollar smile. Senior wiped a tear from his face. This isn’t time to be soft. I’m doing this for him—he’s better off without me.
One more sip and he was gone.
Edward Junior came home from the store and waited for his father by the window. Often his dad stumbled home drunk and needed some help for the last few steps. After a week, the landlord moved him out to the street and Eddie sat on the curb. Eventually, the ten-year-old boy put on his father’s shirt in an attempt to appear more mature, and went out into the city. Eddie needed to eat and sleep, but more than anything, he needed help.
He roamed the streets during the day and found different locations to take temporary shelter. Food was an issue until he discovered a restaurant manager partial to his glorious smile. At the end of his third day, Eddie discovered a nook behind a box in an alley where he slept undisturbed for three consecutive nights. On the fourth night in his special bedroom, he fell to the ground when someone moved the crate that bordered his space.
“Sorry, brother, didn’t know this was your place. I guess you too late to get into the lodge, huh? Me too. Not so bad, though, kind of warm out tonight. Don’t nobody take care of you?”
“Nah, my Da went away on a trip.”
“Mine too, must be going around the world! Been gone four years! What paper you sellin’?”
“Paper?”
“Yeah, the only jobs for us are either being a newsie or a boot black. Don’t see any black fingers . . . rather be a newsie any day. I work for the Tribune and I know the best spots. How about you?”
“I’m not sellin’ anything.”
“No problem. I’ll help you out. My name is Two-Tooth Tommy. Can you guess why?” The older boy’s mouth opened when he laughed and the obvious reason for his nickname became apparent.
“My name is Eddie.”
“Your name ain’t right for the business. Stand up.”
Tommy glanced at tiny little Eddie Murphy, who swam in his father’s over-sized button- down shirt. He took a minute and giggled, “Okay, we’ll call you Triple N—stands for the No Neck Newsie! Shove over, I need some shut-eye before the morning.”
“Come on. Wake up. Today I’ll show you how to be a newsie. Sleepin’ is over. We need to head down to the Row,” Tommy barked as Eddie got to his feet. “Follow me, don’t say too much unless I tell you, and do what I do.”
The two boys headed downtown to Newspaper Row, the home of most of the city’s newspapers: The World Telegram, The New York Sun, The Tribune, The Journal, and The Daily News, among others.
“All the best dailies are here. A couple moved uptown because they wanted the block named for them. Real fancy. The Times is on Forty-Second, so they call that Times Square. Why you think Thirty-Fourth Street is Herald Square?”
Eddie shrugged his shoulders.
“That’s where The Herald moved! We’re Tribune men—hope they don’t move, don’t want to be traveling to Tribune Square, wherever that’ll be! Remember, do what I do.”
“You got any money, Triple N?”
“A little.”
“Give the bucks over here.”
Eddie reached into his pocket and pulled out his last four quarters.
“Okay, this will do. Today, you treat me, because I’m teachin’ you.” Tommy took two of the coins.
All of the boys crowded around the loading dock and Tommy walked forward with Eddie trailing behind. He called out to the man with the stacks. “I’ll take two. One for me and one for him.”
“Is he your guttersnipe, Tommy?”
“Yeah, he’s with me.”
“Seems a little too scrawny. You sure he can do this?”
Tommy raised his voice and turned to the other children. “I’m watching out for him. Anyone f***s with him, they f**k with me.”
“Okay. Here you go.” The man threw the papers to the boys. Eddie struggled with the king-size bundle.
“You need to toughen up to carry your stuff. We’ll sell some close by, each one for a penny, so we double our money.”
“Wow!”
“We’re going to where the ferry docks. Best spot for us. Let me introduce you to some of the boys.”
A few of the others gathered around. “Listen boys, this here Triple N, the No Neck Newsie!” They all erupted in laughter.
“Hey, I’m Slobering Sam.”
“I’m Fat Franky.”
“I’m Snot Snot.”
They all nodded hello and scrambled to their corners. Within minutes, Triple N was crying out, “Read all about it.”
- Writer
