Wild Boys of the Road Page #4

You won't feel anything, son.

You just lay back

and keep talking to your friend.

You're not scared, are you, Tommy?

No.

What's there to be scared of?

Nothing. Only I thought that...

Take it easy, son.

Only I thought that, well, you know,

a fellow sometimes gets kind of nervous.

Shucks, what do I care about an old leg?

Just think, from now on...

...when I get a new pair of shoes,

I'll only have to break in one of them.

Sure.

And won't I laugh at Harriet?

I won't have to argue with her anymore

about dancing.

I won't even have to learn.

That's right.

Now roll him over.

And another thing.

I won't have to run errands for Mama...

...or bring up coal.

I know you won't, Tommy.

You'll get out of doing a lot of things.

Sure, I'll get out of doing a lot of things.

Like kicking footballs,

playing basketball...

...going ice-skating, tumbling...

...walking.

Mm-mm.

Now there's a guy that can really sit.

No fooling.

All right, that won't hurt you now, kid.

You know what I was thinking, Eddie?

What?

Maybe it would be better if we split up.

What are you talking about?

You know what I mean.

I'm not much good.

I can't catch freights.

I can't do anything.

All I can do is lay around here

and eat and sleep.

Well, why don't you give him

a poke in the eye, Eddie?

I can't go out with the guys

to help get grub.

Gee, you will.

But you have to wait your turn.

Ah. That's what you always say.

You always say wait until my turn.

But you're not kidding me.

You think the crutch hurts my arm

and makes me tired.

Look, Tommy,

it isn't always gonna be like this.

With those artificial legs

they have nowadays...

What's the use of fooling me?

We're not fooling. You wait and see.

When I get a job,

that's the first thing you're gonna have.

And they don't cost as much as you think.

And, boy, can they fit them.

A kid told me this morning

that his uncle wore one for 3o years.

And he used to forget

to take it off at night. Heh.

- On the level?

- Cross my heart.

What's the kid's name?

Uh... Uh...

I can't think of his name right now.

But I'll find him

and you can ask him yourself.

Hey, Eddie, the panhandling gang

is waiting for you. Come on.

Snap out of it, kid.

Hey, wait a minute.

I want you to see

how the crutch works with the pad.

See? You notice it doesn't

throw my shoulder out like it used to?

- Yeah.

- And look how fast I can go.

Gee, that's swell.

Hey, Eddie, come on.

See you later.

What's the matter?

Is he having trouble with his crutch again?

Oh, shut up.

Don't.

He don't like anybody to pick him up.

Let's go, gang.

Hey, where we going?

Where are we going, Eddie?

Hey, there's a good spot over there.

Okay, gang.

We'll take this side and, Mac,

you and your bunch take the other.

Okay, gang, let's go.

Say, mister, could you give a fellow

a nickel or dime...

...to get a cup of coffee or a loaf of bread?

I ain't had nothing to eat since...

I'm sick of this panhandling. I'll show you

where you can get something to eat.

Hey, Mike.

Mike.

Hey, stop him. Stop him, somebody.

Hey, stop him.

Stop him. Stop him, somebody.

Stop him.

Can't you give a hop with the other foot

when you put this one down?

What do you think I am, a rabbit?

I'm telling you, I can't stand on it.

It rubs the bone.

And it ain't the right leg.

It was the best I could do.

Come on, try again.

Come on, Tommy. Attaboy.

Now you're doing swell.

Keep going, keep going.

Come on, Tommy.

Take it easy, man.

Gee, you're doing swell.

Come on, Tommy. Come on.

Aw...

I told you, it doesn't fit.

I can never use it.

What's the use of trying?

Forget it.

I should've known

a guy has to be measured for one.

Let me take it off.

Don't think I don't appreciate it, Eddie.

I know you got it just to help me,

but honest...

Skip it, will you, Tommy?

Hey, Eddie, look,

they're gonna put us out of here.

What? Put who out?

"Police say Sewer Pipe City must go.

Trace looting of Acme Surgical

Supply House direct to young hoodlums.

Boys given until noon to leave the city. "

- How'd they find out?

- They knew we had a kid with one leg.

- Well, we ain't gonna move, are we?

No!

They can't put us out.

We've got permission.

They'll run us off streets,

keep us out of freight yards.

- We'll stay right here.

- Let them try and put us out.

The first cop that comes in here,

we'll mob him.

We'll fight. We'll show them.

We've got 35 minutes.

- Go get your ammunition ready.

- Come on!

- Take it easy, Tommy.

- Okay.

Look out, gang. Here they come.

Well, let's get together.

Take it easy, you fellows.

Remember your orders.

No clubs,

and don't roughhouse any of them.

Boy, there's a lot of them.

All right, boys.

Just move on quietly

and don't create any disturbance...

...and nobody's going to get hurt.

We're not picking any of you up.

We're giving you a chance

to get out of town.

We're not hurting anybody.

We got permission to live here.

You can ask the guy that owns the yard.

Don't tell me what to do.

You heard the orders.

Start moving, all of you.

- Get going.

Come on, cop.

This one's for you.

This is a rotten trick, if you ask me.

How do you think I feel

with two kids of my own at home?

Try and keep it low, Bill.

Hit them on the legs.

Aah!

I'll give you another one.

We can't beat them.

You duck down to the freight yard.

- We'll try and hold them off.

- Okay, come on, kids.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Do you feel sick?

I feel all right.

Tommy, why'd we ever come

to New York?

I don't know. I hate the place.

I wish we'd stayed in the country.

At least we slept in barns...

...and didn't have to stand in line

to get something to eat.

Will you ask Eddie just once more?

What's the use?

He won't hit the road again.

He thinks New York's a swell place.

Heh. Look at it.

Tommy, Sally.

- What is it?

- I got it!

I was walking down Church Street

by those salesroom buildings.

I see a line of kids and

there's a sign up there says "boy wanted. "

There was an old guy walking up and down,

so I got in line and he picked me.

You got a job?

Start tomorrow morning, $ 12 a week.

Holy cat.

Eddie.

What did I tell you?

Didn't I always say

New York was the spot for us?

Listen, I've been thinking it over

on the way home.

We can move into a nice boarding house.

We'll get two rooms.

I can stake Tommy to selling papers.

You'll get a job washing dishes

or something.

Heck, that reminds me.

What's an alpaca coat?

Why? Do you have to have one?

I think it's like mohair.

You know, the stuff they cover chairs with.

The guy said I had to have one of them

and a pair of blue pants.

I'm gonna run an elevator.

Gee, what are you gonna do?

I bet I could pick

the whole shooting match up for about $3.

Three dollars? Have we got that much?

No, but we can get it. You know how.

- Panhandling.

- Right, and that's just what I'm gonna do.

We'll help you.

I'll bet with this peg leg of mine and my

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