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"'S bound t'rain by noon!"
Called Crutchie as a crowd of newsboys ushered out the lodging house. Most boys initially ignored the warning, as Crutchie could assume, as they're too focused on making it first to the gates of the distribution center where the church often set up a free breakfast for the newsboys.
Hobbling down the steps, Crutchie stayed further back than usual. His eyes were wandering the blue sky above, that seemed almost straight out of Jack's paintings.
The air was dry, unusual for this season, and the breeze had gone stiff. The weather always did a funny thing before a bad storm hit, as it goes a complete 180. The day can be as beautiful as a butterfly, but by noon be as murky as a moth.
The birds that usually squawked to their hearts content were silent this morning, and the strays that'd roam during day were hidden along alleys, or any place that'd scream for shelter. The streets were unusually quiet for New York.
Though Crutchie could heed a warning a thousand times, not a single newsie would believe it til' the sky grew dark.
"Gonna be a bad storm before evening,"
Crutchie quietly spoke, before being poked by Jack, who met him with a curious grin.
"What was that?"
Jack teased, adjusting his scarf.
"I'm tellin' ya Jack, 'sa be a nasty storm by noon!"
Crutchie repeated, for what felt like the thousandth time this morning.
Jack hummed in response, before shrugging, knowing that his words could only do so much for the crowd of annoyingly stubborn newsboys.
"How do you know it's gonna rain, hm?"
David's light voice picked up from behind Crutchie and Jack, before Les hurried to catch up with other newsies ahead.
Crutchie's eyes lit up as he grinned in greeting,
"It's bound to," He began, "air's dry, breeze stiff, temperature's warm. Leads up to a thunderstorm."
He explained as if it'd been the simplest fact known to man kind.
Though, Crutchie was met with a confused look from the other boy making Jack laugh as he nudged Davey's shoulder.
"He ain't wrong, Dave. This kid has a natural sense for storms,"
Jack'd smiled.
"It's only as natural as survival," Crutchie retorted, shaking his head.
Davey nodded in agreement, though something in the way he'd glance toward the sky screamed to Crutchie, that he just wasn't buying it, and Jack was no help in proving Crutchie's point.
"My uncle, was a sailor," Crutchie blurted, interrupting whatever thought came to Davey,
"I grew up on a boat."
Pausing for a moment too long, he'd hold back a sigh as he continued,
"He taught me 'bout weather, n stuff, before he passed." He explained, shrugging off the look of sympathy being shared between Jack and David.
"So, I know what I'se talkin' bout." Crutchie concluded, tightening the grip he had on his crutch, as he could feel a light burn on the ears.
A long pause between the trio occurred, as Crutchie awkwardly pulled his bag to length around his shoulder.
"I never understood weather all that well." Davey admitted, getting the pair's eyes on him. "Never was good at telling what would happen when."
"Should teach me about it when we're done with selling." Davey offered.
"If we don't get rained out before then!" Crutchie laughed, as he gave David a long, equally surprised and appreciative look.
"You just got yourself in a trap, Daves," Jack teased, pushing the elbow of David's and the hat of Crutchie's. "This kid over here, could go a whole day n' a half talking about the weather n' sky if you so much as let him!"
"Oh you quiet it, cowboy!" Crutchie argued with no bite to his bark, as he fixed the position of his cap.
David rolled his eyes in response, "and you could go a whole year talking about Santa Fe," he'd tease slyly.
"You really don't know weather well?"
Crutchie backtracked, looking at the taller boy, who shook his head in return.
"Les could even tell you,"
He'd sheepishly chuckle, as a hand made way to the back of his neck, holding a small smile.
Jack cut in front of the two, making his way to the opening gates, leaving the two to their conversation.
"Never would I assume that'd I'd be teaching – you – something!"
Crutchie giggled.
"Hm,"
Davey hummed, thoughtfully.
"everyone here's taught me something."
He'd smile, as the two made their way to the piling lineup of newsies.