Undergrounders Read Online Free PDF

air. The clueless defencemen were left behind by my move. For fun I dropped my stick low and flipped the puck onto the blade, spun around and shoved it under the crossbar.
    Arms held high, I closed my eyes as I curved outside toward centre. What would the Undergrounders say about me scoring the overtime goal to win the Cup? That would shut Fitzy up. Another gust of wind reminded me how cold it was, though. I must have been out there for two hours. I’d promised J.J. that I’d meethim at the Theatre, and it wouldn’t hurt to get some hawking in. I could ditch my stuff in my hiding spot too. I grabbed the puck and headed in.
    I’d barely got my skates off when that scraggly janitor walked up the hall, pushing a bucket by the mop handle. He stopped in the middle of the room and stared at me so long I started to think I’d done something wrong.
    “I didn’t play too long … did I?”
    He shook his head and began to mop the floor. “You skate good,” he said.
    A bit random, but I said thanks all the same. Then he reached into his pocket and dropped a toonie into my lap.
    “Why are you … giving me this?”
    His head jerked sideways at me. “I know what it means for boy to skate alone in morning. No school — no home. I see you around. I like to help.”
    Before I could say anything he spun around and pushed the bucket back down the hall. I couldn’t believe my luck. I was on a total roll, as Lewis would say.
    I went to the Theatre to hide my skates and stuff, and headed around to the front.
    I spotted J.J.’s red coat straight away. He was at the front entrance. Will and Rose were farther down the street. I walked toward them real slow, and then jerked my head up as if I was surprised to see them.
    “Yo, J.J. What’s up?”
    He made a sour face. “Nothin’. Too cold. Nobody’s even looking at me. I’ve made fifty cents all morning.”
    I nodded at Will and Rose down at the far doors.
    “They got zip too,” J.J. said. “Brutal day. I could eat my left arm — my right one too.”
    I don’t know what possessed me. I must have lost my mind or something. “Let’s go to Winston’s and get some Chinese buns.” I held up the toonie the janitor had given me.
    J.J.’s grin was too big for his face. “You da man, Mouse. You da man.”
    Then I got a surprise. “You doing good today, eh, Mouse?” Will said in a real friendly way. He and Rose had joined us.
    Decision time. Will barely tolerated me, and Rose wasn’t much better.
    “Give it a rest, Will,” Rose said. “It’s his money.”
    Her arms were wrapped around her chest, her thin bluish lips pressed tightly together. Will was puffing on a cigarette butt.
    I surprised myself a second time. “We can all go. I found this on the sidewalk. Total lucky day. Let’s go eat.”
    I turned and headed toward Winston’s and didn’t bother looking to see if they were behind me. If food was involved, they’d come. I knew it was the money, but all the same it felt good to have them following me for a change. Anyway, all the Undergrounders worshipped Winston’s buns. They had different types. My favourite was coconut with lemon filling, and they cost fifty cents each. We went there because Winston usually let us in. Lots of places didn’t.
    Winston was at the counter, a short Chinese man with stubbly black hair. I’d never seen him smile.
    “Can we have four coconut buns, please,” I said loudly, happy that they’d let me do the ordering. They could eat what I liked.
    He put four in a bag. “No eating inside,” he said. “Out.”
    “But we paid for them,” Will said.
    Winston held the bag to his chest.
    “We’ll eat them outside,” I said. “The fresh air is nice.”
    It was hard to tell, but I could swear Winston actually smiled. We Undergrounders had a bet that whoever made Winston laugh would get a dollar from everyone. I guess I was making progress! He put the bag on the counter and turned away. I snatched it double quick and hightailed it