oh, bumlets. my sweet child.
first of all, go read the bumlets appreciation post that @itteryskay reblogged like,,, forever and a day ago (the OP has since deleted their account). it’s amazing, I love it, and there’s a good deal about dominic lucero (the actor who played bumlets in 92sies), who tragically passed at 26, two years after the movie premiered.
ok, so- bumlets. here’s me acknowledging that I’m predictable as shit, and we’re going to delve into his name. a ‘bum’ doesn’t actually refer to a lazy person, but to the butt of a cigar. also, when one says ‘can I bum a cigar?’ they’re asking if they can have one. when calling bumlets- well, bumlets, they’re essentially saying that he’s either known for smoking cigars (like race) OR that he had a bad/funny experience with them.
and, well. you know me. imma go with the second option.
what I think happened is a lil’ something like this- when he first became a newsie (and I’d say it was around 12/13), bumlets REALLY wanted to make friends, because he had a harder time trying to do that when he went to school (his family was firmly lower middle class, and his clothes tended to reflect that. the other kids…had some thoughts they deemed appropriate to share about this matter). and all of the cool, older guys smoked, right? so bumlets was like, hey! I should do that! (no, sir.) and so one day he just- took?? the butt??? of someone else’s used cigar????? and tried to smoke it??????????? (ha. notice how I said tried?) when he got caught, he was bent over, hacking and wheezing, trying to get the awful taste of smoke out of his lungs. hence, ‘bumlets’.
now, since he was played by dominic lucero (who was latino, according to different sources I’ve found), and he doesn’t have another name given to him by the fandom, I’ve taken it upon myself to dub him michael herrera (which means ‘iron worker’, so it could be a last name acquired when his parents- who probably planned on working in the factories- traveled through ellis island and had to go through customs). not saying we have to use this name, but I am saying I’M using this name from now on. so.
ok, if you’ve made it this far, buckle up pronto. because my favorite bit of ALL of my bumlets hcs (and believe me, I have more. he’s easily one of my favorites, if not tied for first), is who I ship him with. alright, you ready?
*clears throat so I can yell this REALLY loudly*
BUMLETS/SKITTERY IS MY LIFE BLOOD AND YOU CAN’T ROB ME OF THAT. LIKE- 92SIES GAVE US SOME GOOD SHIPS- JAVEY, SPRACE (ralbert fans, I love you, too, but this ain’t that show), SARAH WITH ABSOLUTELY NO ONE BECAUSE KATH ISN’T AROUND YET- BUT BUMLETS AND SKITTERY????????? MY HEART. THEY ARE LITERALLY THE BLACK CAT/GOLDEN RETRIEVER COUPLE OF 92SIES. I WILL DIE ON THIS HILL OK
ellievsbear
snowghoul
gummygunk
areudirty
germansingergirl
vaporwave
