Chapter #8Barbara's New Nose(Hourglass) by: Goodvibes   "I can't believe this! Inconceivable! Preposterous! Audacious!" Barbara proclaimed on her bed. Currently out of her clown persona, Barbara laid down opposite to one of her family members.
"Completely not true?" Charlie, her youngest sister, snarked. Looking up from her magazine to stare at her older sibling. Barbara looked at her with a smile and shot her with a finger gun.
"You got that right! I mean, who doesn't love clowns?"
"I would lose some love for them if I had to clean pie out of my hair every once in awhile."
"Pfft. You that is the best way to eat baked confectionery,cream based, desserts!" Barbara accused.
"Or finding strands of clown hair around the house because the clown doesn't wanna clean up after herself." Charlie said, now sitting atop of her bed.
"Maybe the clown doesn't see all of that?"
"Or what about the clown's face honking her nose against the trailer walls whenever a bump happens?"
"That is just physics doing its work! Besides that,why would people hate clowns?" Barbara said. "I mean, its just....just...BWAHH!"
Barbara cried in an exaggerated action, taking out a handkerchief from her coat pocket to wipe her invisible tears. Charlie rolled her eyes as she watched her older sister do the skit for a few minutes. She eventually stopped and using her hiccuped. Charlie clapped her hands to show she appreciated her show.
"Wow, you're getting better at this. Those hiccups sounded pretty good."
"Thanks, dad's lessons have been really sticking for the past few days. I think I can even mimic his range of performances. But that aside, where did this clown-dread come from?" Barbara announced.
"I think the proper term is 'Coulrophobia,' I seen it on the internet." Charlie offered. "And as for an answer, I think people started seeing something off about your profession."
"Off? We only want to bring joy to others and have them smile for us using a bunch of objects that look innocent,but are instead a cause of paranoia!" Barbara moaned. Charlie was about to interrupt with another comeback, but Barbara didn't allow it to continue.
"I got something! You know our 'Twelve State Tour' is coming up right?" Barbara said.
"Yes. I live here with you, I know." Charlie responded.
"I'm just giving out setting lore for an audience, okay. So I got a little something cooking in the oven up here." Barbara tapped the side of her head. "How about I make my entire act based around why clowns are awesome! I can see it now; three months worth of clown antics starring: ME!"
Barbara held her arms open and waited for the applause, to which Charlie gladly offered. The clown girl smiled and went to her drawer, opening it, she pulled out her red nose to honk it. The thing puffed out a pathetic sound, to which the girl gave a confused look. Her face slowly morphed into a mask of horror at the sight.
"Horatio! NO! Why!?! You were only three days away from retirement!" Barbara cried.
Charlie actually rubbed the back of her head at this. "Ouch, I can actually feel this one. You had that thing since the start of your career, gosh Barb."
Barbara stood up glumly and ruffled through the drawer. Grabbing a hold of something, she pulled it out to reveal an old plastic bag. Putting the depuffed honk nose in it, she gently wrapped it around the object. Slowly putting the nose back inside.
"At least this gives me the excuse to buy a new one." Barbara joked, but with a tiny hint of sadness. Walking out of the tiny room,Charlie watched through the window as Barbara walked into the changing tent, no doubt going into town.
====
"Morning,Slippy!" A citizen of Evansville offered. "Slippy," better known as Barbara, waved at the man. A huge grin was on her face,though she still felt incomplete without her prized nose. The Cobalt Theater were the local celebrities of the mid-sized town, almost every person who lived there knew of the performers,especially one of the "Twelve Months of Amazement."
Her exaggerated walk caused a kid to stop while holding his mother's hand, pointing at the girl. Barbara saw this, and instantly jumped across the road to greet the child. He didn't seem afraid, in fact he seemed quite happy at seeing her. She reached into her large purse, various sound bits came from inside of it. Finally, Barbara smiled and held out a wrapped sucker and offered it to the boy,who gladly took it. Waving off to him,she walked away.
"Hmm, now were could I go to buy a new clown nose? I got Horatio all the way in New York that one time we were taking a vacation. I don't know where else to buy it." She stopped as she saw something flick in the corner of her eye. Looking beside her was a new shop with the sign "Albrecht's Crazy Gifts and Tricks."
Seeing nothing wrong with this picture, Barbara shrugged and popped right inside. Her eyes adjusted as to the dim lighting of the place, but upon doing so, her mouth widened. Various crafts,gifts,and jokes were displayed and Barbara felt like a child in a candy store.
"Enjoy what you see?" A voice with a slight German accent spoke. Barbara turned her head to see a small,bald man walk out from the shadows. Peering at him, the clown girl watched as he walked closer to her.
"The efforts of forty years of collecting all in one space.But allow me to introduce myself, Albrecht." The German said.
"Albrecht...?" Barbara questioned.
"Just Albrecht. Now then, you need a new nose right?" Albrecht questioned. Barbara's mouth widened upon hearing him say that. Her eyes narrowing to find out how he knew that.
"How..?"
He tapped his own nose in response and Barbara quickly caught on. Smacking her own head at her own forgetfulness. Albretcht smiled and motioned for her to follow him. She was wary,but complied. What could a small,old man do to her? He walked behind one of the glass counters and raised a hand to stop Barbara from following. Crouching down, a light shuffling was heard before the old man appeared again, now holding a small case.
"Just pick whatever you like." Albrecht spoke,opening the case to reveal three noses. A pink one, a purple one, and a blue one. Barbara's eyes sparkled at the sight, reaching forward a little. She could finally have an all colored, complementing clown outfit, but which one could she use? Playing a metaphorical game in her head, Barbara grabbed a hold of the purple one. Smiling, the man closed the case and waited as Barbara inspected it
Seeing something that only appealed to her sense, Barbara pulled her wallet out before Albretcht stopped her.
"No need, think of it as a 'Complimentary gift' for a first time customer. Let me just ring you up." Albretcht's hand was open for Barbara to give him the nose, she allowed him to take it. Following him as he typed the nose into an old-fashioned register. Nodding his head, Albretcht placed the nose back into Barbara's hand. She smiled, waving as she made her way out of the store.
Upon reaching the outside, Barbara wiped the nose off with her clothing. Moving it directly on top of her nose, she planted it on. Strangely she felt a small shiver as she did so, making Barbara feel...weird. It was probably nothing,right?   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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