Sam Butters

Sam Butters

         The last thing I remember is hitting my head and Daisy screaming; the next is the pain in my head and the blackness around me.  I smell sawdust; hear a muffled voice through the ringing in my ears.  Lifting my arms, I’m wearing white over-sized gloves and I feel odd clothing, silk or satin, the sleeves are a bright yellow and blue.  Someone was holding an oil lantern in my face.  A dwarf, in checkered over-sized pants, a tuxedo jacket and top hat is standing over me with a bucket, "You okay?" he asks.

         As my eyes become accustomed to the darkness, I realize I am in the middle of a big circus tent.  “Well, are you Okay?”  The little man seems so annoyed.

         Realizing this is not a dream.  “Where the hell am I?” 

         He steps back and I feel the cold water hit me in the face and soak through my thin clothing.  There is laughter, a bunch of people start to hoot and laugh in the darkness.  Someone calls out, “See, I told you he’s fine!”

         Sitting up, I’m looking down at my feet; my shoes are twice at big as they should be.  I feel that I am wearing a hat and discover what feels like a hairpiece.  I’m a clown; someone’s dressed me up as a clown! 

         Getting up on my feet and looking around, all the seats are empty, ten or fifteen people are mulling in the shadows applauding, I’d guess me.

         Another dwarf ran up with a full bucket of water and handed it to the one in the top hat.  “So, are you Okay now?”  He threatened to unload another bucket on me.

         “Yes!” Not wanting to get doused again. A woman came up behind me and threw a blanket over my shoulders. 

         “Come with me Sam.”  She had a soft sweet, high-pitched voice. “You still look a little fuzzy.  That was some hit in the head you took.”

         Not wanting to disagree, I just walked along with her.  As we came into the light I could see she was wearing shear tights, a very skimpy two-piece costume and feathered headpiece.  I also recognized her face, I could not remember from where, but she was so familiar.

         It was twilight and the picture was not at all familiar.  All the wagons were horse drawn; there were no trucks, vans or trailers.  Men in cowboy hats and wearing side arms strode arm in arm with women in long ankle length dresses.  It all looked like the Wild West.

         The woman in tights took me into one of the wagons and sat me down; it was lit with oil lamps.  I could not stop looking at her face; my mind kept telling me that I know her.  She leaned me back and put a cold wet cloth on my forehead.  “You really do need to rest, this might be a concussion.” 

         The cloth covered my forehead and most of my eyes, but I could still see her from under the corner of the cloth.  She was moving about the room straightening up and then looking over her shoulder at me as she removed the costume.  Her tights hid nothing and she was so gorgeous.  Putting a robe on finished my little show and she came back over retrieving the cloth.  Now focusing a little better I got the shock of my life, the poster on the wall pronounced the coming of the Fearless Zewkowski’s, High Wire Acrobats and Jugglers.

         I remember where I saw her, it was the old scrapbook grandma had, this woman is my great-great-great-grandmother.  “Ellen?”

         “Yes, you need something Sam?”

         My name is Sam, but who was Sam when she was alive?  Sam, Sam, “Oh Shit! … Sam Butters?”

         “You need the privy.  I can step out.”

         “No, I am just so surprised.”

         “Why, because you finally found your way into my wagon.  Or, because you managed to see me change, I saw you looking.”

         “Because I am not the person you think I am.”

         “Why Sam, you are just the same man that asked to marry me.”  She came forward and kissed me on the lips. 

         In oh so many ways, this is totally wrong, but she is a knockout.  My grand father was such a lucky man. 

         “I know it’s wrong, but I am sorry, I had to peek.  I apologize.”

         “What?  Are you turning stupid?”  She dropped the robe and turned her side to me, “Unbutton, I have to change into the red tights for the start of the next show.”

         The woman was shameless she paraded in front of me in the altogether.  She wasn’t trying to be sexy or intimate, she was all business.  I kept saying she’s your grand parent and wondered when and how this was going to end. 

         “Sam, you better get in your cannon ball outfit.”  She sat there half naked.

         I remembered, Sam Butters was the human cannon ball who died when he missed the net and crashed head long into the foot of the stands.  “I feel sick, I don’t think I can go on tonight!”

         Ellen dropped what she was doing and moved to sit beside me.  Think clean thoughts Sam, she’s your grand parent.  She hugged me, pressing her body against me and kissed my neck.  “You’ll be Okay.”

         She finished dressing and left to do her piece.  I wandered about watching her walk the wire; she was so beautiful.  At the end of the first act, during my introduction; seven dwarfs grabbed me and pulled me toward the cannon.  It was comical.  Inside, I discovered a padded seat, then they were calling out “Ready, Aim, Fire”

         The blast was all I remember, the next morning I awoke in my own bed.  I had a lump on my forehead and Daisy lying beside me.  My pajamas were Blue and Yellow silk; I never owned blue and yellow silk pajamas. 

Word Count = 990