Big Top Highjinks

Big Top Hijinks

Lydia Lovelace was practicing on the low wire when she heard a familiar noise.

“That sounds like Bongo. I thought he’d lost his voice!” she murmured as she swung down into the safety net and then onto the sawdust floor.

Just as she was about to hurry into the wings, she heard the clown’s distinctive laugh. Then she saw him right in front of her balancing a cake.

She stopped, entranced. The confection was iced in white with sparkling sugar sprinkled all over. A miniature tightrope made of spun sugar graced the top.

Lydia approached it to see if what she saw balanced on the rope was what she thought it was.

“It is, it’s me!” she whispered.

“Happy birthday, Lydia!” shouted Bongo.

Then it happened! He tripped over his clown shoes and the lovely vision of a pastry began to fall! Going into her famous pirouette, she caught it before it hit anything.

The circus troupe that had been following Bongo let out a collective sigh when they saw her brilliant move. Handing the rescued cake to the ringmaster, Lydia sighed as well.

“What a surprise! Thank you everyone! It’s such a beautiful cake; I hate to eat it.”

“Then we will!” called out several voices. Everyone laughed loudly.

The ringmaster set the only slightly battered cake down on a small table.

“I can take a picture of it for you!” he suggested

“Then I can have my cake and eat it too, excellent idea!”

She posed as he took several shots.

“Cut the cake, cut the cake,” the troupe chanted.

With a large knife, Lydia did just that.

As she handed him his slice, Bongo apologized for almost dropping it.

“But you didn’t, that’s what counts,” Lydia told him and kissed him on the cheek.

300 WORDS DAILY FLASH 11/13/2024