A Day at the Circus

Winner of the August 5, 2002 "Writer's Cramp" where the prompt was to write a story about:

The Circus came to town and the ________ hurt him/herself and they make you the replacement.

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A Day at the Circus

I knew when the cat threw up inside my shoes this morning that it wasn't going to be a good day.  But when the coffee maker overflowed all over everything - well, I should have just gone back to bed and called it a day..

But no, call me Hyper-responsible Hank.  Well, no, don't call me that - I'm a woman, and my name is Rachel, but you get my drift . . .

It was my third day of work at "Joe's Most Amazing and Spectacular Circus" (a more overblown name had never been uttered, believe me). They were in town for two weeks at the old drive-in movie theatre, and my temp agency sent me out there to help with ticket sales and other odd jobs because Joe was short a few workers (that's not all he was short on).

For the first two days I'd done manual labor, helping with tent set-ups and cleaning out the animal stalls. It was hard, dirty work, but satisfying in a way too. And I loved the people I was working with. So as I mucked out Betsy the Elephant's enclosure, I thought about the stories I'd be able to tell my grandkids - if I ever got married and had kids, that is - about how once their old Granny had run off and joined the circus for two weeks.

The circus was due to open that night, and from that point on I'd be stuck in the ticket booth. But even that was going to be fun because they were going to let me wear a costume. So I arrived early to get fitted for my costume and be ready in time for their noon opening. They were planning three shows a day in the main tent, plus side shows and rides - so the place would be hopping in a few short hours.

Again, I should have taken it as a sign when they decked me out in a skimpy little number that included fishnet stockings, a skimpy leotard, purple feathers, and lots of cleavage. But no, I figured what the heck! It's the circus, I told myself, and I have to admit I looked pretty darn good!

So at 11:45am sharp there I was, standing in the ticket booth selling tickets to twelve year olds who couldn't care less about my Vegas Showgirl outfit. Oh well, maybe the night crowd ...

At 2pm I took my break, and couldn't help but notice the ambulance screeching off toward town. It seemed to have come from the main tent area, so I hurried over, hoping none of my new circus pals had been seriously injured. Just then, Nico, a handsome performer who'd caught my eye the day before came bursting out of the tent sputtering a stream of Greek that I knew, even without knowing a word of the language, couldn't be good. And he was followed by Joe himself, who was wringing his hands and begging Nico to come back, they had another show in 15 minutes.

I watched curiously, chewing on a giant pretzel, as Nico strode by me, stopped, and turned back to shout something at Joe. He glared at Joe, then looked at me, glared at Joe again, looked at me again, and then froze, a smile on his handsome face, a light bulb popping in the cartoon bubble over his head.

I smiled back, hoping there wasn't any pretzel dough stuck in my teeth, and said, demurely, "How's it going, Nico?" Then I cast my eyes downward, and noticed a tear in my fishnets. I looked back up quickly, and froze as Nico reached out and caressed my arm, and started speaking in a low voice, all the while gently leading me back toward the main tent. It was all Greek to me, but I was mesmerized by his exotic language and drop dead looks.

Joe hurried after us, muttering something about how he couldn't use the temp girl because he had no insurance for this sort of thing, and if Nico would just slow down they'd go find the bearded lady, shave her, and use her for the exhibition. All the while I hurried along beside Nico and wondered briefly what Joe was talking about, but mostly thought about the beautiful children (and grandchildren) Nico and I would have.

Nico took me to his changing area and sat me in a chair, while Joe hovered nearby. Nico added some make up to my face and put my hair up in a nice french twist. Then he gently held a silk scarf up and gestured with it, pretending to put it over his eyes, and then pointing to me. I nodded shyly as he put the scarf over my eyes, tingling with emotion and giddy with the thought of how this wild Greek circus performer was trying to seduce me.

Nico continued to murmur softly in my ear. I didn't understand a word he said but I was in love, and I knew our hearts would fill in where words failed us. And after a few moments he took my hand and helped me stand, and then led me several feet away. He gently positioned me against a wooden wall of some sort, and tied my hands and ankles with more silky scarves, all the while murmuring to me reassuringly.

I had no idea what this Greek had in mind, and I really wasn't that kind of girl, but Nico had swept me off my feet and I was going wherever he took me, so help me god! After he tied my hands and ankles to the wall he stepped away and I felt myself begin to slowly spin - the wall I was tied to was some sort of spinning wheel, and I was slowing turning in a circle, sideways, upside down, sideways, right side up.

It was about this point I decided to speak up, because no matter how handsome Nico was, and no matter how in love we were, and no matter what our hearts might be saying to each other, I hardly knew this man and things were starting to get kinky. But before I could open my mouth, I heard the Circus P.A. system crack and whine to life and Joe's voice booming all around me.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, and now for what you've ALL been waiting for! Nico the Knife Thrower and his lovely assistant Rachel will perform their death defying knife throwing act, with BOTH of them blindfolded!"

The last thing I remember was the wheel spinning very fast and someone asking how Nico had managed to find a new assistant so soon after Natasha had been injured ...