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holliLittle litfic work-in-progress snippet. Thoughts, comments, friendly machete work appreciated.
The summer before I went away to college, a rambling, ramshackle circus pitched its tents on the outskirts of town. Overnight, colorful fliers materialized on every storefront and telephone pole, exhorting one and all to see the wonders offered under the big top. A slightly less glamorous flier, with black-and-white print and far fewer exclamation points, offered employment to those townies willing to be paid very little money for jobs even the carnies wouldn't do. I needed the cash, so I showed up at the fairgrounds on a bright Friday morning. A guy in grubby sweats, his handlebar moustache waxed into points, took down my name, glanced at his clipboard, and sent me to the half-constructed midway. I joined a couple of guys I knew from school, under the supervision of a bearded lady, in setting up the sideshow.
Sideshows aren't too common anymore, I know-- the Siamese twins call themselves "conjoined" nowadays, and the tattooed and bepierced strongman would look little different from any old Goth. But this circus had an extensive sideshow, tent after tent of the genetically unfortunate, with a liberal sprinkling of probable hoaxes in jars. At the sideshow entrance, I hung posters promising thrills and chills at a reasonable price, and wondered how Kiki The Incredible Lobster Girl felt about all this.
The tents, carts, and cages were ready for customers by the stated opening time of four PM. My work was done, but I wouldn't be paid until after the ticket money was in, so I had plenty of time to kill. I wandered the midway for a while, then ducked into the big top moments before the main show. I didn't expect to find a seat, it being opening night in a town with little else to do, but I got a good enough view of center ring just by standing in the aisle.
Even now, I have to admit they put on a pretty good show. Not arty, like that Cirque du Something-or-Other my niece Sharon does PR for, but certainly everything you could want from a circus. The lion tamers were in just enough danger to worry you, the acrobats flew through the air with the greatest of ease, and the clowns, like clowns everywhere, were deeply unsettling. I was really getting to enjoy the show.
As the last few elephants lumbered out the back way, the ringmaster threw his arms in the air. The lights dimmed in response, and a single spotlight drew every eye to the center of center ring. The single pool of light, combined with the ringmaster's booming voice and flashy clothes, made for quite a striking effect.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, it is my greatest pride to present to you a rare and extraordinary performer." His voice dropped, took on a hushed quality. "Nowhere else on Earth can such a sight as this be seen. Nowhere else does a being such as this exist. So, ladies and gentlemen, consider yourselves very lucky indeed, that you may see the one, the only--" --his voice soared back up to top volume-- "--Serafina!"
The spotlight on center ring snapped out, and another blinked into existence high above us, at the top of the high trapeze. While the ringmaster had been talking, a girl had climbed the tallest ladder, invisible while the audience was spellbound by the ringmaster. Now, all eyes were on her.
The summer before I went away to college, a rambling, ramshackle circus pitched its tents on the outskirts of town. Overnight, colorful fliers materialized on every storefront and telephone pole, exhorting one and all to see the wonders offered under the big top. A slightly less glamorous flier, with black-and-white print and far fewer exclamation points, offered employment to those townies willing to be paid very little money for jobs even the carnies wouldn't do. I needed the cash, so I showed up at the fairgrounds on a bright Friday morning. A guy in grubby sweats, his handlebar moustache waxed into points, took down my name, glanced at his clipboard, and sent me to the half-constructed midway. I joined a couple of guys I knew from school, under the supervision of a bearded lady, in setting up the sideshow.
Sideshows aren't too common anymore, I know-- the Siamese twins call themselves "conjoined" nowadays, and the tattooed and bepierced strongman would look little different from any old Goth. But this circus had an extensive sideshow, tent after tent of the genetically unfortunate, with a liberal sprinkling of probable hoaxes in jars. At the sideshow entrance, I hung posters promising thrills and chills at a reasonable price, and wondered how Kiki The Incredible Lobster Girl felt about all this.
The tents, carts, and cages were ready for customers by the stated opening time of four PM. My work was done, but I wouldn't be paid until after the ticket money was in, so I had plenty of time to kill. I wandered the midway for a while, then ducked into the big top moments before the main show. I didn't expect to find a seat, it being opening night in a town with little else to do, but I got a good enough view of center ring just by standing in the aisle.
Even now, I have to admit they put on a pretty good show. Not arty, like that Cirque du Something-or-Other my niece Sharon does PR for, but certainly everything you could want from a circus. The lion tamers were in just enough danger to worry you, the acrobats flew through the air with the greatest of ease, and the clowns, like clowns everywhere, were deeply unsettling. I was really getting to enjoy the show.
As the last few elephants lumbered out the back way, the ringmaster threw his arms in the air. The lights dimmed in response, and a single spotlight drew every eye to the center of center ring. The single pool of light, combined with the ringmaster's booming voice and flashy clothes, made for quite a striking effect.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, it is my greatest pride to present to you a rare and extraordinary performer." His voice dropped, took on a hushed quality. "Nowhere else on Earth can such a sight as this be seen. Nowhere else does a being such as this exist. So, ladies and gentlemen, consider yourselves very lucky indeed, that you may see the one, the only--" --his voice soared back up to top volume-- "--Serafina!"
The spotlight on center ring snapped out, and another blinked into existence high above us, at the top of the high trapeze. While the ringmaster had been talking, a girl had climbed the tallest ladder, invisible while the audience was spellbound by the ringmaster. Now, all eyes were on her.
the exerpt
Date: 2003-01-10 12:35 pm (UTC)Re: the exerpt
Date: 2003-01-12 10:02 am (UTC)