As the curtain drew for the final time and the dancers came out to take their bows, there rose a great and raucous cheer from the grand circle. The sounds of applause, shouts and whistles filtering down from the highest level of seats. The Crossroads Carnival had turned out in force to celebrate the realization of a dream for one of their own.
Josie had been kind enough to leave them a bank of tickets and they had leapt at the chance, even threatening mutiny when Benny balked at the idea of a night off. Occupying an entire row solely for themselves, the eclectic group of drifters and grifters had left their own place of performance to journey like a traveling group of gypsies to enjoy a show of another kind. While past performances might have been greeted with enthusiastic applause the members of the Midway made sure that Josie knew she was supported in their own "colorful"way that was unique to their nomadic way of life.
Mouse placed two fingers between his lips and whistled loud enough to be heard from the stage and then lifted a hand high in a wave for Josie when she appeared to look their way. Boz gave a surreptitious glance before dabbing at his eyes with a large blue bandanna, the giant of a man moved to tears by Josie?s performance. He raised the bandanna high and waived his hand back and forth before giving a warrior?s roar of approval while Andre stood alongside him, dreadlocks hanging down over an eclectic suit as red and plush as the carpet in the foyer, his large hands clapping while giving a shout of support in his native patois.
Lucille, lips painted in a candy red in her usual pinup style, split into a wide, revealing grin and gave a whistle to rival Mouse?s and clapped for her young friend. And on down the line to where even Benny clapped, grudgingly, for he was losing money by not operating tonight. That his staff, and he?d use that term loosely, had come to him as a group and told him they were taking the night had initially infuriated him but even he had to admit that the performance of the The Snow Queen was masterfully done and that Josie and her fellow dancers had been inspiring with their performances.
As the dancers departed their stage the group from the Midway made their way out of the theater to wait for Josie outside and share a smoke. Seemingly unaware, and certainly uncaring, of any looks that might come their way, the group congregated around the stage door to wait for the petite ballerina.
?Still can?t believe Isaac didn?t come.? Mouse said to Lucille, a tinge of anger mixing with disappointment as he knew how much it meant to Josie.
?He's stubborn. Fia is working on him." Lucille murmured with a distinct, disapproving cluck of her tongue against her teeth as she fussed with the huge bouquet of roses for Josie they all chipped in for. "Perhaps he?ll come to a later show." The snake charming pinup raised a slender shoulder in a half shrug. "You know how Isaac can be.? Lucille answered, doing better than Mouse at hiding her disappointment as she placed her cigarette between her lips.
"Great. That'll go well." Mouse lit up his cigarette before lighting Lucille's, careful not to set the roses aflame. "They'll argue and she'll set him on fire and we can be on the latest news story." Mouse said dryly as he tucked his lighter back in his pocket.
"We have a sayin in Jamaica...." Andre lit up his own special and legendary blend as he glanced at the stars and offered his own bit of wisdom.
"Of course you do." Mouse exhaled lazily into the night air with a glance around to the departing audience members.
"Alligator lay egg, but him nu fowl." The Jamaican nodded as if this explained everything.
Lucille looked at Mouse with a blink and an arch of an auburn brow as if she needed a translator.
"Yeah--I got nothing." Mouse chuckled out a bit of smoke before looking back to the Jamaican. "Translate your island Yoda speak for us simpletons, will ya?"
?Dem tings may not be da way dey seem.? Andre took a drag of his special blend and then exhaled to finish the rest of his thought. ?Dis aint be da knife thrower?s nigh, him be coolin 'is heels back in da tents by his own choosin. But he may be comin to himself soon enough. Do nae be givin him no more never minds. Our Josie girl be needin to be celebratin and not worryin her pretty head on tings dat be causin' heaviness in her heart."
They all nodded in silent agreement to not bring up Isaac before Mouse piped up again because he couldn't help himself. "Yeah. Maybe Josie can explain to us why Boz is suddenly being a big crybaby tonight."
They all started laughing (save Boz)which brought a bit of levity to the moment.
?Shut your damn pie holes! I was not!? Boz blustered and reached over Andre to give Mouse a shove. ?This place must be old?the dust. ? He explained lamely, eyeballing all of them with large fists clenched in innate defensiveness as if he'd murder all of them if they dare spoke of it again.
Boz had the look of warrior, but had a certain soft spot beneath that scarred and leathered exterior. Josie had seen this and often played her cello for him to soothe the savage Boz when he could not sleep from the flashbacks of wars past that plagued him. Bless her heart, she never told a soul.
"Dere be no shame' in it, Boz mon." Andre smiled at his friend, white teeth gleaming in the darkness. "Da best men don't stop dere eyes from rainin' when da spirit moves 'em. Me eyes be tearin'as well dere at da end."
Boz glowered at all of them before lumbering off to get the attention off of him, still muttering to himself that he wasn't crying.
Lucille watched Boz walk off before tossing her cigarette to the ground and putting it out with a turn of her black leather pump. "He's going to miss her something fierce, though he'd rather die than admit it."
"We all will." Mouse agreed. "She classed up the joint a bit though, eh?"
Lucille laughed and nodded. "You all certainly cursed a whole lot less around her. Heard Josie even made Dixie go silent which is a miracle in of itself. Told her not to gossip while spinning the cotton candy. Something about it affecting the taste?"
Andre rolled out a chuckle of smoke. "Dat be true. Beans be tellin' me da same ting. Josie be tellin da candy flosser dat da sugar crystals be absorbin da energy of da words and Dixie should no' be sayin anytin' but sweet tings while she be spinnin' da sugar. So da people don eat dem bad words wit dem bad vibes."
Mouse snorted. "That's like tellin Dixie not to breathe, but I admire her for tryin. She's special that one, you know? She never gives up on anyone."
The carnival crew waited outside the stage door, the group making small talk and rehashing the ballet, teasing and joking with one another like a large family. They chatted until Josie was ready to come out before the unique cast of characters would envelop her like Dorothy before she returned to Kansas from Oz.
They?d all come to the carnival for different reasons, had stayed for their reasons as well. But the common thread between all of them was a desire for something different--something more. Josie's presence at the carnival had touched all of their lives a unique way and they would all support her no matter what she chose to do.
Though the carnival family would be moving on soon they were all sad to be losing her, they all were so, so proud of their Josie for chasing her own dream to the fullest.
Josie had been kind enough to leave them a bank of tickets and they had leapt at the chance, even threatening mutiny when Benny balked at the idea of a night off. Occupying an entire row solely for themselves, the eclectic group of drifters and grifters had left their own place of performance to journey like a traveling group of gypsies to enjoy a show of another kind. While past performances might have been greeted with enthusiastic applause the members of the Midway made sure that Josie knew she was supported in their own "colorful"way that was unique to their nomadic way of life.
Mouse placed two fingers between his lips and whistled loud enough to be heard from the stage and then lifted a hand high in a wave for Josie when she appeared to look their way. Boz gave a surreptitious glance before dabbing at his eyes with a large blue bandanna, the giant of a man moved to tears by Josie?s performance. He raised the bandanna high and waived his hand back and forth before giving a warrior?s roar of approval while Andre stood alongside him, dreadlocks hanging down over an eclectic suit as red and plush as the carpet in the foyer, his large hands clapping while giving a shout of support in his native patois.
Lucille, lips painted in a candy red in her usual pinup style, split into a wide, revealing grin and gave a whistle to rival Mouse?s and clapped for her young friend. And on down the line to where even Benny clapped, grudgingly, for he was losing money by not operating tonight. That his staff, and he?d use that term loosely, had come to him as a group and told him they were taking the night had initially infuriated him but even he had to admit that the performance of the The Snow Queen was masterfully done and that Josie and her fellow dancers had been inspiring with their performances.
As the dancers departed their stage the group from the Midway made their way out of the theater to wait for Josie outside and share a smoke. Seemingly unaware, and certainly uncaring, of any looks that might come their way, the group congregated around the stage door to wait for the petite ballerina.
?Still can?t believe Isaac didn?t come.? Mouse said to Lucille, a tinge of anger mixing with disappointment as he knew how much it meant to Josie.
?He's stubborn. Fia is working on him." Lucille murmured with a distinct, disapproving cluck of her tongue against her teeth as she fussed with the huge bouquet of roses for Josie they all chipped in for. "Perhaps he?ll come to a later show." The snake charming pinup raised a slender shoulder in a half shrug. "You know how Isaac can be.? Lucille answered, doing better than Mouse at hiding her disappointment as she placed her cigarette between her lips.
"Great. That'll go well." Mouse lit up his cigarette before lighting Lucille's, careful not to set the roses aflame. "They'll argue and she'll set him on fire and we can be on the latest news story." Mouse said dryly as he tucked his lighter back in his pocket.
"We have a sayin in Jamaica...." Andre lit up his own special and legendary blend as he glanced at the stars and offered his own bit of wisdom.
"Of course you do." Mouse exhaled lazily into the night air with a glance around to the departing audience members.
"Alligator lay egg, but him nu fowl." The Jamaican nodded as if this explained everything.
Lucille looked at Mouse with a blink and an arch of an auburn brow as if she needed a translator.
"Yeah--I got nothing." Mouse chuckled out a bit of smoke before looking back to the Jamaican. "Translate your island Yoda speak for us simpletons, will ya?"
?Dem tings may not be da way dey seem.? Andre took a drag of his special blend and then exhaled to finish the rest of his thought. ?Dis aint be da knife thrower?s nigh, him be coolin 'is heels back in da tents by his own choosin. But he may be comin to himself soon enough. Do nae be givin him no more never minds. Our Josie girl be needin to be celebratin and not worryin her pretty head on tings dat be causin' heaviness in her heart."
They all nodded in silent agreement to not bring up Isaac before Mouse piped up again because he couldn't help himself. "Yeah. Maybe Josie can explain to us why Boz is suddenly being a big crybaby tonight."
They all started laughing (save Boz)which brought a bit of levity to the moment.
?Shut your damn pie holes! I was not!? Boz blustered and reached over Andre to give Mouse a shove. ?This place must be old?the dust. ? He explained lamely, eyeballing all of them with large fists clenched in innate defensiveness as if he'd murder all of them if they dare spoke of it again.
Boz had the look of warrior, but had a certain soft spot beneath that scarred and leathered exterior. Josie had seen this and often played her cello for him to soothe the savage Boz when he could not sleep from the flashbacks of wars past that plagued him. Bless her heart, she never told a soul.
"Dere be no shame' in it, Boz mon." Andre smiled at his friend, white teeth gleaming in the darkness. "Da best men don't stop dere eyes from rainin' when da spirit moves 'em. Me eyes be tearin'as well dere at da end."
Boz glowered at all of them before lumbering off to get the attention off of him, still muttering to himself that he wasn't crying.
Lucille watched Boz walk off before tossing her cigarette to the ground and putting it out with a turn of her black leather pump. "He's going to miss her something fierce, though he'd rather die than admit it."
"We all will." Mouse agreed. "She classed up the joint a bit though, eh?"
Lucille laughed and nodded. "You all certainly cursed a whole lot less around her. Heard Josie even made Dixie go silent which is a miracle in of itself. Told her not to gossip while spinning the cotton candy. Something about it affecting the taste?"
Andre rolled out a chuckle of smoke. "Dat be true. Beans be tellin' me da same ting. Josie be tellin da candy flosser dat da sugar crystals be absorbin da energy of da words and Dixie should no' be sayin anytin' but sweet tings while she be spinnin' da sugar. So da people don eat dem bad words wit dem bad vibes."
Mouse snorted. "That's like tellin Dixie not to breathe, but I admire her for tryin. She's special that one, you know? She never gives up on anyone."
The carnival crew waited outside the stage door, the group making small talk and rehashing the ballet, teasing and joking with one another like a large family. They chatted until Josie was ready to come out before the unique cast of characters would envelop her like Dorothy before she returned to Kansas from Oz.
They?d all come to the carnival for different reasons, had stayed for their reasons as well. But the common thread between all of them was a desire for something different--something more. Josie's presence at the carnival had touched all of their lives a unique way and they would all support her no matter what she chose to do.
Though the carnival family would be moving on soon they were all sad to be losing her, they all were so, so proud of their Josie for chasing her own dream to the fullest.