The elevator door closed behind Benjamin. His young mind couldn’t fathom what was happening. People of all sorts, some in costume, were packed in, struggling to move. Benjamin looked up at the man wearing clown makeup as he pressed the number three, the button lit up and with a jerk, the metal box began to move.
Benjamin’s bottom lip extended when he realized his dad was not in the elevator with him. He held back his tears as he made eye contact with another five-year-old holding tightly to his mother’s hand. The little boy stuck his tongue out at Benjamin and crossed his eyes.
Benjamin turned away from the bully.
The elevator dinged, the doors opened, everyone exited. Benjamin stood confused and alone. He felt a slight touch on the shoulder. “Wanna try?” a high pitched voice asked. Benjamin shyly glanced over as a man wearing tights and tennis shoes began to juggle three balls then four, five and six.
Crowds filled the stands, elephants pranced across the floor but Benjamin couldn’t go inside the arena, not without his father.
“Let’s all welcome to the center ring…… Juggler Jim!” the announcer said.
“That’s me! Gotta go!” Jim picked up Benjamin, swung him around and handed him off to a seven-foot-tall man on stilts walking towards the concession stand.
“He’s lost!” Jim said.
Benjamin covered his eyes and wept.
The tall man patted his tiny back. “There now, little one.” He walked out the front door with Benjamin in tow. No one noticed as the circus actor put the child in a white van, patted the roof and watched as the vehicle sped off.
Leesa Writes 