Play Date [ Dandy Mott ]

Wash My Mouth Out With Soap.

The next day, just as I am heading out my front door, I run into Dandy, who was about to ring the doorbell.

"Dandy?"

"Blair, come with me." Dandy says impatiently. I hop into his car with him, and he drives off with a determined look on his face. I notice that he's driving away from town, which I find to be odd.

"Where are we going?" I break the silence.

"To the Freak show!" Dandy looks at me with excitement.

"Why?" I ask, frowning.

"Because we're going to join!" Dandy grins to himself. I guess it would be cool to just run off to the circus.

"But we aren't freaks." I say, pointing out the biggest flaw of Dandy's plan. 

"Well, you could do contortionist stuff, and I could..." Dandy falls silent, thinking of what he could do in the Freak show. "I have lots to offer." He concludes.

I keep my mouth shut. I know that they wouldn't let me in the show, let alone Dandy. Not after he tried to buy the twins yesterday.

"Blair, we are talented, and you know it." Dandy says, "This could be our chance to finally perform!"

I nod absentmindedly. Deep down, I knew that Dandy and I would never be allowed in the show.

We arrive at the Freak show, and are met by the boy with lobster hands, whose name is Jimmy.

Dandy starts feeding him a bullshit story about why we're here, as we follow him to the main tent.

"Listen, I know that's not why you're here." Jimmy interrupts Dandy. "You got a thing for the twins."

Dandy looks mildly embarrassed, but doesn't say anything.

"Look, I don't judge, okay? I get it, you know? You see a piece of tail, you just got to have it. But us guys, we don't always think with our brains." Jimmy says, and I feel my cheeks flush immediately.

"It's not about the twins!" Dandy says suddenly, "It's about us. We'd like to join the show."

Jimmy stares at us in silence.

"I've had an epiphany. I truly believe this is where we belong. I've been ruminating on my life and what I want. This is the perfect place for us." Dandy pleads.

Jimmy looks at me, "You sure this is what you want, too?"

I nod.

"Well, unless you got pony legs under those trousers or a double ding dong..." Jimmy looks between us for abnormalities that would classify us as 'freaks'.

"No, but I do know the entire Cole Porter canon." Dandy says confidently.

"Listen. You ain't the first kids who want to run away and join the circus. You got dreams of the lights. But trust me. It's nothing like you'd imagine. You two wouldn't last one day here." Jimmy says calmly.