Du Nord: The Believing heart lost years (EN)

Chariot's first street performance

Wednesday 12 March 2000, Paris, France

"Well, you must have imagined that now I've told you that even though things are getting worse with me leaving to go back to France, I've still managed to bring something back that would be marvellous, right? So, things seemed, just seemed to have improved, but they weren't all that much, until it was time to show up at the Metro station."

All the costumes are ready, now I just have to wait for one way or another to be able to perform, everything in the way that will be best for me, it's time to leave school, I have to enjoy it, today is going to be one of those afternoons, I'm really looking forward to it, performing on the street, I can only imagine the money I can earn doing this, just imagine in five years' time going to Luna Nova.
I wait for Jolie, she comes up to me, which I'm relieved about, we walk together to the station, luckily there are toilets there, which I realise there are some people from the school around, she made a point of inviting people to see me, how nice, this is really going to be my chance.
I go into the toilets with Jolie, change my clothes, take off my school clothes and put on the outfit I've put together to present myself, the magic clown, it's too exotic, but it was the best, even Jolie thought it looked really good, I come out in my clothes and look in the mirror, I look really strange.

"The outfit looks good, but I still need to touch up my make-up, I'll make sure I do that, then you'll burst" I hope so, I can't wait to burst and have my money pot filled.

I had to keep quiet, just waiting to be made up, I'm a bit nervous, I admit it, I've never done something like this before, this is going to be really complicated shit to deal with, it's not going to be that easy, but I don't have much to do, people can react in the worst way or the best way, it's good that my dad isn't home at the time so there's no chance of embarrassing myself in front of him.
The make-up is done, she smiles at me and I look more like a clown than a magician, but that must be part of being exotic, so I put on my top hat and with my rucksack in hand I head for the station.

"Don't be so tense and nervous, you'll be able to let yourself go in front of everyone, the first time will be the hardest, but then you'll be fine, I guarantee it'll be like doing anything" she says, and I can see that people are looking at me.

The people at school are even filming me, I wave to everyone, take a deep breath and start to set up a table in the middle of the station, which the people passing by stop to see, it's very Chariot, you let yourself go, you show that you're a great stage entertainer, you imagine yourself in the future, as if you were going to catch the public's attention like that.

"All right, respectable public, I've arrived to show you how magic can be something that will enchant you!" I say to everyone who just stands in silent reaction watching me, and I take a deep breath, well it's time to start choreographing.

I start dancing around the stage, doing some impressive moves, as a way of opening the show, while my assistant claps her hands, she passes me some hula hoops that I use magic to set on fire and some confetti is also thrown across the table, as a way of opening the show, I finish everything by standing with my leg up and holding my top hat, looking at everyone.

"Welcome to the marvellous world of magic, I'm Chariot the magical clown and I'm going to..." Just as I was about to turn my face, I felt a pie hit my card, in the style of a clown show.

I was confused, but it must be part of the act, I saw a lot of people laughing, that's a sign that everyone's enjoying it, this is going to be really fun, so I can make more money, it's even getting a bit more crowded, so it might be a success, that's marvellous.
I start to pick up a wand and do my first trick, which consists of showing the audience that I can turn into a rabbit, I think I can manage this basic spell, come on Chariot, remember the magic lessons you've learnt over the years.