Big Top

Chapter 6

We had to cancel three shows over the next few weeks. Town after town we arrived to feed off of other circus's carcasses that had gone belly up. Collecting animals, men, food, anything we could to help our own survival. Many circus's in those days went belly up because the owners saw the fall coming, they took all the money and ran. Leaving helpless animals and homeless men. When I saw their faces I realized that Richard was right—I had never seen men hungry.

The next town we stopped in Richard told Louis and I he had a bit of a surprise. He called us over to a shed type building where another circus had died, leaving it's remains for anyone to salvage. Richard popped the cork out of a champagne bottle and poured glasses for us all. He handed me mine and Louis his. Louis had this small smile on his face as He took a sip. "Father, what's all this?" He asked with a giggle to follow. Richard grabbed his shoulders to face him.

"Son, I know I can never replace Gem, but hopefully this'll be close." He said sincerely. Honestly, Richard Tomlinson was a mystery to me, one minute he's kind and the next he's ready to kill you.

"Oh, Dad, you shouldn't have..." Louis protested.

"It's the least I could do." He turned to the men by the door, "Open it." The door slowly rose to reveal a huge elephant. An elephant?! I heard Louis gasp and I looked to see his hand covering his mouth, an obvious smile underneath. "I give you a magnificent, crowd-pleasing bull! Her name's Rosie, she's 53 and she's magnificent!"

"Why does she have flowers in her mouth?" Louis asked. I hadn't noticed but she did have a bouquet of flowers in her mouth.

"She ran off and they found her eating a cemetery plot." I quietly laughed as did Louis. Rosie certainly was magnificent.

"Oh my..she's wonderful, Dad, thank you!" Louis gushed and hugged his father. "But, I've never ridden an elephant before."

"Don't worry, you're a fast learner. You'll catch on. But, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attended to." Richard said then walked off, leaving Louis and I alone with Rosie. I walked up to her and gave her a once over.

"Well, you're skin's a little dry," I rubbed my hand over the front of her trunk, "we'll have to take care of that. The first thing you notice about a woman's age is her skin." I told her as if we were in our own little world. I snapped back to reality when I heard Louis giggle at me. I smiled at him then turned my attention back to Rosie. "Where are my manners? This is Louis Tomlinson,"

"How do you do?" Louis stuck out his hand jokingly, but Rosie lifted her trunk to meet his hand, "O-oh!" He laughed. I couldn't contain my laughter either as she shook his hand.

"and I'm Harry Styles, nice to meet you." I held my hand out, but instead of reaching for my hand she reached my champagne and sucked ever last drop. Both Louis and I laughed again at her, she's quite the character.

"Oh, just what we need around here—another lush." He laughed. Some music started playing in the distance and Rosie swung her head back and forth. "I think she likes music." Louis walked closer and rubbed his hand over her rough skin. I listened to the music closely and recognized the tune.

"I'm Confessing That I Love You," I said. Louis looked at me with wide eyes, stunned by what I just said.

"What?" He said quietly where no one could hear. It was then I realized what exactly I had said and how I said it.

"The song," I said quickly, "that's the..song that's playing."

"O-oh, right," Louis smiled, "Louis Armstrong." He nodded to himself. That was close, but his reaction wasn't too bad, He didn't seem disgusted..more surprised. "Well, I think it's a good thing to form an offstage relationship." Louis sat his glass on the ground and moved to her side where a ladder was placed against the wall, "Will you help me with this ladder?" He asked, clearly struggling with the heavy ladder. I quickly moved closer and lifted it from his hands and placed it against Rosie. Louis seemed somewhat flustered when I held my hand out to help him up, his cheeks going this pretty shade of pink. He hesitantly grabbed my hand and stood there for a few minutes just staring up at Rosie.