Play Me a Song

Chp.2 - A Gummy Bear Kind of Guy (part I)

When I said I was going to be a kids' party entertainer, I was joking. Here I am, though, dressed in rainbow leggings, purple tutu skirt, and pink circles painted on my cheeks. I'm not exactly a party entertainer, I'm just one of the clowns that take care and keep the children busy in "The magic land of Funyard: where they play while you shop." Almost the same thing.

The outfit is ridiculous but it's actually fun, if the children are not that spoiled kind. "No, you can't hurt Mr. Toto. No, let's not tell your parents, let's just stop hitting Mr. Toto." Besides, it pays well and I need it, my parents say they don't. It's not much, but I'm trying to help.

"Hey, Em, I'm trying to call his mother again," Mr. Toto, aka George, points with his head to the little boy sitting on the yellow bench looking sadly to the door, "Can you try to get another number?"

I nod as George gets behind the counter. I get closer to the boy and sit beside him. When I came to work at 5 p.m. he was already here, he liked more to stay at the painting tables, where I'm in charge. He was very shy and didn't talk too much with the other children. He opened up a little when I complimented his work, it was actually good, more real than must kids, less colorful too. His name was Thomas, but insisted on being called Tom, and even though his record said he was seven he was very small and thin for this age.

"Hey, Tom, is there anyone else we could call? We are about to close and..."

"You are not going to leave me alone, right?" He interrupts looking at me with fear on those ever skeptical brown eyes.

"No, of course not." I fidget with one of my braids. "But maybe your mother forgot her phone somewhere so if you know anyone else's phone it would help."

I didn't expect an answer because when I was a kid I just knew two numbers by heart: my mom's and my house's. But he knew one more. He wrote it down and I gave it to George.

"I can turn on one of the video games for you if you want." I offer and he just shakes his head negatively still looking to the door. "Are you sure? Have you ever played Mario Kart?"

With that he looked at me with a frown. "That's so old."

"It's a classic. And I'm very good at it."

"Everyone is good at Mario Kart."

"I think someone is afraid of losing." I casually challenge him.

He sighed like an old man. "Okay, whatever, let's play."

I smile victorious, jumping from the bench.

George managed to get into contacted with Tom's uncle while we raced, I mean, while I shamefully lost for someone ten years younger.

"I thought you said you were good." Tom laughs getting first to the finish line once more.

"I am good," I struggle with the game wheel, "at going to the wrong side."

I have never been good at these racing games, I like to think that I make up for it in the fighting ones. However, there is no such game in Funyard, no violence allowed. Unless it is against Mr. Toto.

George approaches us. "Hey, Tom, your uncle is here."

Tom immediately drops his control and runs to hug the figure waiting by the door.

Living seventeen years at my hometown, I shouldn't be surprised by how small the world can be. Yet here I find myself cursing that Aeson Meyer is picking his nephew where I work dressed as a clown. Wonderful.

I quickly face away, back to the TV screen. Unfortunately, Mr. Toto has to mess up everything and ask me to get Tom's shoes. Merda... Not so encouraged to participate in the "don't beat the crap out of the guy dressed as a dog" campaign anymore.

I get up and walk to the counter with my gaze on the floor. I pick up the only pair of shoes left and have to look to Aeson's face to give them. There is an amused smile on his face.

"Almost didn't recognize you, if it wasn't for that trap of a necklace." He takes the shoes, pointing to the green stone around my neck.

I decided that my outfit was so random that one green necklace wouldn't make a difference at the explosion of colors.

"Hey." I dumbly say, too aware of the ugly red heart painted on my lips.

"You know Misses Em?" Tom asks him.

"I'm starting to think I don't." He looks at my clothes.

I roll my eyes at him.

"You should see her driving skills." Thomas puts his shoes laughing, but stops and stares at me worried. "You're not driving home, are you?"

"Ha ha, very funny," I walk to him and squat to tie his laces, "but I don't need to, it's one of the perks of public transportation."

"Good." Tom dramatically sighs.

Even though it is at my expense I am glad to see him laughing, he was extremely sad earlier. What kind of parent forgets their own kid?

"Are you closing now?" Aeson asks behind me.

"Yeah. Half an hour late." I finish Tom's shoes laces and get up to face Aeson.

"I'm sorry about that." He grimaces.

"It's okay." I shrug. "We had fun."

I turn to Tom and extend my hand so he can high five it. He puts all his strength into it and I recoil my hand grimacing. "Ouch." It didn't really hurt, but I'm not going to be a buzz killer for the kid.

"I can drive you." Aeson offers.

For a moment I gap at the really nice offer but recover blinking. "You don't need to. Besides, I still have to change."

Aeson quickly puts his hands on Tom's ears. "Don't say that! You're killing the magic for him." He smirks and Tom just slaps his hands away. "With change, she means put on a green tutu skirt." He says to Tom that rolls his eyes.

"Stop being so dumb." Tom push him but Aeson doesn't even seem to notice.

"Come on, we will wait." Aeson says shrugging.

I sigh thinking.

"She's going with you." George intervenes showing up at the counter, now out of his dog costume but still with the makeup on. He is surprisingly built without the fluffy costume. I guess having to endure children's abuse all day is a really good work out. "Just go change already, I'm closing up."

"Okay," I look back to Aeson, "I'll be fast."

A/N:
I had to split this chapter in two parts bc it was just too long (almost 3000 words 😬)
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