The Storm Outside

  • by Kentcelebrate by dancing
  • left school at sixteen
  • “Mr Wilmerdings is an accomplished pianist.”
  • make the standard criss-cross pattern
  • just blink twice and we’ll know what you mean

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The storm outside threw the craft in the opposite direction, causing me to twirl and wave my arms to keep from toppling. Mr Carousel clapped, and exclaimed, “Everyone loves the tiaras, but few celebrate by dancing when I mention them!”

I just kept running, hoping Jim could hold out. Hoping the fork would still be cold enough. Wondering if I’d be in this predicament if my brother hadn’t left school at sixteen to travel full time with a waltz trio. I remembered the day he told Mother of his plans, her disparagement of the troubadour life. All Jim could say of the bandleader was, “Mr Wilmerdings is an accomplished pianist.” Mother hadn’t been impressed.

Finally I arrived back at the zeppelin’s petting zoo, where the situation appeared to be unchanged. Jim, in the blue panda suit, was still gyrating hectically with Esmerelda hanging onto the fur in his armpits, her body flung straight outward by centrifugal force. Cleopatra said, “Hurry! The nose, the panda nose. Use the fork to make the standard criss-cross pattern, like on a traditional peanut butter cookie!”

I edged forward, ducking under Esmerelda each time she swung by. With quickness and precision that a ninja would be proud of, I reached up with the fork on two successive revolutions, scoring the rubbery snout from different angles. On the next swing, Esmerelda landed in my arms. And after two more rotations, Jim stopped spinning and sat down heavily.

Esmerelda scrambled over to him, calling, “Are you okay?” The panda head was wobbling. She held it still and peered in through the eyeholes. “If you’re okay in there, just blink twice and we’ll know what you mean.”

“Splendid!” cried Mr Carousel. “We’ll make that the centerpiece of your act!”

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