Circus World Page #4

One.

May I? I mean,

if you're not using them.

- Yes, of course.

- Thank you.

Do you need the binoculars?

- Thank you.

- You're welcome.

Toni! Are you all right?

I think so.

What happened?

I was out there, everything

was going fine.

I had a good hold, then I...

I got a strange feeling.

I don't know why.

At least there wasn't a bird

in the tent.

Come on, we'll have Doc Look

at that.

How's the ankle, Toni?

It will be fine with this

tight bandage.

Good. I'm going to change.

Now stand on it Toni.

See how that feels.

It's all right, Doctor.

Put your boot on and it'll

keep the swelling down.

- Thank you.

- Good.

- You forgot your things.

- Thanks.

Is it very bad your ankle?

I sprain something all the

time.

Soak it tonight in salt.

That's very good for sprains.

You're a circus performer.

I mean, used to be.

How can you tell?

From the way you stand.

Yes, I used to work in shows.

Did you ever work up high?

They won't Let me.

Bit I sneak in a Lot of practice.

On the trapeze?

Yes, flying.

And I'm going at it, too.

Because my father was

the best in the world.

If you've been in shows,

you must have heard of him:

The Flying Alfredo.

Yes, I heard of him.

Years ago.

He was the only who ever did

a triple somersault.

Nobody has ever done it

since him.

Was your mother in the circus?

I don't remember.

Could I ask you something

personal?

What about?

If you're Looking for a job...

Thank you.

You are very kind.

I Like talking to old circus

performers.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean old,

I mean veterans.

And I like talking to the

young ones.

Especially a girl who's going

to be a big star.

Maybe, if the omens are right.

I'm on the next.

Yes?

Can you make it?

Yes. Easy.

- Okay, two minutes.

- Goodbye.

Is something the matter?

No. It's been so nice talking to you.

Good Luck.

Thank you. Goodbye.

Where's the shot gun?

Come on.

Get up on it.

Well, it happened.

What?

I just saw an old friend

of yours.

Where is she?

Over by the hospital.

Lili!

Leave me alone!

Oh, Lili!

Changed a Little bit,

people change.

It's been a Long time, Matt.

Nearly fifteen years.

Don't Look at me, Matt!

I saw a friend of yours

in Hamburg.

She said to say hello.

Hilda? You were there?

Oh, Matt!

Why, Lili? Answer me!

Why did you do it?

Leave me alone!

How Long do you think

you can keep running away?

How Long are you gonna

flop around in cheap joints?

I killed him! I killed...

Secora?

What are you hiding from,

Lili?

I killed Alfredo.

Just as if I'd used a knife.

I killed him!

All right. You killed him,

or I did,

maybe it was something neither

of us could help or anybody.

God knows we didn't just wake up

one morning and say:

Today we're gonna fall in

Love .

But it happened, though.

What happened, Lili.

You've paid.

Go away, Matt! Find yourself a Life,

with someone.

Let's forget about us.

Say that's over, finished, through.

You've got a daughter.

What about her?

That night when I saw...

Alfredo dead, I ran outside.

People stared, I was still

in costume.

The only place I could find to hide

was in a church.

In the morning the nuns

found me.

They gave me clothes...

They were kind to me.

And it was a haven.

It seemed Like an answer.

A convent, you took the easy

way.

Easy? I had to give up Toni.

But she had you, Matt.

You've been good for her.

They're some things a man

just can't do.

She has to learn from a woman,

from her mother!

She needs you!

How can I? Look at me.

What would you do?

I'd wash my face.

And make myself decent enough

to go up to that Little girl

and say:
I'm your mother .

It's too late! I'm too tired!

Too late! Still full of self pity!

Cognac!

Make up your mind.

Or you're forever dead.

- Toni, come here, please.

- Me?

- Take your hat off.

- My hat off?

Put the funnel on your head.

No, the other way round.

Now, when you catch the ball...

- I'll give you five dollars.

- Five dollars!

Don't move now, don't move.

- One...

- Five dollars!

Five dollars!

I'll give you five dollars!

One, two, three

four, five!

Jose! Put this in the safe.

Hard paying bills without

Money. Take finesse.

We did all right today, 81

kids, 77 grown-ups,

6 dead heads.

Total:
259 pesetas,

That's 43 dollars American.

Eight thousand more

and we get our tent.

That's right.

- Any other problem?

- Yes. You do have problems.

Toni. She's sick and tired

of playing clown.

She got some of the wardrobe

girls fixing her up a costume.

She's going for the high

trapeze.

They'll fix her a costume

but she isn't gonna wear it.

You Let me know if she does.

I'll Let you know.

Now, there be a good girl,

run up.

Good girl. Run up, please.

Please, lady.

No, you cant do anything

by standing.

Come on. Get inside!

Look! Look at them,

they hate me.

I don't want people to think

you're a coward.

You think she'll get him

to go in there?

She got him all the way

from Hamburg to Madrid.

It's a big difference - Lions to tigers.

Wives don't notice such things,

Hello, Maggie.

How's the Leg?

Fine thank you.

You're one foot higher today,

but it doesn't matter.

Now, never Look at your feet.

Look right here.

You walk with your eyes.

You ready?

- Ready.

- Go

- Nice work, Giovanna.

- Thank you.

Look right here.

- I'm sorry, Aldo.

- It's all right.

Haven't you got some

rehearsing to do?

- Yes, Sir.

- Well, get at it.

All right Toni, you've had

your fun. Come on down.

Matt, I'm learning beautifully.

I don't want you Learning

anything.

I catch you up in the air again

I'll put you in the kitchen.

You hear me?

Get down.

Come on down.

Haven't you something to do,

riding a horse or something?

Well, yeah, but, well, I...

Come on, Toni.

You Look beautiful!

Yeah! Go ride your horse.

That's a nice Looking outfit.

New?

Yes, the wardrobe girls

made it for me.

Oh, has Matt seen it?

No, I didn't put it on for him.

Do you Like it?

I'm getting used to it.

You'd rather I wore

the Salvation Army dress?

No, you Look much better

in this rig, but, different.

How, different?

Better or worst different?

Well, better different for me.

Matt, he's gonna...

Matt will make faces.

He always does.

But they never Last Long.

He'll be all right for tomorrow,

or anyway the day after.

Toni told me you bawled her

out this morning.

Yes, I did.

For going up on the high trapeze?

Look, with Lili for a mother

and Alfredo for a father,

isn't that kind Like

bawling out a duck

for taking the water?

She's just a kid.

Are you gonna tell Toni that.

Well, that you saw her mother?

- It's your pay.

- Are you?

No, I'm not, and it's your

move and quit reminding me.

Yeah, she's growing up fast.

Looks Like her baby days

are over.

It's the most wonderful day

in my Life.

I'm a woman, I Love everybody.

Well!

You, I wanna talk to you.

I wanna talk to you.

- You kissed Toni.

- Did I?

Well, you encouraged her,

I saw it.

Grabbing her and whirling

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