Here’s another bit from SIDESHOW IN THE CENTER RING, my science fiction comedy of bad manners starring the wiseass Connie Phelan.

Merit Badge

excerpt from SIDESHOW IN THE CENTER RING
by Marian Allen

Darryl flashed a big smile when he saw me, and signaled me to join his group.

“Come tell them how it was,” he said.

“I’m saving it for the autobiography.”

“Come talk to me.” He gave me what, I supposed, was meant to be a seductive look.

“No can do. My lawyer will call your lawyer.”

He laughed, and the Socialites loved it all.

Marissa stuck to Darryl like a leech. She had it bad, that one. I’d warned her. She’d been so sure she could handle him.

“Good work, Connie!” Jackie Eastman gave me a onearmed squeeze. “Darryl’s been telling how you out-maneuvered him. He doesn’t seem to be angry; he seems to think it was all in good fun. –That’s quite a relief.”

I blew a raspberry.

“It’s a relief to me, is that all right?”

“Sure, sure. Be my guest.”

“Tiph … er … I don’t know that congratulations are exactly in order, here, but….”

“My thanks are in order. I’ll never forget your kindness.”

Jackie blushed. Even his scalp turned rose-pink. “I didn’t do anything.”

“There goes your medal,” I said.

“My medal? Oh, my medal.” He laughed.

“Did you ever think you’d see the day when I’d own slaves and you’d be proud?”

He shook his head. “These people make you crazy. They’re an alternate universe. But never mind them. –Now for Honey.”

“‘Now for Honey’ nothing.” I may look stupid, but I was quick enough to make this connection. “If you think I’m going to let Darryl slobber on my hand and then slap me upside the head for the sake of Honey, you’ve got another think coming. Tiph didn’t know what she was getting into when she sold herself to That Man. Honey did.”

“But this is our chance! He’s given it to us, himself!”

“What’s all this ‘us’ stuff? I only have to do one good deed a day to get my merit badge.”

~*~

SIDESHOW IN THE CENTER RING is available at Amazon in print and for Kindle and Kindle apps.

A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: A character does something dreadful that’s better than something worse.

MA