[Katpo]

Poofie had had enough. Absolutely ENOUGH! Between all of the problems at work, with her husband, her kids, the car, the bills and the house, she was just at her wits' end! But as every good wife and mom knows, life goes on. There are endless trips to the mall. Things the kids need. Demands at work. Bills to pay. It's just a fact of life.

As Poofie left the supermarket on this pretty summer day, she spots a big, colorful sign posted outside. "Hmm ...", she thought to herself, "I don't remember seeing that poster when I went into the store!"

Then out of the corner of her eye, she spots something so out of the ordinary that it would make ANYONE turn their head! It's a clown, complete with the red nose and big floppy shoes ... and then it disappeared around the corner. She turns back to the poster to read it more carefully:

CIRCUS PERFORMERS WANTED!
NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!
Kindly inquire at the white tent at the county fairground

Poofie says to herself, "Ha! Good luck getting any new recruits from THIS boring old town!" But the more she thinks about it ...

[aghiowa]

"Nah," she said, to no one in particular, shaking her head. It was a ridiculous idea. "Who would cook dinner? Who would ferry the kids to all their activities? Who would clean the house?"

She slipped behind the wheel of her minivan, and carefully backed out of the parking space. As she maneuvered her way through the parking lot, her thoughts kept being drawn back to the poster. "If only..."

Moments later, she found herself pulling in to the gravel parking lot of the county fairgrounds. "The heck with it!" she thought, "They could do without her for one afternoon. It's not like the circus would actually PICK her!"

As she stepped from her van, slammed the door, and clicked the Lock button, the aroma of the circus assailed her nostrils. The musky smell of straw, the pungent aroma of elephant dung, and a faint thread of funnel cake... she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, stepping forward, unknowingly, into her new life.

[LiLLy19]

But the more she thinks about it ... the more she realizes that its something that she'll be able to do.

After all, with all the juggling she does by just being a mom indicates that she'd be great at juggling things at the circus!

She decided to run after the clown and to inquire about becoming part of the circus. As Poofie rounds around the corner she notices that the clown has disappeared into the big white tent.

Poofie approaches the tent rapdily but cautiously. Has she lost her mind? Can she really go through with this? Deciding to set aside all the fears and questions inside of her, Poofie enters the tent.

Poofies mouth drops to the floor. Can it be? How is this possible...?

[Katpo]

"Ahhhhh ..."

She breathes in the smell and it's like she has come home. She briefly wonders if maybe, in some other life, she was a performer! After all, she's so coordinated and loves to be in front of a crowd, and this MUST be fate that has brought her into this tent. She looks around furtively and notices that there's no one else in the tent! It's empty except for all of these cardboard cutouts that are everywhere.

And all of them are of her.

[Froufy]

Or at least they seem to look like her - if she dyed her hair blonde - grew about 4 inches and had some major reconstructive surgery done...hmmmm

As she stood pondering this strange turn of events she felt a tap on her shoulder....she jumped - turned around and there was the barker....actually it really was Bob Barker!!! Imagine that! What was he doing here, she thought?

" Hi there" he said - 'are you auditioning for the new ringmaster position'? You sure look like you could be the one?"

Had she gone mad? Ringmaster? Well it did sound pretty exciting - but did it mean she would have to leave behind the life she knew?

'Say Bob' responded Poofie "so what does a girl have to do to audition around here?".

Bob just smiled and crinkled those baby blues - 'well just follow me' he said.

And so she did - little did she know..............

[Katpo]

That as she walked thru a big, beige curtain, she suddenly found herself onstage with a huge wheel. She looked to her left and peered thru the floodlights that were threatening to blind her ... and she saw people! Lots and lots and LOTS of people!

Quickly she put two and two together and realized that she was on the set for "The Price Is Right"! Here comes Holly, Dian and Janice! She sees a brand-new Ford Pinto off to the right, a hideous avocado green washer and dryer set, and a console television like the one her parents have hidden away in the basement. She thinks some more and realizes ...

When she stepped thru those tent flaps into what she thought was the circus, she was really stepping back in time ... all the way back to 1977.

[Froufy]

It was the best year of her life - it was the worst year of her life - after all who wants to be a chubby 20 something just recovering from the acne scars that marked her cute little dimples?

In those days she was an avid Price is Right fan - so was this a dream come true? or a nightmare waiting to happen?

As Poofie pondered these thoughts she realized it was her turn to spin the big wheel! Could she get close to a $1 without going over?......

So with all her might Poofie grabbed the wheel and spun it!.....

[septembersgoal]

...but she couldn't let go of the wheel! It spun and spun, wildly out of control, flinging Poofie's skinny little body through the air. As she turned over and over, faster and faster, Poofie began to cry. Why did I come here? she thought. What was I running away from? Where am I now? Suddenly it occured to her that she really couldn't remember anything about her life, or herself.
And with that thought she landed flat on her face. Looking up, she realized...

[Katpo]

The grocery manager, stockboys, checkers, and about 20 shoppers were all gathered around her, holding their breaths and murmuring something that she couldn't make out. She realized she was flat on her back -- and OOOWWWW! Her head was pounding! She tried to sit up. "Whh ... whh ... what happened? Where am I? Who are you all? And hey! Where is Bob Barker?"

"Bob Barker!?!" the murmurs in the crowd became a little louder and all of a sudden everyone was talking at once! Then came the nervous twitters and giggles, then outright laughter! They were all relieved that she seemed okay, and except for that nasty bump on her head and the crazy talk about Bob Barker, it seemed like the crisis was over.

The store manager offered to call someone to pick her up, but Poofie just shook her head and waved them off. "I'll be okay as soon as I get home and get some rest. I guess I must have passed out -- I HAVE been under a lot of stress lately and haven't been able to sleep well."

So Poofie gathered up her things that were strewn all over the floor ... thanked everyone for their concern but assured them that she would be fine, and went out to her waiting van. She sat there for a few more minutes, feeling of the growing bump on her head and wondering what on earth had happened. "I really must make an appointment with the doctor soon! This stress is going to kill me yet!"

Slowly she turns out of the parking lot onto a busy street and heads toward home. Back to the problems at work. Back to the problems with her husband, the kids and the car. Back to the never-ending pile of bills and the house that probably needed a good cleaning. Her daughter would probably want to go to the mall tonight. She sighed ... then shrugged her shoulders and pulled into her driveway.

~ THE END ~

[septembersgoal]

Aw, that was kind of a sad ending. I just knew she would replace Bob Barker as host of the Price is Right.

[Katpo]

Okay. Maybe she'll fall and bonk her head again ... and the dream will continue!

[Mattandgabbysmom]

Great story, I really it!!