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BOOK 1
This is a story about a little girl and a little boy
They can't do some things very well because they both have something wrong with their legs or arms
So they play with toys that have something wrong with their body, or how they look
All they want is to play like ordinary children, and be able to go places, and for people to want to play with them
The two children just want to be accepted, like any ordinary children, and even lots of older people do
They don't want to feel there is something different about them, or not quite good enough or right about them
There's nothing unusual in that, after all
They're just children who want to be like anyone else, and to be likeable, like anyone
Even when they don't feel very well, or they don't get everything right
They liked to play at going to the circus, seeing all the animals and funny people who put on shows
Things that could make people laugh and enjoy themselves, and forget their hurts and worries for a while
The children had toy acrobats who could do all manner of feats on swings and things
And a monkey playing a drum
But what the children wanted more than anything in the whole world, apart from being accepted, was go to a real live circus
One day their small town was buzzing with exciting news - The big circus was coming to town!
At first they did not get excited themselves, because they thought they'd never be able to go
After all, they'd never been to a real circus before
But their parents started to talk about it and to make plans, and the children began to think it could be real
Then they did get excited, and thought about what they would see, and the clothes they would wear
And about all the animals, and the people there would be
It seemed to be ages till the day of the circus
A few days before the circus was due they had a wonderful surprise
All of the animals and clowns and funny people, and lots of people who could not walk properly like them, came right past their little house
They watched them pass by the window in a long stream, chattering and laughing
The children waved at the circus people and they all waved back to them
Some of the animals were in trucks or trolleys, but the rest ambled along slowly, all jumbled up with the circus people
The animals seemed to be waving and smiling too
Finally the day came for the circus, and the children got ready, putting on their nice clothes and brushing their hair
Then they set off with their parents for the proper circus, not make-believe like play, or even in their wildest dreams
When they got to the circus, the enormous tent was shaped like a big clown with a funny face
Outside they saw the people and some of the animals who had passed by their house that day
Some had sticks and bicycles, scooters and trolleys, because they couldn't walk too well for one reason or another.
They said Hello to the two children, and they all went inside the enormous coloured tent
The atmosphere inside was exhilarating. It was really too noisy, but it felt good too
There was music and chatter like a big buzzing sound
They saw people from their town and some children they knew a bit though not really well
Then the show began
The compere promised the audience a very good show, and he announced all of the acts
Then a giraffe and a llama walked slowly round the ring twice while everyone clapped again
The animals liked it too
Then came the elephants who did a balancing act, while others walked round the ring
There were some small baby elephants which were really adorable, and everyone loved those
The children were able to pat them and the people cheered
Next it was the turn of the ordinary performers
But they really weren't ordinary at all
Some walked on stilts, some had sticks, some rode on a scooter or a trolley with wheels
Some had bicycles, and some had a bike with only one wheel, somehow balancing on that
And one performer just had one very big wheel!
The clowns did funny things to make people laugh, which they could make happen without saying even one word
But all of the people including the children knew what they meant anyway
The final circus act to watch was a big dancing bear dressed up in a smart yellow waistcoat
He was very large indeed, but he danced so nimbly that people wondered how
The children had not been aware of the orchestra up to now, though they'd been playing music for all of the acts
They were all animals of different sorts, and they played with great gusto
It was like everything and everyone suddenly coming alive
Imagine the children's surprise when the music finally stopped, and the bear walked over to them
He scooped the two children up, one in each of his big woolly arms
Then he placed them carefully on the back of a handsome horse, larger than you've probably ever seen
.
While everyone else left the big circus tent to return to their small homes, the children had the time of their lives
Riding in style on the back of the wonderful horse
A very smartly dressed duck, or something else - it was hard to tell - approached the children with a small gift each
He - or she, because again you couldn't really tell - said:
We'd like you to accept this small gift each to help you remember this night. These gifts could have been more expensive or extravant. We just want you to know that here you found happiness and acceptance, just as you are
We all here know how people can be cruel, or laugh at us for the wrong reasons. We are all different from each other. We don't fit in with most people - except with each other, and special people like you
Go back now to your home and be thankful for what you do have. Others will envy you for knowing who you are, and that you are accepted for that
Au Revoir. We will come this way again and see you then
The musicians struck up another lively tune, and the children left to go home with their parents
Their ginger cat Amber had been happily dreaming of being a big stripey tiger in the circus
But he was secretly very glad to see the children come home
The children opened their gifts from the duck-person at the circus, and gave them pride of place up on the toy room shelf
Guess what they were . . .
Two tickets in their names for the circus! They had no date on them:
Just an open invitation to drop by and meet them, whether they were in that town or any another in the whole world
And they could come even if the circus were having a rest, and not putting on a special performance for anyone
This was the circus people's way of telling the children they were acceptable to them, any way that they were
And at absolutely any time
Now the children felt much better in themselves, and invited other children to tea
And those children invited them to go to places with them, or just to play or chat
Often they dream of the lovely day at the big circus in town, and sometimes play with their small circus and performers
Amber the cat still dreams of being a big, fierce, stripey tiger, though he doesn't let on to people about that
CLICK here or on the BALLOONS for BOOK 2
CLICK here or on the KITE for the EPILOGUE
You can also see this on Youtube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wnyMPjGedE
Copyright 2011 Lexicomic
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