Clown Reunion

"I can't believe they're closing down the rodeo," ember_rain sighed to her table of friends. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know about the rest of you but I plan on writing an expose!" ♥Hooves♥ exclaimed, a mischievous smile played on her lips. "I'm going straight to the top of the best sellers list."

Before anyone else could say anything, Sophy entered the auditorium with a balloon that read 15. "Happy 15-year reunion everyone! Mr. Sophy will be along with some adult beverages in just a moment. I think we all need one with them deciding to close down the rodeo and the circus in the same week. I just don't know what we're going to do."

"I'm writing a book. There are so many juicy stories to tell that I can make a second career out of it. Starting with the weird love triangle between some people we know."

"Are you talking about when my so-called sister, shaara stealing my boyfriend?" b_boonstra snarked as she joined the table. She dug into her purse and pulled out a flask. After she took a long drink from it, she passed it around. "I don't know what's so bizarre about that."

"Well you and Robert barely spoke two words and shaara simply said hello to him, one time." Sophy turned to look for her husband. She was worried about him, he should have joined them by now. She took the flask, and was startled when she took a drink. "Is this kool-aid?"

"I was trying to see why it was bad to drink a fifth of kool-aid and then drive. I'm still not sure Eminem knew what he was talking about." b_boonstra pushed a strand of her hair back. She was surprised to see Shaara and The StoryMaster walking in together. "What's that about?"

"Well it's great to see the lot of you. Especially since this is my last year teaching. Forced retirement is no joke." The StoryMaster said with a hint of sadness in his voice. "However, the rest of your classmates either are choosing to ignore the invite or are in jail. So instead of this being a usual reunion, I have decided to make it a game. As such, I have hidden Mr. Sophy and you need to find in 500 words, er minutes."

Sophy stood up, panic rising. "This isn't funny. Where is my husband?"

"He's out back, tied to the wheel. We'd save a lot of time and aggravation if we just went out there right now." ♥Hooves♥ stood up and headed towards the door. No one followed her. She sighed and walked confidently out the door.

"Why didn't you guys follow her? ♥Hooves♥ seemed like she was on a mission!" Robert Waltz walked in and smiled. "Where is everyone?"

"They decided not to come and The StoryMaster has hidden Mr. Sophy somewhere." Shaara twirled a strand of hair around her finger and moved her foot.

"Give us a clue, where is my husband?"

"He's around. Not too far and not too close. When you find him, there was be a feast, if you don't there will be a famine."

"I think that kool-aid is really messing with my head, because I literally have no idea what he's talking about, or why Shaara is flirting with my boyfriend."

"Do I know you?" Robert Waltz asked.

"Listen I don't have time for you Gossip Girl love triangle, Mr. Sophy needs to be rescued. Where in the world do we start?"

The remaining group walked out into the warm afternoon sun. Sophy ran to her car and noticed that a 2 liter of Diet Coke had fallen. She picked it up and held it high for her former classmates to see. Shaara asked "Does this have something to do with the game or do you just like soda?"

"Mr. Sophy would never have dropped this. It has to be a clue."

"Couldn't he have just dropped it? I mean not everything is a clue." b_boonstra glared at Shaara , who was walking with The StoryMaster ." "It's not enough that she is trying to steal my boyfriend, but now she is trying to steal my mentor from me."

"Who's your boyfriend?" Robert Waltz asked

"You. Or at least in her mind, it's you." Sophy answered her eyes widening when she saw a large Hershey chocolate bar on the ground just past Robert. She rushed over to it and went deeper into the field.

"Wait what? I don't even really know you that well. Like we maybe talked a handful of times."

"I had a crush on you but you and Hooves were always hanging out and I never got a chance to tell you how I felt."

"Oh. Well, um I'm sorry but I would never want to put our little group in danger of breaking up. I think we'd be better off being friends."

b_boonstra turned and ran after Sophy . Robert Waltz took a deep breath and followed, if he had known how much drama was associated with being a rodeo clown, he would have stuck it out with Enron.

When he found the rest of the group, Sophy and Mr. Sophy were dancing to a slow country song. ember_rain was happily chatting with Shaara . ♥Hooves♥ was typing furiously on her phone, a determined look on her face. The StoryMaster sat back and smiled.

After a while, The StoryMaster clanked his fork against the wineglass. "When the organizers of our rodeo announced that they were going out of business, there was a sadness that settled in all of us. You all have been clowning for 15 years, and I have been doing it much longer. There are still people to entertain, there are still fans of what we do. Instead of despair though, we should band together. When one rodeo closes, another springs to life. So, as we enjoy the feast tonight I want you to mull over this proposal, why don't we buy the rodeo and carry on?"

Clown on!