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The Fakir and the Science of Miracles/Chapter Three: Among the Aerial Gymnasts

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Chapter Three:
Among the Aerial Gymnasts

One day, while walking freely in the city, Tom and Katya went to the marquee of a circus-chapiteau. On a poster, which was not made in a printing house, rather simply drawn on a plywood board by an artist who was clearly not very skilled, there was an inscription that flaunted the words: “Air Acrobats of the Thibaut Dynasty”.

Tom paused at the poster for a long time…

“Do you want to see real skill?” — he suddenly asked Katya.

“Of course!”

… They bought tickets.

The show was uncomplicated. The costumes and the whole entourage were very inferior to what was in the rich and world-famous circus of Mr. Lurie.

… But, when the performance of the aerial gymnasts began, Katya understood what Tom was talking about. It was perfect execution of the most complicated elements of a number. Light, flexible bodies seemed to fly like birds in the air. Incredible coherence and accuracy of movements made the extraordinary efforts of the gymnasts seem effortless and turned the entire area under the dome into a magical space where people — as if were flying, only occasionally touching the trapezes or the hands of partners with their own hands or feet…

“Wow!” — Katya whispered euphorically.

… After the performance, when they were already going to the exit, one of the gymnasts suddenly called out:

“Tom? Is that you? It cannot be! I am so glad to see you!”

… Tom shuddered and turned around.

“Hello, Tonya!”

“Is this little one yours?” — Tonya with a caress in her eyes bent down to Katya, stroked her light golden hair. — “What a beautiful girl! And she is already so tall!”

… And, turning to Katya, she asked:

“Did you like the performance?”

“Yes!” — Katya enthusiastically said and added a few professional words describing those coups and techniques that particularly delighted her.

“Wow! So does the dynasty of Thibaut air gymnasts continue?”

“Yes!” — Tom suddenly happily answered. All the tension that he had been feeling this evening suddenly vanished. An incredibly beautiful and calm tenderness blossomed in him, which usually was hidden somewhere deep inside of him, under a lot of jesting masks.

“Will you go to your father?” — Tonya asked.

Tom shook his head:

“No, better not… It would be better if you all visited us instead, if you want to.” — Tom handed out invitations to the circus of Mr. Lurie.

Tonya frowned slightly…

“I do not know if it will be possible… You do know your father: he criticizes everyone for being untalented and he probably would not like to watch. I myself will try: I will come, if he lets me go…”

“In any case, you now know where to find me… Well…If you need my help…”

“Yes, thank you!”

… They warmly said goodbye.

* * *

Tom walked, immersed in his thoughts.

Katya pulled him by the sleeve:

“Did she say ‘father’? Did your dad perform there?”

“No, Katya, he does not perform… He is the owner of that circus. Do you remember, I said that I was an aerial gymnast? And that — I then had to leave… It happened like this…”

… Tom never forgot what happened then…

He was young, in love with Tonya, and brought her to their circus.

Then, they made a number…

His father was unhappy because — even though the girl was capable of it — it was very difficult to include someone into a number who was “not from the circus”!

… Then Tonya fell in love with Serzh, the juggler…

And then Tom got into an accident…

On that day, the old wooden suspension design under the dome broke, from which the ropes and trapezes were fastened. Tom held all the others with his body for a long time, connecting the place of the fault with his hands. Those moments, while all the gymnasts descended, seemed to him to be slow in time…

… And then he could not save himself: he had no more strength left, and he fell down. His arm muscles broke, and he also fractured his spine…

… Tom dreamed of performing again. And this dream gave him strength. He learned to walk anew, to move his hands… Overcoming the pain, he forced his body to obey…

But, when he had more or less recovered, his father said:

“You will never be able to work really well under the dome again. And you should not be a burden here to others!”

… His father did not have any pity for anyone, including himself. If their positions were reversed, he would have done the same thing with himself. Tom knew this and tried to drive away the insult, and said: “Yes, a cripple, a disabled person cannot be their companion… But I almost have recovered in just one and a half years!… I was hoping that with a little more time — I could perform!…”

His father’s words sounded like a verdict: “You will never be able to!… Do not torture yourself and us! Go away and make a new life! Go away without saying goodbye to anyone: it will be better! Do not make any sentimental scenes! Good luck to you!”

His father turned and walked away… Tom never saw him again.

By the next day, Tom had already left…

His father was always ruthless with such matters. He never compromised and did not forgive anyone who, even once, allowed oneself to deceive another, or who in some way failed or for other reasons did not meet his requirements for a real artist. He expelled those whom he considered incapable or unworthy, as if he had erased them from his life forever. And there could be no return to the past!

Tom then realized that his father was right, and that, despite all his efforts, he could no longer perform as before. And to engage in all sorts of ancillary activities and to look with pain or envy to be there — under the dome of the circus, where he would like to be… Spending his life on this sadness — would be a waste of time!…

And so, for several years, Tom worked different jobs. He easily mastered new ways of applying his forces in various matters, and earned a good salary. But the circus… remained an “unhealed wound”.

One day, he visited the circus performance of Mr. Lurie — and there he realized that he must return to the circus! It didn’t matter what position he had to take, he just knew that he had to come back!

So he decided to become a clown and composed several funny numbers.

His first acts were not very good, but Mr. Lurie could discern talent in people. He had a kind of “flair”. He liked this young man with incredibly sad eyes — and he took Tom to the troupe. Mr. Lurie was not mistaken: Tom became a “star” of sorts. And his numbers became even better as time passed due to his clever irony, incredible ingenuity, and a willingness to laugh at himself… Mr. Lurie rightly believed that he helped Tom become one of the best clowns in the world!

For a long time, Tom tried with all his might to forget his father’s offence, to erase it from his memory… But… he only managed to drive it very deep within himself…. Only today, he happily realized that he had forgiven his father and all of them… And that he simply loves all of them now! He loves Tonya — without jealousy, without pain and sorrow for the past, he loves their entire team, and he loves his father!…

He put his arm around Katya’s shoulders. Without her, his beloved little Katya — this probably would not have happened.

That’s what this was — as Tonya said — “the continuation of the dynasty”!

And what exactly is a dynasty?! It does not matter! Katya became the main joy and meaning in his life! She needed him! For her, he was a friend, a teacher, and a father! And she, in fact, had become like a daughter to him!

* * *

The next day Tom, nevertheless, slightly hoped that Tonya would come to their show, he even thought over the idea of how to make fun of himself for no longer being a gymnast now, but a clown…

After the show, he watched the public from behind the scenes.

Katya walked over and touched his sleeve.

“Don’t be sad! They probably had to leave. You know: it happens…”