County Fair
Your fingers interlace with those of Adam Klaus as the two of you wander about the county fairgrounds. It has just turned dark and the cool night air has replaced the heat of day. Adam removes his denim jacket and places it over your shoulders. He wears faded jeans and a dark blue T-shirt while you are in a knee-length green summer dress.
The light from the rides on the midway catch your eye, but Adam steers you toward the game booths. You take your hand from his and slip it around his waist. You know that you're going to be there awhile.
When he spots a forlorn little girl walking away from a booth, he walks right up to her. Adam crouches before her and produces a flower from behind his back. He hands it to her and gets her to smile. "What's your name?"
"Sara."
"What were you trying to win?"
She shyly turns back to the booth and points up. "The big pink unicorn."
He touches her nose with his finger and smiles. "Well, I can't promise anything but why don't you wait here for a few minutes and I'll see what I can do?"
She nods, still smiling and holds her flower before her proudly. Adam stands, winks at you and makes his way to the booth. The girl's mother, who has apparently been watching the whole thing, walks up to you. "Is he with you?"
"Oh yeah."
"Well it's sweet of him to try to win her a toy but he doesn't ha..."
"The game was fixed so that she couldn't win. He's a magician. He knows how to cheat the cheaters. Trust me, she'll have herself a pink unicorn in under an hour. And I have a closet full of stuffed animals for proof."
The girl's mother smiles at you.
It takes Adam ten minutes of winning and trading up for ever-larger stuffed animals before he acquires the sought-after prize. He turns to Sara and smiles. "Sure you want this one? I can get you that big one up there."
You note with amusement the panic that spreads across the face of the booth operator. Adam's told you often enough that they use the one huge prize as a draw for the crowds. With the game being rigged, most folks never get anywhere near winning it; a good thing for the operator as it's usually the only one they have.
"No thanks Mister. I just like the pink one."
Adam turns to the operator smugly as he reluctantly hands over the pink unicorn. "You're lucky the little lady isn't as greedy as you. If I come by later and you're running the same scam," he points up to the grand prize, "I guess I'll have a new present for my girlfriend."
He walks to Sara, kneels before her and hands over the stuffed animal. She hugs it first and then Adam. Her mother touches your arm. "Hang onto that one. He's going to make a good father." She leaves your side and stands beside her daughter. "Come on Sweetie, let's go home."
"Thanks Mister!" Sara takes her mother's hand and they disappear into the crowd.
Adam rejoins your side and takes your arm. "So, " he smiles, "already staking me out for Daddy potential?"
"You heard that huh?"
"Indeed. Do you agree with her assessment?"
"Of course I do. I've always thought you'd be a good Papa. After all, you have so much in common with a child." You find yourself being soundly tickled for that. You giggle and slap at his arms until he relents. "I'm just kidding. I really do think you'd be wonderful."
He kisses you, then holds you tightly. "I'm not sure I'm quite ready to be that responsible yet." He leans close to your ear and whispers, "though the trying for it is really really fun." You tickle him briefly until he kisses you.
Adam pulls back and smiles down at you. "Come on, let's go ride your rides." He takes your hand and leads you to the midway. The next half hour is spent on the "Scrambler" being pressed as tightly up against him as is possible while clothed.
|
|
| The character of Adam Klaus and the show Jonathan Creek were created by David Renwick and are © the BBC. No infringement is intended and no profits are being made. |