Circus Jack - Chapter Twelve. Unwanted Attention

Chapter 12, titled "Unwanted Attention," introduces a new twist as Violet Python, the formidable rival of L.V. Spectavelli, takes an unsettling interest in Pepy. A mysterious, gaunt man enters her office, bringing with him tales of the Wonder Dog's extraordinary abilities and the financial success he's brought to Spectavelli's circus.

Circus Jack:

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Music.

(00:10):
Let's just do a brief recap on the preceding chapters.
After joining Speck-DeValley Circus, Pepe quickly expands his repertoire of
tricks beyond jumping through hoops and riding horses.
His talent is unmatched, and he amazes audiences with feats that have never
been seen before and likely will never be seen again.

(00:32):
As the circus makes its way down the East Coast from Baltimore to Richmond,
Virginia, word spreads about the incredible Pepe the Wonder Dog.
Soon he performs to sold-out crowds of adoring fans who come to witness his astonishing tricks.
Let's learn about more. Chapter 12.
Unwanted Attention A tall man stood at the room's entry, holding his dusty hat in hand.

(00:58):
Deep-set sunken eyes and hollow cheeks accented the thin overalls hanging off
his thin frame, like a scarecrow having spent spent too much time in the field.
Come in and sit down, said Python, folding her delicate hands together,
interlacing long manicured fingers.
The man shuffles into the office with hesitation, sizing up the situation before

(01:20):
fully entering the room, having heard stories about the dangerous woman before him.
The musty smell of a life on the open road, campfires and an unbathed body preceded him.
Python covered her nose with a perfumed handkerchief. The news of an astounding
circus dog, like none they had ever seen before reached Spectavelli's rival

(01:41):
Violet Python, owner of Violet Python's Aerial Circus.
Violet and L.V. Spectavelli have been competitive rivals for years,
both believing they had modernized and perfected traveling entertainment.
Their competition was relentless and sometimes appeared as hand-to-hand combat
traveling towns and cities, providing circus entertainment and competing for

(02:05):
cash from the same audience.
You can't milk a lean cow twice in a week, they agreed.
But their concept of entertainment is as different as a rose is from the thorn on the same stem.
L.V. Spectovelli focused on entertaining families delivering joy,
awe, and laughter to hardworking families.

(02:25):
He believed they deserved a show worth more than the cost of entry.
Country python prickly and often
punishing to her staff sought to entertain her
audience by pushing the boundaries of human capability
through defying gravity and facing death head-on her circus specialized in acts
on the high wire where bodies fly at each other 100 feet above the audience

(02:48):
with little or no safety net and often with deadly consequences tell me everything
you know about Spectivelli's dog,
she said, making a fist ready to pound the desk.
Her piercing gaze felt like a drill bit boring into the man's brain.
Yes, the gaunt man stammered, mopping his forehead.

(03:11):
Come on, she demanded. Spill it already, Python blasted.
Her eyes flared into massive white orbs with the iris and pupil as black as the heart of coal.
She narrowed her eyes to near slits, lined by precisely plucked black eyebrows
formed into daggers, aimed at the man. What do you have to say?

(03:33):
Well, Ms. Python, the man began.
This is no ordinary dog. He may be from another country or maybe another world.
Doing tricks that are unheard of in any circus before our time maybe tricks
even humans can't perform.
They call him the Wonder Dog.
The Wonder Dog, she hissed. And what of the receipts? Is Spectadelli gaining riches from this dog?

(04:01):
Well, Ms. Python, the dog has top billing.
Each show is standing room only even after Spectadelli raised entry fees 10% by some reckoning.
The dog is making him rich, it seems, she murmured, lost in thought, rubbing her brow.
Are there more of these dogs out there?
There are more of the breed, but not like this one.

(04:24):
They broke the mold after he was born, they did. And how would you know that?
Because, he said, I'm the one that nabbed him for Spective Ellie.
Thanks for listening to Circus Jack. We look forward to seeing you in the next
episode, And remember that whether it's a cloudy day or a sunny day, it's always a good day.

(04:45):
Make it yours. See you soon.