Justin fidgeted nervously in the seat he had been directed to. The office he had been sent to by a very short guy in clown makeup was actually nothing more than a much smaller side tent to the far larger main tent where the performances were held. The main tent was set up in a large, open field that was normally used as the fairgrounds for special events. The entire back side of the main tent was filled with trucks and trailers, some being used to house humans and others obviously used to house the circus animals. Special areas were set up nearby to keep the larger animals like the elephants. It was open on one side but covered on the other and with a top to protect the animals from poor weather. When Justin was first directed to the office he blushed as he remembered how he had almost been bowled over by the gorgeous trapeze artist just yards from where he was standing. He shook his head and hurried on, hoping that arriving so early would give him a leg up for the job interview.

When Justin first arrived there were already three other guys waiting just inside the office tent. All three of them looked like fugitives from a chain gang. They had hard faces and multiple tattoos. They also had something else Justin didn't possess...really hard bodies with large muscles. If the job required strength, Justin knew he was screwed. He thought seriously of giving up his plan and tucking his tail between his legs before returning home. Maybe some other plan to escape his old life would fall into place. But as he took his seat, Justin forced himself to stop thinking like a quitter. More than anything he wanted this job. Finally after nearly an hour waiting, a hefty woman of indeterminate age with bright red hair entered the tent followed by a dark-haired young man somewhere in his late twenties or early thirties. She eyed the potential candidates for the job opening.

Debbie couldn't miss the disparity between the youngest candidate and the three other guys. The much smaller blond barely looked old enough to drink, let alone hold down a demanding job, but there was something about his face that the circus veteran was attracted to instantly. When the kid looked up at her he had a shaky but beautiful smile that seemed to light up the room. She liked what she saw but she doubted the poor kid could handle the job. She needed someone who could assist in setting up the circus sideshows and stands and be a jack-of-all-trades. That would take some real physical capabilities. She also needed a stand-in who could work the booths when someone was sick or had an emergency. That was a skill this kid could handle. She was certain of that. The customers would love that face and probably visit the booth more than usual.

Well, she decided, she wouldn't know who to hire by just staring at the candidates. She needed to interview them. Her son, Michael was along to share his opinion with her. After all, she only kept the circus going through all the hard times they often suffered as a small independent company for the sake of her son. She wanted badly to leave him this one legacy someday. As a gay man, she knew her son wouldn't fit in just anywhere...not in these times. The Gay Pride movement was taking off thanks to a horrible incident in New York City popularly known as the Stonewall Riots which had occurred almost exactly six years earlier to the day. Yet it was still a homophobic world out there and she wanted her son to have the security of a world he was comfortable in and had known since birth. This was why it was important to include him in every aspect of running the circus. 

Debbie was a hard taskmaster. She expected loyalty from her employees and always got it. One reason for this was her honesty and fair treatment of her people, whether they were part of an act or workers on the sideline. She was also very careful with who she hired. The vast majority of her people were straight but she did not want her son to be forced into hiding who he was so she made sure the people she hired had open attitudes about human diversity, including sexuality. She had made a few mistakes in judgment, but not many. She was an excellent judge of character. Now it was time to get down to business. She had a small desk set up at the back of the tent and she pointed to the beefy guy sitting closest to her and asked him to follow her to the back. 

For the next hour and a half Justin watched as each of the other men stepped to the back of the tent and sat down in front of the small desk that the redhead sat behind. The younger man sat in a seat next to the older woman. It was obvious that she was in charge since she was doing almost all of the talking, although Justin could see the dark-haired guy speaking up once in a while. The space was just large enough to keep Justin from clearly hearing what was being said. The longer he waited for his turn to be interviewed the more nervous he became. No one had come in to join the little group so it looked like he would be the last to be interviewed for now. By the time the redhead shook hands with the last of the three burly applicants and crooked her finger at Justin, he had become convinced he was on a fool's errand. There was no way he would be hired for this job. He felt like kicking himself on the one hand and crying on the other. Well, it was too late to back down now. Justin squared his shoulders and plastered the smile back on his face. Justin took the proffered seat across from the lady. 

"Well young man, shall we begin?" she started out. "I see you have a couple of papers in your hand. Is that your resume?"

Justin nodded and handed over the carefully-typed papers. Debbie took a few minutes to peruse what was written there. Well, she thought to herself, if the papers were honest then this kid wasn't afraid of a little hard work. There was nothing on the sheet that was as physically demanding as being a roustabout with the circus, but this lad had been working a lot for years now. She was surprised to see that the kid was actually twenty-one years old, several years older than she would have guessed. Then she noticed his school records. It was surprising. Why would this kid want to work for the circus when he was so close to finishing up his schooling and getting a degree?

"I see that you have been a student as well as a working man for several years now...let's see now, Justin Taylor," she stated, checking the young man's name. "Is that correct?"

"Yes Ma'am," Justin answered.

"So tell me Justin, have you finished your schooling early? You state that you only have three years at the Arts Academy. Isn't it a four year program?" 

"Yes Ma'am, it is...but I don't have a scholarship and I don't have enough money saved for the final year. I really need a good paying job in order to save up to finish my schooling. But, please...I really need this job and I wasn't planning on working for a short time and then leaving. I'm in no hurry to get back to school. Not yet anyway."

Debbie eyed Justin suspiciously. 

"Did you have some trouble at the school that I should know about?"

"No...oh no, not at all. Uhh, it's kind of personal but I had a relationship with a fellow student that went bad and I was thinking it might be wise if I waited until this person graduated ahead of me before I returned. That would leave me free to earn plenty of money to return after a year or so. And who knows, maybe I'll love the circus so much I'll never want to go back to my old life. I've been in love with the circus since I was just a little kid."

"So your girlfriend is in the same year as you?"

Justin hesitated. He didn't like to lie but he didn't know these people from Adam. If he admitted he had a boyfriend and not a girlfriend it could mean he'd blow any chance of getting the job, even if there was only a slim one at the moment. 

Debbie's gaydar began buzzing. She realized that the young man hadn't been gender specific when mentioning the broken relationship. Now he seemed strangely uncomfortable the second she mentioned a girlfriend. Debbie had seen this behavior many times before, but still she had no proof that this kid was one of her gay boys. Debbie, who was always on the lookout for a special someone for her son looked at Justin with a fresh eye. He was a little young for Michael, but.......hmmm, what were the chances of.....oh crap, she thought to herself, stop matchmaking with a total stranger. If Michael could read her mind right now he'd kill her. 

Justin finally answered. "My ex and I were in the same grade, so the answer is yes. They'll be finished by the time I have enough money saved to return and then I won't have to deal with them ever again."

Debbie again noticed that the young man wasn't being gender specific...as a matter of fact he was being deliberately evasive, if truth be told. Michael hadn't made any comments or asked any questions, so she was on her own with this lad. A glance at Michael's face showed that he really had no interest in the blond. Debbie smiled inwardly. She shouldn't be surprised. Michael had never shown any interest in the kid's body type or looks. He preferred his men older, taller, and stronger looking than the blond. As a matter of fact, he never seemed to go for anyone who didn't look a lot like his favorite person, Brian Kinney. Oh well, she sighed, she wasn't interviewing for a date for Michael. She was looking for an employee. She dragged her concentration back to the anxious young man in front of her.

"Alright Justin, can you tell me what you think you'd be good at in the circus world? We're really looking for a jack-of-all-trades, to be quite honest, and I'm not sure if you can handle the strength requirements?"

"Oh, he can handle them," came a voice from behind Justin's back.

Justin whipped his head around and saw the trapeze artist standing not too far from the back of his chair. He felt a slight flush on his cheeks.

"Brian," both Debbie and Michael exclaimed at the same time. "I didn't notice you coming in," Debbie continued.

"Do you know this kid?" Michael asked suspiciously, butting in to interrupt his mother.

Brian grinned, "We've met...or should I say, we've run into each other before. Trust me Deb, the kid is a lot stronger than he looks. He almost knocked me over the other day," Brian exaggerated. "So, is that why he's here....to go to work for our little circus?"

Brian was looking at Debbie when he asked but Justin spoke up for himself.

"Yes sir, Mr...?"

"Kinney. The name is right on the program. Didn't you read your program, Mr.....?"

"Taylor. Justin Taylor, and yes I read the programs but they aren't very well made. You can hardly tell one performer from another. All the names and acts are so jumbled up. I mean, it's colorful but not very informative."

"Well, well! We have a critic, Ma. And what makes you such an expert?" Michael sneered.

"I'm an art student and I know what is pleasing to the eye and what captures one's attention. I'm sorry. I don't mean to be critical. Mr. Kinney asked me a question and I was trying to give an honest answer."

Michael frowned, but both Debbie and Brian found the young man's response refreshing. They both laughed out loud.

"Mikey, stop being so testy. I'm sure the kid didn't mean to insult your artistic abilities," Debbie laughed. She turned to Justin. "You'll have to forgive my son. He's the one who designed the layout for the program so he's a little defensive about it. I hadn't thought about it before but you do have a point."

Brian stepped in with his two cents worth. "Looks to me like this kid could be good for more than a roustabout, Deb. What better place for an artistic eye than the circus...right?" Maybe he could even set up a booth where he could draw pictures of customers. We've seen those at carnivals and fairs. Why not at the circus too."

"We don't even know if he's any good at drawing faces. Hell, we don't even know if he can draw at all. You're taking his word for it," Michael groused.

"I'm damn good at what I do," Justin proclaimed. "If you'll give me a second I'll prove it."

Justin got up from his seat and went back to the front of the tent where he had dropped the large thin tote he had been carrying. He often carried it with him when he left home and today was no exception. Inside it was an artist's pad and several sharpened pencils. He pulled the pad and a couple of pencils out. He hurried back to the chair he had vacated. He flipped open the pad and started sketching. In less than five minutes he had a rough outline of a face and features. He handed it over to Debbie. 

Debbie could barely believe her eyes. In no time at all the young man had captured Brian beautifully. It still needed work but there was no mistaking who was being sketched. She was greatly impressed. She handed it over to her son who clamped his mouth shut. He couldn't deny the quality of the work, despite his misgivings. Brian pulled it from Michael's grasp. He whistled under his breath. 

"Not bad," he declared. "What do you think, Deb? Am I right, or am I right? If the lad can't handle all the physical stuff, he'd still be an asset to the family. I'm sure we could find plenty of things to help him earn his keep. Don't you agree?"

Debbie took a moment to think it over. The room was totally quiet. Justin looked eager. Michael looked irritated. Brian looked inscrutable. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking or feeling. Debbie finally spoke.

"I think you have a point, Brian. Are you sure you want to leave behind all your friends and family and the school you've been a part of for so long, Justin? We're on the road ten months of the year. You won't be staying in any one place more than two weeks and some places even less than that. It's not all glamour. As a matter of fact, very little of it is glamour, except for the customers. The pay isn't that high, but we do feed you and provide a place for you to sleep so you'll save money that way. It might take more than a year for you to save enough to return to school. Of course you will get a percentage of any profit you make if we set up a booth for you. If you're good, you can earn a decent amount that way. Tonight's our last night in town so we'll be on the road tomorrow. That doesn't give you any time to tie up loose ends."

Justin's face broke into a huge grin.

"That's all the time I need! I just need to go home and gather a few things. I don't have much to worry about gathering. I'll be back before you know it! Thank you! Thank you!" Justin gushed, as he shook Debbie's hand enthusiastically. He was so excited he even grabbed Michael's hand and shook it. Lastly, he did the same for the handsome flyer. His hold lingered for a brief second before mouthing an extra 'thank you' to him. Before anyone could catch their breath, the blond disappeared out the flap of the tent and was gone. Debbie looked at the two men and all three laughed.

"I guess we have a new employee," Debbie declared. "He didn't even ask what his salary would be. Now that's my kind of employee," she laughed.

"Let's just hope he's worth it. I'll bet he doesn't know a damned thing about circus life. He may be more trouble than he's worth," Michael warned.

Brian stared at the flap where the cute blond had just disappeared. 

"Don't worry Mikey....Deb, I'll take him under my wing. I won't let him get into any trouble."

Brian turned around and left the tent, completely forgetting why he had come to the office in the first place. He didn't see the sour look on his best friend's face, but it wouldn't have mattered to Brian. He always did what he wanted whether friends approved or not, and what he wanted was to get to know the cute blond a lot better. If he wasn't gay, then he'd have to settle for friendship, but he had a feeling that this Justin character would be worth knowing no matter what side of the sexual bed he fell on. Brian walked back to his trailer, whistling all the way.

To be continued............................