Parents called their children back over to where they were sitting. Mom's opened their purses and dug out their donations. They handed their gift over to their children who all wanted to give Dana and Lacey something. Dad's wallets were opened too and most everyone seemed as if they wanted to do something. In Patagonia, this remote mountain town in the southern mountains of Arizona it was common for the citizens to not just give money but to share many different gifts. Folks came forward with apples, candy, jars of peanut butter, cans of peaches, there was no guessing what some kindhearted citizen might offer for the hat. All of these things helped Dana and Lacey along in life. All of these tokens of appreciation helped them out. It's how they kept a roof over their heads and food on their table and of course in Lacey's dog bowl.
"Thanks for the show." they would say. "We sure love Lacey." others would exclaim.
"How long have you been doing this?" would come a question from a little child.
"I started a long, long time ago, with a little circus." Dana said to the children. "Yes, a traveling circus. We would go from town to town. That's how I got my start a long time ago. Maybe some day when you grow up, just like me, you might find a little show, and you could travel around, and make children and parents happy too." He loved to say that. "... maybe you can make your own show!" These kinds of things are handed down from one generation to another. It's just a little thought like a seed, that with time and care might grow.
People knew that for Dana and Lacey to make it to the next town, for the next show that they could lend a helping hand, and that help might be just what they need so that they could make it to the next town where with good weather and more happy people they might be able to share their show with more families and new friends. The kindness and generosity of their audiences were really just a natural reaction. It was in the nature of Dana and Lacey's audiences to want to help, to lend a hand, to help them on their way along the path they had made for themselves.
At the end of the day, with so many shows done now, it was time for Dana and Lacey to head back over to their camp. The sun was saying so long from the rim of the hills out on the west side of town. Dana and Lacey pushed their hand truck full of show equipment and weighted down with tokens of appreciation and help from their audiences back across the park. They passed all the crafts people who like them were winding down from the busy day at the festival. The green grass in the park invited everyone to spread their lawn chairs out and to sit down and take a load off. Feet were tired and people had worked hard and needed to rest before supper. Things had gone as they ought to have in early October at the Fall Festival in Patagonia. Purses were full and only belly's needed tending to now. Lacey could smell barbeques getting started. Dana sat in his chair and was sipping some sun tea with a big dollop of honey to make it taste sweet. The sun was down, the bees had long since returned to their hives only the hummingbirds were just now getting their last bit of nectar before dark. The festival had closed down and most everyone had gone home. For Dana and Lacey that meant their trailer and in camp with the others who worked at the festival. A large fire pit had been filled with wood and one of the artists was making everyone a fire that we could all sit around. There were old friends to visit, supper to eat, and new acquaintances to make. Lacey curled up just at Dana's feet by the fire. A guitarist strummed easily while his friend casually put her bow to a violin. We talked and laughed through the evening now. Everything was as it was supposed to be. Tomorrow would come soon enough, more shows, more audiences, more towns, and more friends. Right now though, Dana and Lacey were here and before they headed back to their bunk for sleep there were so many good folks to share conversation with. Of course here in the high mountains of southern Arizona you could look up at the nighttime sky and see more stars than anyone could count. They were like all the folks they met today, as beautiful and plentiful as a dream, with more folks in more towns, and more chances to meet and share time with more of them. Lacey curled up by the fire on Dana's lap and while folks shared stories and such she drifted off.
"That dog of yours, she sure is cute."

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