FIRST SPEED
Del woke up to the sound of the carny. Hammers and nails, shouts and hollers, laughs and jeers. Del tried to open his eyes but couldn't, tried to sit up but fell back. Where was he? One eye peeked open to see a tent. He was in a tent but how did he get here? Red poked his head through the tent and hollered, "Get up! Work to do!", and Del tried sitting up.
His head throbbed from the wine and the light in the tent wasn't helping.
"Here, take these", said Red handing Del a handful of pills.
Del looked at his hand and saw about 15 pills, "All of 'em? I don't think I can hold them down".
Red laughed, "Just take 2 to start with. You'll be wide awake in minutes. Then take 1 every time you start to feel run down".
"But when they hired me", Del protested, " they said I was talent. I wouldn't have to do any work".
Red laughed. "We all do everything around here kid, they were just having fun with ya. We got three beans in this burg so those pills will carry ya through".
"Beans? What do you mean by beans?, asked Del, still fumbling to get up.
Red stepped into the tent, " A bean is a job that lasts around 20 hours kid. We got three long days ahead of us. I forgot you don't know our lingo".
Del sat up squinting. "I had no idea what you were all talking about last night".
"I'll give you the kayfabe kid, just ask", Red said.
"Ok, what's a kayfabe?", Del started, trying to get his mouth and lips wet.
"Kayfabe is the straight dope, so what'd you wanna know?", said Red trying to be mindful of Del's hangover, "Let me get you some water for those pills".
Del sat up and noticed his suitcase next to him. He was on a pile of clothes with a lone blanket on top of him. The clothes were his. He put on his underwear and pants as Red entered, "Here's some water. Those pills will help you today".
Del placed the pills on his suitcase and took two of them. The water instantly refreshed him. It was the first time he ever had speed.
"So, when do I learn to bark?", Del asked.
"Why? Are you a damn dog?", asked Red.
"I thought I was to be a barker", Del protested.
Red looked at him sternly, " We don't use that term around here cause we ain't dogs. Talker. You're gonna be a talker".
Talker. That sounded good to Del.
Red burst into his chatter, " Ladies and gentlemen, no geeks or freaks on our walk this is wonderful family fare, and you military men will want to visit our internationally renowned hootchie cootchie show- sorry, no ladies or children allowed!".
"No geeks?", asked Del.
" A geek is someone who'll eat anything. Nails, live chickens, anything gross. A freak is someone deformed or born weird who sits and lets people look at them. Our con is the games and the girlie show", said Red, "the girls come and go but we can usually find a lot lizard working between the stands to take their place".
" A lot lizard?", asked Del.
"A hooker. We find them at every show", Red replied. Del tossed on his T-Shirt and started to get ready. He wondered when the pills would take effect.
