What the hell was I thinking? Phillip thought as he tried to keep up with Barnum who was bounding along the street like a fox chasing a rabbit.
One minute I'm having a quite drink on my own trying to forget the mundane comments of how great my play was; or it wasn't as good as your first one. The next I'm sitting in a bar being offered copious amounts of scotch by a tall man with the excitement of a small child who has just been given a lifetime supply of candy! Now I'm signing my life away on a circus! I really do need to cut back on the drinking and maybe get out of town like my uncle suggested
He stopped and paused for a moment as he spotted Barnum walk up to the main entrance of the museum talking to an older man who looked over at Phillip and then at the watch in his pocket.
That must be O'Malley he thought. And he immediatly realised O'Malley was looking in his direction as he checked his pockets to remind himself of what he had with him so he wouldn't feel a little lighter on the way back out.
'Erm Mr O'Malley I presume?' said Phillip extending a handshake but quickly withdrawing when O'Malley kept his hands in his pockets.
'O'Malley' interrupted Barnum noticing a slight tension in the air. 'Would you be so kind to look out our bookings and the plans I have for the upcoming shows. I want to talk to Mr Carlyle'
'Phillip, just call me Phillip'. he smiled.
'Ok, I want to run them by Phillip so we can see where we can take this show next.'
O'Malley nodded and walked away without saying anything more.
'What's his game?' asked Phillip.
'O'Malley? He's fine. He's just not a fan of people he's not met before. The longer you stick around he'll get to know you better.'
'Given his past record from what you hear in bars, should I not be the one wary of him he's the pickpocket?'
'Slight of hand act Phillip. slight of hand!' Barnum laughed as he grasped his shoulder and led him into the museum.
There was a matinee performance ongoing and the place was a cacophony of music, awe, laughter and the hustle and bustle of acts moving on and off the stage.
As Phillip was led up some stairs to Barnum's office the show fell silent. Just then he looked out over the top row of seats to see why. And for a split second his eyes met anothers gaze. There in front of him was an angel. Her cheeks flushed and her hair dazzling in the lights as her body reached towards him on the trapeze.
Phillip held his breath he felt something inside of him he had never felt before. His heart was racing and then he felt a hand on his shoulder then the applause of the crowd roared as the angel disappeared out of his sight.
'Who was that?' Phillip asked as he closed the door behind him and sat down to look over Barnums plans.
'That was Anne one half of our trapeze act. I'll introduce you to her and the rest of the cast later.'
Phillip looked at the plans that Barmum who now insisted on calling him Phin for expanding his museum and theatrics. the time flew by but in his head he couldn't wait for the matinee to be over and the audience to leave so he could be properly introduced to the woman called Anne.