I do not own American Horror Story: Freak Show.

And I can't really call this a horror story or a freak show anymore. It's just a story now :)

Jimmy, Not Moses

Where Credit is Due


The end of 1959 proved quite a pleasant shock for Jimmy Walker.

It shouldn't have though.

His darlings knew he had never given himself enough credit.

His boss, however, did.

"Jimmy, I think it's time for me to ease on out of this racket. How about you take it from here?"

The Christmas rush had lulled and it was quiet for the first time all day.

Me? The Tupperware murderer? The carnie freak? The Lobster Boy?

Jimmy understandably had to fumble to find words.

"Me? Oh, well, yeah, sure. But what about Thomas?"

The elderly storeowner shook his head.

"No, no, we've talked several times and he's not interested in working the store. Never has been. Prefers his own path. Saddened me a bit but what good parent's gonna force their child's hand, right? He's got his own life and we get along just fine as is."

Jimmy contemplated that for a moment until Mr. Clark brought him back.

"Don't answer me now. Go home, talk with those ladies of yours, and come back tomorrow, okay?"

And with a pat on the back, the old man set his hat on his snow white head and set off.

Leaving Jimmy in something of a daze.

Finishing work for the day hours later, he closed up shop.

And went home to his darlings.

Who enthusiastically congratulated him on the offer.

"Oh, Jimmy my darling, that's wonderful!"

"We're so proud of you!"

He took their hugs and kisses with happiness.

But . . .

"What about Thomas? Do you really think he's okay with me taking his father's business instead of him?"

Bette shrugged as Dot spoke for them both.

"I don't see why not. Dan's always been honest and direct before, hasn't he?"

Jimmy nodded.

"Yeah. I just . . . I just don't feel right about it unless I know for sure."

Dot nodded with understanding as Bette took her turn responding for them both.

"Give us an hour. You relax."

And off they went.


An hour later, when the freshly homemade peach pie was cooling and ready for travel nestled in a small cardboard box tied with string, Bette and Dot joined Jimmy in the old rattly truck they still drove.

And went visiting.


The door was opened to a doubled hook handed man and a two headed woman standing on his welcome mat, smiling.

A lesser man might have registered surprise. Distaste. Embarrassment.

But Thomas Clark was not a lesser man.

And these people were his friends.

"Hello, Jimmy! Bette! Dot! Come in, come in!"

They entered a house a little bigger than their own, newer, and in a slightly better section of town.

Two little children were playing on the floor, a boy and a girl.

The boy was playing with dark green army soldiers and the girl was combing a doll's hair.

A pretty blond woman came out of the kitchen area, wiping her hands on her apron.

She, with her genuine smile and slight bouffant, in no way resembled another blond from their carnie past and for that all three Walkers were subconsciously grateful.

"Kathy, I'd like you to meet Jimmy Walker, Dad's store man. And," here he gestured subtly to each twin in turn. "Dot and Bette Walker."

"Hello," the blue eyed lady responded warmly without a hint of disdain or shock.

He must have told her about us, sister.

Yes. What a relief not to be gawked at.

"Hello," Dot replied with a smile.

"We've brought you some peach pie," Bette offered. "And thought we'd chat a while if that's alright."

The man and woman both nodded amicably.

The men drew away, speaking casually of this and that as Bette and Dot followed the Mrs. into the kitchen area.

"This looks delicious!" Kathy Clark exclaimed, obviously delighted. "I didn't make a dessert this evening and this will do nicely."

She reached into the freezer and pulled out a carton of vanilla ice cream.

They preceded to plate portions of ice cream and pie for them all.

With coffee for the adults and milk for the kids.


". . . glad for you to," Thomas stated firmly. "I respect my father's profession, but it's just not my cup of tea, so to speak."

Jimmy nodded, his anxiety relaxing. Relieved to be past the awkward reason they had come.

His attention was then diverted by the children who seemed to be having some difficulty eating their dessert because they were too busying staring at their parents' very odd evening guests.

With their hooks and double heads.

Finally the little girl, Patty, spoke up.

To Dot and Bette.

"Did you get stuck together?"

Sheets of glassy silence descended upon the dessert table at her childish question.

Not seeming to notice, she continued on in her inventive train of thought.

"George and I were running in the house and Mommy told us not to and said if we ran into each other we would get stuck together forever. Is that what happened to you?"

Their stunned hostess immediately colored and reprimanded the small child gently.

"Patty, hush!"

Bette shook her head at the mother as Dot spoke.

"It's alright, Mrs. Clark. She didn't mean any harm."

Then both women redirected themselves to the girl.

"No, sweetie, we didn't get stuck together, . . ."

" . . . this is the way God made us."

The little girl puzzled on this before responding.

"Why?"

The twins had no answer for her, though they instinctively knew they should have formulated one in advance.

"We don't really know, honey. Maybe He wanted us to never ever be alone."

I love you, Dot.

I love you, Bette.

The little girl nodded sagely and abruptly went back to her peach pie as if rediscovering it for the first time.

"This is the best pie ever! Not even Mommy can make it this good!" she chirped, much to the ever deepening embarrassment of her mother.

But before her parents could comment, her brother's mouth, seemingly unstuck by the glue that held it, opened.

"What you have those hooks for?"

Oh good, it's my turn.

Jimmy turned to him as Thomas opened his mouth to reprimand his son.

"I lost 'em," he answered simply.

The boy stared at him as if the grown man were a silly child himself.

"Well, why didn't you go back and find 'em?"

Ha ha, good idea, kid. Ugh, no.

He leaned closer to the small boy whose eyes widen at the expectation of some incredulous revelation.

And whispered.

"'Cause I thought these'd be better for picking my nose with!"

Jimmy carefully mimed the forbidden action as the child erupted into boyish giggles, his little hands clapped over his mouth.

"Jimmy!" Bette and Dot exclaimed in surprise-but-not-really-surprise.

The tension at the table broke as the adults chuckled at the astonished children delighting in the improper table talk.

Later before they left, Bette and Dot secretly gave Kathy their peach pie recipe.

And she teasingly thanked them for all the pounds she would gain in the future.


So Jimmy became the head honcho of the little mom and pop grocery store on the corner.

Dan Clark rediscovered his love of fishing.

Bette and Dot determined to be more prepared for interactions with inquisively-minded children.

Thomas and Kathy contrived to both have their pie and not gain excessive amounts of weight from it as they ate it too.

As their sweet little Patty invented an invisible twin sister named Natty with whom she shared a pinky finger.

And little George played 'hook hands' with their Labrador retriever, Jack.

Who didn't really understand the game at all.

But loved the attention from his master.

All in all, it was a good few years.


Thanks to brigid1318, midnightrebellion87, DinahRay, autumnrose2010, and haily94 for coming back after the hiatus. You guys are great!

See you tomorrow for some big news! As if you didn't know. :)