Sportacus was finishing off some jobs for the Mayor when he heard a strange noise which sounded a lot like snuffling. It sounded like it was coming from the bushes outside the kitchen window and he crept over to investigate. Slowly he knelt down on the ground and lifted up the bottom of the bush he thought the sound was coming from. He looked under the bush and saw what he knew was Skip he could tell this by seeing that one rear leg was missing and it looked like Skip was trying to bury something on the other side of the bush. Sportacus guessed it must be Kit's bag. He stood up and walked round to the side of the bush Skip was trying to dig up, Skip sniffed the air and when he saw Sportacus he snarled. Sportacus was taken aback by being snarled at but then remembered what Kit had said about Skip being possessive over the bag.
The Mayor looked out of the window to see how Sportacus was doing and was surprised to see Sportacus standing near the window looking at something intently. The Mayor got closer to the window and looked down to see what Sportacus was looking at and recognised Skip, he was also a little concerned that his yard was being dug up. It seemed that Skip had been trying to bury something and had already half way succeeded in his task. Sportacus looked up at the Mayor and smiled, he whispered to the Mayor asking him if he had any cookies that he could tempt Skip away from the bag with. The Mayor nodded and went over to a basket on the kitchen counter pulling out two cookies. He handed Sportacus the cookies and before he tossed them for Skip to run after them Sportacus made sure Skip had the scent.
Skip once again paused in his digging and sniffed the air. He looked up at Sportacus and could see cookies in his hand. Skip wagged his tail and whined a little begging for the cookies and when Sportacus threw the cookies was off like a shot to get them. Sportacus was quite surprised to see a three legged dog running so fast. He nodded his thanks to the Mayor and bent down to lift the bag from the ground before Skip returned.
"You found it!" Kit called happily when he saw his bag in Sportacus' hands.
Sportacus looked round and could see Kit, Robyn and Ziggy coming towards him. Ziggy looked extremely excited about something and it puzzled Sportacus. When the three reached him he handed the bag to Kit. Kit looked down and saw the destruction Skip had wrought under the bush and looked round for Skip.
"Skip!" Kit turned when he heard a bark and saw Skip running towards him. "Did you do this? You did didn't you? What have I told you about digging up people's yards to bury my bag? Now, what are you going to do to say sorry?" Kit questioned.
Skip looked up at Kit and whimpered but seeing that it wouldn't work proceeded to put back all the dirt he'd dug up. The others watched in semi amazement, Skip had understood every word that Kit had said. Once Skip had finished tidying up after himself he held out a paw to Kit and Kit knelt down and shook it. Once Kit had shaken his paw Skip turned to Sportacus and did the same, Sportacus smiled and knelt down shaking the proffered paw. Skip then turned to the Mayor and the Mayor leant out of the window and shook Skip's paw. Having said his apologies Skip barked once and hobbled off.
"He said goodbye." Kit translated.
"You understand him?" Ziggy asked with a large amount of excited curiosity in his voice.
"Well we have spent a lot of time together. It's easy when you know how; it all goes by tone of voice or certain foibles. He can tell what I'm saying by my tone of voice and the expression on my face and it's pretty much the same with him except for the facial expression. If he wags his tail and barks once he's saying 'hello' and 'goodbye', if he snarls he's saying 'go away', if he whines or whimpers he's saying 'please' and if he hands you his paw he's saying sorry." Kit explained.
The others seemed completely fascinated by this; they'd never really had any experience with dogs and had never known anyone that could understand one. The Mayor himself was stunned and completely forgot what he'd intended to ask Sportacus after he'd checked on until his stomach rumbled and he was reminded.
"Would anyone care for some lunch?" The Mayor offered.
"Yes please!" Ziggy half shouted and then turned to Kit, "can you do some tricks for us before we have lunch?"
Kit folded his arms and was about to say no but caught up in Ziggy's puppy dog expression and couldn't resist. "Ok," Kit relented. "What do you want to see?"
Ziggy jumped up and down like a kid again, "juggling! Do some juggling!"
Kit nodded and knelt down to open up his bag. He pulled out several juggling clubs and a handful of balls, "which would you rather and don't say both,"
Ziggy thought for a second and pointed to the clubs. Kit put the balls back in his bag and started juggling with the clubs. He started off with simple juggling and then moved on to some more complicated juggling techniques such as tossing a club under his leg and catching it whilst juggling the rest. To finish his little act he tossed each club in the air in turn and caught them all as they fell back down. Once he had all his clubs back he did a little bow and his small audience applauded. He placed his clubs back in his bag and everyone went inside the Mayor's house for lunch.
"I didn't know you could do that," Sportacus stated taking a seat at the table.
Kit shrugged, "no one ever asked. Ziggy was the only one to pick up on what I'd said about my parents being in a circus."
The Mayor looked at Kit, "I don't think we've been properly introduced have we?"
"No I don't think we have. I'm Kit and I believe you're the Mayor of this very nice town."
"Yes I am the Mayor and I'm glad you like the town. May I ask what's brought you here?"
Kit smiled, "I should write a book. I'll call it, 'my fifteen years on the road by Kit'. It should be a best seller." Kit then proceeded to tell the Mayor his story.
Once Kit had finished telling his story the Mayor felt very sympathetic for the young man sitting two seats away from him. He found it truly amazing that Kit had survived so long essentially living rough with little or no amenities. Kit seemed very different from what the Mayor thought a drifter would look like; scruffy, dirty, bony and in terms of behaviour rather uncivilised and bitter. He mentioned this to Kit and Kit explained that by doing tricks and things for people he was able to have enough money in his pocket to afford accommodation when he was wont to use it and food to eat. There were also facilities available in certain places and unlike most drifters Kit made personal hygiene a priority, sometimes he'd turn down money for food for the sake of a shower. Kit put his behaviour down to good breeding and never letting things get on top of him, being a clown had its advantages. Kit had also known the life of a drifter too early in his life to think on it as a curse or mistake; he drifted by necessity instead of choice.
"Are you planning to settle anywhere?" The Mayor asked still rather amazed at the story Kit had told.
Kit seemed to be rather surprised at the question, "I'd never really thought on it to be honest. I guess if I find a place that likes me and I like it as well I could stay there."
Robyn looked at the clock and chuckled a little, "Err Mayor? Are you making lunch or should we make it dinner?"
The Mayor looked at the clock and shook his head with slight annoyance at himself, he'd been talking with Kit so long it was almost pointless having lunch and would have made more sense to have an early dinner.
About an hour later Kit and Robyn left the Mayor's house, Sportacus and Ziggy had stayed behind to help tidy up. The two walked in the comfortably cool evening air hand in hand.
"Where are you going to be sleeping tonight?" Robyn asked seizing upon a thought.
"There's a comfortable looking bench over there, I can perch on it tonight." Kit replied pointing to the bench that Robbie had so often slept upon.
Robyn stopped walking suddenly making Kit stop as well, "you can't sleep on a bench."
"Yes I can princess; I've slept on lots of benches before."
Robyn frowned, "I won't let you." She pressed angrily.
Kit raised an eyebrow, "Princess has a temper does she?"
"Yes she does," Robyn replied still frowning, "come and stay in the airship again tonight."
Kit shook his head, "That was a one off princess. If I hadn't had fallen asleep last night I would have slept on the bench. I can't impose on your uncle or you and I don't think he'd much like the thought of us being in a bed together again."
Robyn stamped her foot in exasperation, like Sportacus her temper very rarely flared but was on a much shorter fuse.
"I know you want me to stay in the airship with you but I don't want to. I have slept rough thousands of times and that's what I'm used to. To be honest I also don't think I can trust myself with you, I don't want to hurt you or wreck things." Kit continued.
"So now you want to protect me." Robyn shook her head and turned away before turning back and shouting, "Because everyone has to protect poor little Robyn!"
Kit grabbed Robyn's shoulders firmly feeling like he could shake her but instead he just whispered, "Calm down. We're starting to get an audience here," Kit nodded his head towards the Mayor's house and Robyn turned to see that Sportacus, Ziggy and the Mayor were looking at them.
"I'll compromise with you, I'll sleep on the bench but you can give me a blanket and a pillow. Ok?" Kit said releasing Robyn's shoulders.
Robyn nodded seeing that further protests would get her nowhere.
Kit smiled, "friends?"
Robyn nodded again and Kit kissed her on the forehead. If only he knew that Robyn wanted to be more than friends.