The tram came back to an entry hall where the several acrobats were jumping back on forth on a trapeze which had been set up while the kids were gone. Unfortunatly none of the kids, whether they were alive or dead seemed very impressed at the acrobats stunts. Leonard O'Brian told the kids, "Kinda loses the point when the acrobats can neither die nor be really pulled by gravity huh."

The Charlie, Angela, and Violet thought this over and realized thats was in fact why this spectacle seemed so boring. "Leonard O'brian continued, "I remember when people used to go oooh and ahhh. Huh, good times."

Violet suddenly ran forward and asked, "Grandpa. Try annoncing your newest acrobat?"

O'brian replied, "I don't have a new acrobat." It took a few seconds for it to set in. "Wat a min-- YOU? VIOLET?"

Violet smirked. "I've been on a trapeze before."

Leonard O'brian nodded then blew a whistle to summon several clowns. "Take my great-granddaughter and fit her with a acrobats costume, and prepare the safety net."

As Charlie and Angela took a seat in the bleachers, Leonard O'brian announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen. For the first time, our new acrobat, LADY VIOLET!" Charlie broke out into a cold sweat as Violet climbed the ladder up the trapeze platform. However, his fear was unfounded as she was able to successfully traverse from one trapeze to the next doing a double summersault in the process. It gained signifigantly more applause from the audience.

Leonard O'brian turned from his seat toward Charlie and Angela to say, "I should have known. The girl has the circus in her blood."

Angela nudged Charlie with her elbow and said, "Too bad she's only doing it to impress you."

Charlie replied flatly, "Yeah. Also too bad she can't impress me any more than she allready has. I remember coming home from the first trip to the Isles of Mystery. My grandparents congratulated me, then offered their sympathies that I had to spend my summer with, and I quote, that awful girl from the contest." Angela chuckled at this. "It took me weeks to convince them that she had changed. I remember how they gave me their approval. I was giving her a new tour of the factory and when I showed her fizzy lifting drinks, and we just started floating thanks to them, The lights suddenly dimmed, a disco ball emerged from a ventilation duct, and music to slow dance to started playing. I turned toward the door and saw my grandparents in their wheelchairs all give me thumbs up."

Angela said quietly, "What else do you remember?"

Charlie said, "I remember how I could relate when she complained about her inability to make new friends, and feeling great when on one of my visits discover her at a local basketball court playing one-on-one with a perfectly nice young girl."

Angela smiled and said, "And kicking my butt at it."

Charlie continued, "I remember the day her parents filed for divorce. I believe I now hold the world record for the most time continuously letting someone cry into my shoulder. I felt for her loss and I felt good that I was able to provide comfort. It happens so rarely that I am able to feel good about myself like that."

Angela responded by slugging Charlie one the shoulder. "Jeez are you listening to yourself? Got news for you pal. PEOPLE WITH MERE CRUSHES AND INFATUATIONS DONT SAY THINGS LIKE THAT!"

Charlie stammered, "You're probably right. Still.. I don't think you've helped here Angie."

Angela turned away from him for a second then turned back. "Back up for a second. You said you rarely feel good about yourself. Why not?"

Charlie replied, "Aren't we getting off topic here?"

Angela sighed then said, "No, I don't think we are. Both are inquiries into your state of mind. I don't get it. You've got a great life, a life most kids could only dream about. Your ridiculously nice. The people of the Isles of Mystery erected a statue of you in your honor. Why don't you often feel good about yourself?"

Charlie stammered, "I-I-I" Angela put her hand on Charlies mouth and pulled a hand mirror out of her purse.

She handed the mirror to Charlie. "Look at yourself, and say, "I am a worthy human-being."

Charlie looked at himself in the mirror and continued stammering. "I-I a-am- a wor-wor.."

Angela snatched the hand mirror back and said, "So you get tounge-tied saying that too. That's interesting."

As they both turned away from each other a ghost clown approached Leonard O'brian. The clown said, "Excuse me sir, Madame Rosa would like to see you."

Angela said, "Madame Rosa?"

O'brian turned to Angela and Charlie and said, "Our fortune teller. This is strange. Ever since she died, she barely leaves what she calls her sanctum. She allways has this guilty look in her eyes. Beepo. When my great-granddaughter gets done show her to the fish fry okay?"

As Leonard O'brian started to leave Angela grabbed Charlie by the arm and said, "Every one of my instincts say we should follow."

Charlie slowly said okay, and got up with Angela.