5.Trapeze Boy

I hadn't thought about mrs. morgan for years, until i read in
the paper
That she had died. when i was a boy, mrs. morgan played solo
with my
Mother every tuesday afternoon. there were two other women
there, but
I can't remember their names anymore. monkey, magda, something
like that.

Mrs. morgan collected opals. her husband ted owned a circus,
which kept
Him away and out of the picture most of the time. i'd come home
from
School and the women would be hard at the cards. i liked mrs.
morgan, she
Always had a little chip of opal for me, and said that i should
save it
For a sweetheart. i came home one day and mrs. morgan was crying
in our kitchen.
My mother told me to leave them alone. i learned later that a
boy from the
Circus had fallen and died. he used to ride the trapeze. mr.
morgan went out
Of business and they moved away. i've still got the opals.

It's funny how someone you've never met manages to stay with
you.