Every summer the circus comes to town; and every year, you and
all your neighbors line the streets to watch the animals parade
from the railroad station to the big field on the hill. Many of
the performers in the circus also line the streets - acrobats, magicians,
musicians, jugglers, and clowns - to entertain the crowds before
the parade. Usually, the sideshows are better than the main event.
By the Grinder
You're awaiting the parade of the circus here on sunny Park Street,
which runs north and south. A thick hedge to the east runs parallel
to the street. People line the street as far as you can see in both
directions. North of here you can see strange objects being tossed
into the air sporadically; south of here you can hear "oohs"
and "aahs" of a tighter crowd.
In front of you is an unshaven organ-grinder, looking hot, bored,
and weary. Strapped to him is a hand organ, a black-and-yellow box
with a crank. On top of the organ is a little gray monkey, dressed
in a red-and-gold vest and wearing a fez.
>PET THE MONKEY
The monkey jumps onto the organ-grinder's head, out of your reach.
>MONKEY, DANCE
The monkey yawns and ignores you.
>TURN THE CRANK
The organ-grinder steps back away from you. "No performance
without a ticket," he grumbles.
>INVENTORY
You are carrying a circus ticket.
>EXAMINE TICKET
You see nothing interesting about the ticket.
>GO NORTH
By the Juggler
You're still awaiting the parade of the circus here on Park Street,
which continues north and south. A thick hedge to the east runs
parallel to Park Street. In front of you is a young, dark-haired
man juggling a broken plate, a lacrosse ball, a cracked candlepin,
and a chopstick.
>APPLAUD
The juggler bows, dropping everything. The candlepin lands squarely
on your foot.
>PICK UP THE CANDLEPIN THEN GIVE IT TO THE JUGGLER
candlepin: Taken.
candlepin: "Thanks," says the embarrassed juggler, taking
the candlepin. He starts to juggle again but soon drops everything.
>GO SOUTH
By the Grinder
The organ-grinder and his monkey are here.
The monkey is on its knees, arms outstretched, basking in the applause
of a small crowd. "That was great," you hear someone say.
"The best act on the street." The people disperse, talking
appreciatively about the monkey's act.
>GIVE MY TICKET TO THE MONKEY
You give the ticket to the monkey, who sniffs the ticket, lets out
a yawn, and tosses it into the air. The ticket sails over the hedge
to the east and disappears. "You should've given the ticket
to me," says the organ-grinder sadly.
>ORGAN-GRINDER, FIND MY TICKEY
[I don't know the word 'tickey'.]
>OOPS TICKET
"Find it yourself."
>EAST
There's a hedge in the way!
>SOUTH
You can't go in that direction. There are too many people crowded
around a performer.
>N
By the Juggler
The juggler is here, dropping things.
>E
There's a hedge in the way!
>GO NORTH
By the Magician
Park Street continues north and south here. A thick hedge to the
east runs parallel to Park Street.
A woman wearing a black top hat and a tuxedo is here. She is waving
colorful handkerchiefs around, which turn into flowers, and then
turn back into handkerchiefs.
>EAST
There's a hedge in the way!
>CLIMB OVER THE HEDGE
Its branches are too little and prickly to climb.
>CRAWL UNDER THE HEDGE
You smell the dirt in your face and feel the thorns on your back
as you crawl under the hedge and find yourself...
In the Park, Near Trees
You're in a large, sunny park, nearly empty since most people are
awaiting the parade of the circus on Park Street. An apple tree
and an elm tree stand nearby.
A large dog comes bounding up to you, tail wagging. It has something
in its mouth.
>LOOK AT THE DOG
This is a very large dog, a cross (you'd guess) between a Great
Dane and a German shephard. It has your ticket in its mouth.
The dog runs around you playfully.
>TAKE THE TICKET FROM THE DOG
The dog, enjoying the game of tug-of-war, holds onto the ticket
tightly.
>EXAMINE THE TREE
(Which tree do you mean, the apple tree or the elm tree?)
>APPLE
The tree already contains good-sized apples, even though apple season
is weeks away.
>PICK AN APPLE
apple: Picked.
>SHOW THE APPLE TO THE DOG
The dog isn't interested.
>THROW THE APPLE
The dog briefly considers chasing the apple, which bounces away,
then decides not to. It runs around you playfully.
>PICK AN APPLE
apple: Picked
>W
You crawl under the hedge and find yourself...
By the Magician
A woman wearing a black top hat and a tuxedo is here.
>ASK THE MAGICIAN ABOUT THE DOG
The woman ignores you.
>SOUTH.
The juggler is here, juggling.
>WAIT
Time passes...
The juggler drops everything. The lacrosse ball lands squarely
on your foot.
>TAKE THE LACROSSE BALL AND THE CHOPSTICK
lacrosse ball: Taken.
chopstick: Taken.
>JUGGLER, TELL ME ABOUT THE DOG
"You mean the big dog in the park? I don't know much about
him, other than he's friendly and likes to fetch sticks."
>GIVE THE LACROSSE BALL AND THE APPLE TO THE JUGGLER
lacrosse ball: "Thanks," says the embarrassed juggler,
taking the lacrosse ball.
apple: "Hey, thanks! Keep the chopstick!" He starts juggling
the apple, the lacrosse ball, the broken plate, and the cracked
candlepin.
>I
You are carrying a chopstick.
>CRAWL UNDER THE HEDGE
You crawl under the hedge and find yourself...
In the Park, South of Trees
You're in a large sunny park. North of here, you see an apple tree
and an elm tree.
The large dog comes bounding up to you, tail wagging. It has something
in its mouth.
>SHOW THE CHOPSTICK TO THE DOG
The dog looks excitedly at the stick, and starts jumping for it.
>THROW THE CHOPSTICK
You heave the chopstick as far as you can. The dog drops the ticket
and bounds happily after the stick.
>TAKE THE TICKET
ticket: Taken.
>W
You crawl under the hedge and find youself...
By the Juggler
The juggler is here, juggling.
>SOUTH
By the Grinder
The organ-grinder and his monkey are here.
>GIVE THE TICKET TO THE ORGAN-GRINDER
The organ-grinder smiles broadly as he takes your ticket and punches
it. "Thank you, sir," he says pleasantly. He cranks his
organ, and despite the tinny sound, the monkey performs a memorable
interpretive dance, reminiscent of Gene Kelly in "An American
in Paris". Indeed, the best act on the street.
|