Part 3

Early the next morning Emily hauled herself up out of bed.  No matter how tempted she was to just pull the covers over her head and ignore the day, she was determined to be positive all day, no matter what.  She dressed quickly, eager to get an early start, and if she was lucky, an even earlier finish.  She needed to make some money.  A lot of money!  She grabbed her magician's hat and plunked it on her head as she headed out the door.

  Once she arrived at the Park she took a deep breath,then set her tip jar down onto the ground, and got down to business.  First she tried to conjure up the birds again.  To her amazement, it worked!  She was so excited she tried a different trick, turning her wand into flowers.  That trick failed.  She ignored the snickers of the small crowd that had surrounded her to watch.  She tried the trick again.  And again.  And again.

  She was so busy concentrating on her failed trick she didn't notice when her friend, Sonoko Lee came up to her until Sonny spoke.  "Looks like you could use a break!  How about you take five and talk to me while I'm on break?"

  Emily jumped a bit at the sound of Sonny's voice.  "Sonny!  Sure---I could use a break!"

  "Em, you won't believe what I heard at work today." Sonny said excitedly.

"Really?"  Emily snorted.  "This isn't going to be another Elvis sighting is it?"

"Elvis!"  Sonny pretended to be mad.  "As if!  No---this I overheard from the big man himself, my boss.  Phoenix is going to be playing at the Binder Clips Center this weekend!"

  Emily squealed with delight.  "The Phoenix!?  Here!?"

  Sonny nodded her head.  "Yep!  For two nights!  Oh--I would kill for tickets to see him in concert!  But the tickets are mucho expensive and they sell out fast!"

  "Bummer!"  Emily moaned.  "I can't even pay my rent, let alone go see a concert!"

Sonny gave Emily a hug.  "You know Em, if you end up needing a place to crash, I have a couch."

  Emily hugged her back.  "Thanks!  I may need it!  I better get back to working or I'll be sleeping on your couch sooner rather than later."  Sonny gave Emily a little wave and then she was gone.

  Okay, Em, Emily said to herself, let's see what we can do!  Emily decided to move on from the failed flowers trick and try out the new trick she had been practicing at home, which she called the "Fireball".  It was a little bit on the dangerous side, but what did she have to lose?

  "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am about to perform a daring trick I like to call---the Fireball!"  Her audience wandered back and began to oooh and aaah, instead of the usual boos she got.  She took that as a good sign.  She wiped her hands together, said a quick prayer, and Presto!  Er, Presto!  Presto??  She started to blush from embarrassment.    Presto?!  Now came the familiar boos.  Her Fireball kept fizzling out!  One last time, Em, she told herself silently.  Presto!!

  Now her audience was screaming!  In a bad way.  "She's on fire!  Call 911!  She's on fire!"

  Emily couldn't help herself, she panicked.   "Help!  I'm on fire!  Call 911!  Help!"  She waved her arm around, fanning the fire more and more.  She was starting to feel woozy at the sight of her arm engulfed in flames.

  And then the fire was gone, and she stared into the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen.  "My hero!" she whispered.  "You saved me!"

  Her rescuer shrugged as he pulled his jacket off of her arm.  "I simply starved the fire." he told her matter of factly.  He gently pulled her arm closer to him.  "You should see a doctor though and get that burn checked out."

  Emily nodded.  "I feel faint."  And with that she made her humiliation complete by passing out at the feet of her Hero.

  Emily carefully got out of the car, mindful of her bandaged arm and hand.  She leaned her head back into the car, "Thanks, Mark, for everything."

  Mark smiled at her.  "You sure know how to put on a show!"

  Emily gave him a sheepish smile.  "Well, I try my best."  She pulled away and headed for her front door.  She stared at it, unsure exactly how she was going to unlock it with her left hand.  Usually she needed both hands for the "combo pull door handle while wiggling the key to convince the sticky lock to unlock" dance.  She heard Mark call her name so she turned around.

  He had jumped out of his car and was heading up towards her.  "I know how independent minded you are, but at least let me help you get into your house."  He put his hand out for the key, "Please?  Let me help, I'll unlock your door."  Emily looked at him a little suspiciously.  Mark laughed.  "If you could only see your face Emily.  I promise not to molest you---I just want to make sure you get inside okay."  Emily haded him her key.  He didn't seem to have any trouble unlocking her door.  She glared at the lock.

  Mark handed her key back to her and she hesitated, unsure whether she should invite him in or not.  He simply smiled,  and said, "I'll be right back."  He was gone only for a few moments and when he came back he had her tip jar with him.  "Don't want you to forget this."

  "Ohh--yes!  Thank you!  I am such a door post sometimes!" she groaned.

  "Maybe I'll see you around."

  "I'd like that."  Emily sighed as she watched Mark drive away, she still had the tip jar clutched firmly to her.  He was daydream material only, she told herself.  He was obviously well off, with that fancy car he drove.  While she---she was barely paying her rent.  Rent!

  She hurried over to her kitchen table and dumped out the contents of her tip jar.  She counted it twice, and then once more for good measure.  She couldn't believe it!  She had over a thousand dollars in there!  Someone had been a generous tipper and she had a pretty good idea on who it was.