Karl and Karla

First published in Johnny America.

Karl saluted the picture of the original Karl and Karla hanging on the wall of his dressing room, then slumped into a tattered, leather chair. It was a ritual he acted out after every performance. He removed his top hat, laid it on the dressing table, and wondered how many times he would get to do this in the future. Circuses weren’t as popular as they used to be. His was no exception.

“You decent Karl?” 

“Decent and broke.” He responded the same way every time his Karla knocked.

She entered the room wearing her favorite black overalls. From experience, Karl knew she was naked underneath. She was accompanied by a hulk of a man Karl didn’t know.

“This is Bruce and his pit bull, Angel,” Karla said, holding onto Bruce’s sculpted bicep with both hands, her fingertips unable to touch.

Karl stared at the big galoot wearing jeans and a sweat-stained, sleeveless tee; then widened his focus to Bruce and Angel. *They could be twins*. 

“I hired him to handle security.”

“Security?” Karl said. He stared out the window at the remnants of the audience they’d just performed for. They reminded him of smiling congregants hanging around after a rousing church service.

“You never know these days,” Karla said. “There are a lot of lunatics out there.”

“We’ve been at this for twelve years and haven’t had a problem yet.”

“Like I said, you never know. Besides, I have a plan to save us from closing down; and Bruce and Angel might prove useful.”

“Oh?”

Karla proceeded to explain her idea.

***

The following Friday at midnight Karl stood in the single circus ring. His hands shaking, he was unsure if they were doing the right thing.

“Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to our first ever adult-only performance. And without further ado, here’s Karla and friends,” he said with a broad sweep of his arm. He figured this show would either save the circus or send them to jail.

As Karl walked backstage, Karla gave him a wink and pranced to the center of the circle wearing a red and white sequined see-thru top and a blue miniskirt. Music started and Karla began to dance in a way she thought enticing. The cheers got louder when she removed her top and skirt exposing matching pasties and G-string. The crowd clapped like they never had for the circus. As Karla left the circle, one of the pasties fell off drawing a louder response. She didn’t bother picking it up. A second dancer appeared and then a third bringing the male members of the crowd to their feet.

At the show’s end, Karl appeared from behind the curtain to a round of boos and thanked everyone for attending their inaugural performance. 

The next night’s attendance was triple the opening crowd. Even the mayor showed up with his wife to see what all the excitement was about.

***

Karl looked at his new bride sunning herself on a nude beach in Greece. He’d sold the circus after a profitable run, married Karla—*finally*, she said when he proposed— and, unlike those fake fairy tales, they did live happily ever after.