Just a quick poll. How many times have you had coffee with a hitchhiking Belgium circus performer? Yeap, me too. But only once this year. I was sitting at my favorite coffee establishment...which is the only one in Terlingua, warming myself by the pot belly stove when I guy comes up and asks if I was going to Austin. HUM. I'm in a paramedic uniform and driving a rescue vehicle that has Terlingua Fire and EMS all over it. Austin? Sounds like a plan but I had to say not today. He shrugged and said thanks in a Euro accent and went on his way. My buddy said that he had seen this guy doing a one man show last week at the Starlight Theater and it was awesome. We had a big race going on in Lajitas that weekend and had a lot of "tourons" in town. (Tourist/Moron) = tourons. Not all for sure but a few. I suggested to my new friend Hans that he should try there for a ride to Austin. Well shit, we decided to just go ahead and take him. Now in most EMS environments there are specific rules about transporting a foreign traveling circus performer in a city emergency vehicle but this is Terlingua and you sort of skirt the known world. Hans spends his time traveling the world on a shoestring, juggling and doing his show. Sometimes alone and sometimes with a troup of friends. What a wonderful way to spend some time. He was thoughtful, articulate, and a keen observer. If you ever see this guy on the road, stop and give him a ride. He may even pay you with a juggle. Notice the homemade juggling clubs? They were stolen in Texas...shame on us. He said he walked away from them for a minute and they were gone. Then looking perplexed he said, "no one but a juggler would take these things and no juggler would steal from another." He smiled and shook his head. So, a toast on the weekend to my circus traveler friend and that had nomadic life making people smile. I'm off to practice my three ball.
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