You can tell by looknig at me that I'm new here. Soon, that too won't matter.

I'll grow to fit right in. We all do.

Once you join, it's a new chapter of your life. A rebirth if you will, or perhaps just a makeover of your lifestyle.

When I arrived.. I didn't need to sign any papers.. or jump through any hoops. I was just told I needed to change my name. There was soemthing of a theme going on; Sweets, deserts, confectionary. I protested, making it known that I thought it was very lame indeed.. Even if they snickered and agreed, I was told that there were very few rules around here. Those that exist are enforced hard. If I didn't like it, I was told I could just leave.

Being rather uncreative I said I would be Cherry Pie. It was the only thing
my mother could bake, or rather not bake. My mother was no chef, her pie was made with a packaged crust.. with frozen fruit, and marachino cerries, candy sweet and sickly. In retrospect it probably tasted awful, runny and cavity inducing, but my mother always smiled when she gave it to me, her face glowed with effort and pride. The memory hung in my mind, jsut behind my eyes... Fork poised in redstained fingertips, a can of whipped cream in the other. A laugh that would echo through my mind forever.

I flunked out of verterinary school, I paid the bills by working in a groom shop, and offering my servaces as a trainer to dogs and cats, teaching them some manners. I had a way with them, with any animal... See, the animal portion of my job was simple enough, it was the people that usually got me fired. I yelled at one too many Paris-type-yuppies when I saw them attempt to put their teacup poodles and chihauhaus in their Gucci or prada.

Made me sick.

But those skills are what landed me here, in Cirque du Sacchrine. I coax lions to jump through flaming hoops. I encourage the elephants into rearing on their hind legs. Trusting my life (and more importantly, the big-top's big big show) in their paws and trunk. Not a lot of job security, it's the risk I take for a lifestyle I can stomach. A life I could be sucessful in, or at least feel some dignity in. Does that make me strange? wearing gaudy lamee felt more dignified then my crisp white button down and nametag. To each their own I supose..

You can call me Pie, and it's good to meet you.