My mom’s boyfriend hated me, hated the way kids were always running around making noise. We lived in his trailer, and even though mom wasn’t completely in love with him, he paid the bills. He supported us, but he always saw me as a nuisance, a booger he couldn’t quite reach. I loathed Wyatt. He picked on me every time I was within his field of vision. But my life forever changed when I met Willy the Wishing Clown.
Just one of those local small-town carnivals down the road. Wyatt was buttering up mom, winning her stuffed animals and buying her cotton candy. I was off on my own, bored and miserable, wandering from vendor to vendor.
“Hey kid, come here a second.”
To my right, a raspy voice called out to me. I turned and shivered. A glob of red makeup smeared across his cheeks made his real mouth look tiny. His white bald cap only partially covering his head. A few strands of greasy black hair jutted out down to his ears. The black makeup around his eyes made it difficult to discern what color his eyes truly were.
I approached cautiously.
“I’m Willy. Willy the Wishing Clown. Looks like you’re having a tough time. What do you fear the most? What are you scared of? Is there something or… someone you wish would go away and disappear?”
I glanced over at Wyatt who was slowing approaching from the distance; he looked furious. I returned my eyes to Willy. He grinned.
“Just whisper your wish in the sack, and you’ll never be afraid again.”
Willy opened a giant gray sack. It smelled like death, like the decaying possum in our backyard. I stuck my head inside, closed my eyes, and plugged my nose.
“I wish Wyatt was gone. I don’t want to live with him anymore.”
After withdrawing my head from the sack, Willy took off his red sponge nose and placed it in my hands.
“Now son, when you’re back home and having the worst of days, and that thing you fear is making you shake and cry and whimper like a dying dog, just squeeze my nose. And I will make it go away.”
Wyatt yanked my arm from behind. “Tim, we been looking all around for you. We told you not to go far. Your momma is in the car waiting for us. No time for clown games. You’re in for it tomorrow. Got some nice yardwork to keep you busy.”
Willy smiled and waved as Wyatt ignored him and pushed me in the direction of the parking lot. The next morning, Wyatt pulled me off the couch while I was sleeping.
“Sun is out boy. You better get dressed and get to work. You’re in my spot. I’ve got some shows to watch.”
I’d had enough, couldn’t take it anymore. I went into the bedroom and found the red clown nose in my shorts pocket. I squeezed it tight. I heard a knock from the front door. I peeked through the window blinds and saw Willy standing outside with his sack. Wyatt stepped in front of him.
“Fuck you want. You lost? There ain’t no kids’ birthday party here today.”
“I have got a gift for you. Look inside.”
Willy opened the sack and out of curiosity, Wyatt leaned forward and put his head in. My body shuddered as Wyatt was sucked into the sack and completely vanished. I ran outside.
“Don’t worry kid, it’s all taken care of. See for yourself.”
Willy opened the sack. That rotten smell returned and soared through my nostrils. Deep within the sack, propellers of sharp teeth cut through Wyatt, blending him like a human smoothie. Willy pulled me back.
“That’s enough. Don’t want to linger too long. Now you go home and take care of your mother. Better days ahead.”
Willy turned around and walked out of the trailer park. I stood in a daze, puzzled and squeamish. The little nose he handed me the previous night was gone. When my mother returned home from her morning walk, I told her what happened, but she didn’t believe a word I had to say. She figured Wyatt had just left her for another woman; she’d always been a bit suspicious of his behavior.
I returned to our local carnival year after year, but I never saw Willy again. I’ve carried a heavy burden of pain in my chest. I never wanted Wyatt dead; I just didn’t want him in my life. But I suppose I did get my wish.