She Was So Happy When Her Baby Boy Was Born… But Then He Wouldn’t Stop Eating
By Sean Seebach
Once the river slowed, Bobby was able to finally relax. He found comfort in the trees that aligned the river bed. He even made some friends along the way. Turtles began swimming below him once his diaper deflated, keeping him afloat. Squirrels dropped berries into his gaping mouth from the branches above. Fish flopped out of the water and onto his chest, sacrificing themselves for his appetite. He sucked them down in one big gulp.
“What do you say there baby boy?” said a voice up ahead. The voice belonged to Buddy, a carnie who travelled the carnival circuit. He sucked on a stogie and had a comic book under his arm, relaxing during his downtime.
Buddy ran to the embankment and hoisted Bobby over his shoulders. He felt he could give him his place in society with the other anomalies he considered saved. But Buddy was a mean little man, duping them for money, not kinship.
“Damn baby, you’re certainly a heavy one.” Buddy said. Smoke rolled from his mouth as he carried Bobby towards the carnival. “Your timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I was lookin’ for a new attraction.” Buddy adjusted his back to keep his balance. “You’re gonna go great next to Lady Alligator.”
Confused, Bobby stuck his hand in his slobbering mouth.
For the next six months, Bobby travelled with the likes of the freak show. He was used to people pointing and gawking at him, so that didn’t bother him. What he did mind was the way Lady Alligator would look at him, as if Bobby was her next meal. He didn’t have to worry too long though, because she died shortly after Buddy found him. Talk around the tent was that she had drowned in the porcelain tub where Buddy kept her.
Upon the Lady Alligator’s exit, Bobby was moved to her trailer and his exhibit was of gigantic proportions. An exaggerated rattle was all he had to play with inside of the 8 foot by 8 foot wooden play pen he now called home. It wasn’t much but it was certainly better than floating down river.
Although Bobby missed his momma, the side show freaks, mainly Lobster Boy and Strong Man, made sure to it that he was constantly fed with dry bread and canned beans. Milk was considered a luxury and was only given to him when available. But it was enough to keep him growing, topping out around a hundred pounds once the carnival landed back in Coney Island, NY.
The loss of Bobby still haunted Denise. She tried booze, picked up smoking, and she even tried playing bingo on Sunday nights in her church’s basement with the other mothers. None of it helped. She thought maybe a trip to the carnival would be just the thing to lift her up, if only for a short while.