Mechnical chimes of “Turkey in the Straw,” clashed and clanged against the carnival booths. Scents of buttery popcorn and frying grease wrestled human body odor in the heavy summer air. Blowing smoke rings of regrets, Bimzo scratched at a mosquito bite beneath his flame colored wig.

“Sweetie, what’s your favorite? The Barbie balloon, Strawberry Shortcake, PowerPuff Girls,” the old lady asked the little girl. “Doesn’t the funny clown have so many pretty balloons.

Fuschia, blue, silver, and gold, bright balloons bobbed from Bizmo’s cart. The lady and the child pointed at the Superman and the My Little Pony balloons. Dreaming of a sweet sulphur breeze, Bimzo pulled at his clown costume colllar. He slapped at a horsefly on his neck. Bimzo looked at the smushed insect and thought, lucky devil.

“I wanna Aquaman, Grammy. I wanna Superman,” the girl screeched, bouncing up and down.

“Blue is for boys, sweetie peach. How about one of the ballooon animals the happy clown made? Okay see the pink poodle okay?”

If only Bathazar could take a joke, Bimzo thought, what’s a little insurrection between friends. Scratching at his balls, the clown took another drag. The little girl stamped her foot. Hoisting up her giant handbag, the grandmother fished for her wallet. Bouncing on her sneakers, the granddaughter tugged at the clown’s pants’ leg.

“Hey kid you want a balloon or not! Ain’t nobody got all damn day,” Bimzo said.

The two customers looked up. They broke into laughter. The worst part of Bathazar’s punishment wasn’t having to work as a clown, or carnival life, or even living in Florida for a century (though that was no cakewalk), the worst part of the demon overlord’s curse was that every single insult Bimzo uttered sounded like a hilarious saying. Bimzo’s profanity became heartwarming adages. His crude gestures, adorable balloon animals.

As the little girl clapped, Bimzo whipped up an enchanting balloon bouquet surrounding a Wonder Woman balloon. A group of children and parents watched with joy. Grandmother and child walked away delighted. Quickly ,a line of happy children queued up for fantasical balloons. The demon clown wondered if demon overlords had a sense of humor. Sighing, Bimzo blew a solo smoke up into the fetid air. TOn a continuous loop, urkey in the Straw played.