Miss Trickett approves

Ben heard a slow clap, coming from the sidelines of the carnival. He would have turned his head to look, but he didn't want to miss even a moment of the shrieking, dancing naked girls before him, cavorting in the altogether with grass stains on their feet and the heat of the spotlights gilding their sweaty skin. So he waited, until a tall, exotic, raven-haired woman with dark eyeshadow in a tight black silk cheongsam walked into his line of sight.

"Excuse me," she said, a little annoyed. "I'm slow clapping here."

"Can you stand a little to the left, please? That clown just threw a custard pie into Trixie Washington's face, and I know she knows I'm watching."

"Ahem. I simply wanted to commend you on your splendid use of that delightful little device currently sitting on your face. In all my years at Trickett and Trapp's Carnival of Shadows, I've never seen such inspired work. Perhaps I could interest you in perusing some of our... darker wares? I assure you the prices are very..."

"Are they cursed?"

Miss Trickett blinked. "Only a little bit," she admitted.

"Pass."

"Just one blow on our magic didgeridoo? I believe you will find its effects most..."

"Will it make my dick small?"

"You're no fun."

"But it will, right?"

"What do you need all that dick for anyway? You don't look like you use it much."

"I thought this magic carnival only humiliated women. The guy in the shop said that was the main idea. Told me it was the best place he'd ever worked, and he'd once been taste tester at the chocolate factory."

"It's a new thing I'm trying," said Miss Trickett, a little testily. "Fine. Go about your business, then, if you're not going to play along. I don't know what you men see in all this naked-woman stuff. Doesn't it get tedious after a while?"

"Nope," said Ben, staring very carefully at Miss Trickett, who opened her mouth to say something withering, then paused and looked down. She looked back up again, smiling sheepishly.

"Ah," she said. "Of course. Should have seen that coming. I don't suppose a humble apology would suffice?"

"Nope. Now start dancing."