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Pavel's Medal by Michael Pikna
"Wake up, sleepyhead," said a voice.
Pavel opened his eyes. For a moment he thought he was in his bed in their trader on in the lot at the circus. Then it all came back to him.
"Come on, Pavel," said his mother. "It's a beautiful Saturday morning." She sat down next to him and mussed his hair. Anna, his two-year baby sister, was in her arms. His voice was thick with sleep, but the first thing he said was, "You know, I'm the only 'Pavel' in the sixth grade... and they make fun of it sometimes."
She considered this for a moment. The changes had been difficult for Pavel. He had never been to a school before - the roving nature of circus life made that impossible. Instead, he had correspondence school and occasional tutors.
"I know you feel out of place here, Pavel," she said, "but give it a chance. Your heritage is something to be proud of."
"I guess you're right." Pavel said, looking away. "It's just that everything is so strange to me here. I get scared sometimes now that Papa is... is gone." Pavel felt a little embarrassed admitting his fear.
His mother looked thoughtful, then brightened and said, "I have something that might help!" She put Anna down and went into her room. She rummaged in her closet, and returned to hand Pavel a flat wooden case.
He flipped it open to find a bronze medal attached to a blue and red ribbon. "It was awarded to your grandfather for bravery. He was a Czech patriot who fought against the Nazis near the end of the world war. Your father carried it with him when he was sad or worried."
"Wow!" Pavel said. "Can I keep it?"
"For as long as you need it," mother replied. Pavel slipped the loop of ribbon over his head, and had to admit he felt better already.
"Pret-ty!" Anna giggled as she grabbed at it, fascinated by the colorful ribbon. Pavel pulled back out of her reach.
"But now I want you to get up and look out the window," mother said. "The day is new and just full of possibilities! Just breathe that autumn air. Can't you feel it?"
Pavel gazed out the window to greet a clear blue sky. Then he felt the beginning of a rumbling tickle his chest. As it grew louder a smile appeared on his face. There was no mistaking what it meant.
"Uncle Matis is here!" Pavel yelled and dashed out the door in only his pajamas. He saw his uncle's tremendous truck carrying the high-wire rigging roar down the road and into the driveway. His aunt and cousins followed closely behind in a large motor home stenciled on the side with the words, "The Triska Troupe."
Pavel jumped up and down and waved to his uncle. Mother came up and stood next to him, holding Anna on one hip and draping an arm over Pavel's shoulders. "Surprise!" she laughed.
The cousins followed a strict rule about practicing at least an hour a day when they were between shows. They set up a three-foot practice wire in the back yard and, when rehearsal began, it didn't take long to gather a few neighbors and school friends to watch the fun. Karel and Milan juggled clubs as Jan walked on his hands. Ludek walked on the wire with Eva standing on his shoulders.
Pavel sat under a tree watching with Gayle, a classmate and close friend. "Hey, lazy bones," Eva called from her perch on Ludek's shoulders. "Get up and throw me those clubs!"
"Are you sure you can handle it?" Pavel asked with a grin. She was the youngest of his cousins and close to his age. She was like a sister to him. "Try me!" she grinned back.
Pavel tossed three clubs and Eva caught them expertly in sequence to begin juggling.
Gayle was wide-eyed. "Did you perform, too, Pavel?"
He shrugged. "Yeah, a little,"
"Yeah, right!" Eva scoffed. "More than a little, He was only the best juggler in the troupe. He was working on a five club routine on the unicycle just before... his father..."
She stuttered, but Pavel spoke up. "It's alright. I can talk about it." He turned to Gayle. "My father died after a fall from the wire."
"Oh, that's awful!" Gayle gasped. "There wasn't... a net?.."
Eva cut in, still juggling, "Yes, but falling into the net is dangerous, too. Uncle Josef fell in a strong wind into the net, but the balancing pole hit him, and that was all." Gayle looked sadly at Pavel, reached over and squeezed his hand. ..
He was touched by the simple gesture. In a moment he broke the silence and said, "I really think I could do that routine now... and I wish papa could see it." |