Andy [Story 1]

At the Jennifer/Adam wedding this evening Christopher passed along a story that I had never heard of (or dis-remember).

It seems Andy was on the road with a traveling sideshow-type outfit. Apparently this was before the war, but when exactly is a guess. I am unaware that dad was ever part of a traveling sideshow.

The sideshow would travel from town-to-town by train and featured a boxer who would take on all comers. Some sort of betting was going on, with the boxers 'backers' taking bets against the townie's brawlers.

Each time a local champion got into the ring, the traveling pugilist would give him a knuckle sammich. And each time the odds tilted more in the 'ringer's' favor. Eventually, a stranger would climb into the ring and the bets were made, with the townfolk laying down their money that the traveling pro would be the winner.

The fight would commence, and while the pro put up a valiant effort, the stranger ended up the winner and the townies ending up the losers, money-wise. Seems the stranger was part of the sideshow troupe, and was let off the train before the town limits. He would walk into town, hours after the troupe had arrived, and the locals never figured him as part of the sideshow gang.

Night after night, town after town, the stranger would always beat the pro, and the sideshow would end up with the local gamblers money, having conned them with the fixed fight.