"Mime Time"

You know what sucks? Being the best in the world at something and it being utterly unmarketable. Im an incredible mime. I can fake climbing a rope like you wouldnt believe. But mimes dont rake in the cash like they used to.

And busking is hard. On a good day I might take in thirty bucks. No matter how many walls Id walk into or jump ropes Id skip, my act just wasnt making money. I was going to lose my apartment.
Im crediting my desperation for me not noticing how creepy the man was. I guess when your diet mostly consists of 99 cent tacos, you dont think twice when you get offered magic gloves. But he said theyd make me put on my most memorable show ever. So I took them.

The next day, I set down my money bucket, slipped on the gloves, hit the play button on my stereo and got to work. I started with the rope climb. Then something amazing happened. As I closed my hands around the invisible rope, my fingers latched onto something solid. I could feel the rope in my hands. I gave it a strong pull. My feet came off the ground and I hung there, dangling from a rope that wasnt there. It was incredible. And I was rewarded by the sound of clapping and applause. A small crowd had gathered, staring in wonder as I hung in mid-air.

So I continued my show. I sat on chairs that werent there, leaned impossibly against walls. I even rode an invisible bike through the ever-increasing crowd to uproarious cheers. And my money bucket was filled with cash.

And then I tried the classic: The invisible box. I crouched and stretched out my hands, feeling the walls around me. I faked hysterics as I pounded on the walls. The crowd loved it. I gave a flourish of my hands to the crowd and got up from my crouch.

And my head slammed into the ceiling. I stifled a yell. The crowd laughed. I put my hands out and pushed on the invisible walls, but they wouldnt budge. I began to pound and kick and slam myself against the walls of my invisible prison, but nothing worked. I tried to take the gloves off, but it was like they were fused to my skin. I gave up the mime shtick and yelled for help. But my mouth produced no sound.

Then the walls began moving inward. I tried to brace myself against them as the box grew smaller and smaller. The crowd cheered loudly as I pushed with all my might, trying to stop the walls terrible advance until I could feel it on every side, squeezing in on me like a vise.
And as my breath left me and my bones cracked and as the jubilant laughter of the crowd turned to terrified screaming, I couldnt help but think that this was definitely my most memorable show ever.