Officer Dillingham keeps the peace on quiet Main Street until a boisterous showman arrives with his parade of costumed performers. The troupe marches down the street in their animal suits, creating a ruckus that destroys the town's tranquil atmosphere. The noise and commotion push the usually good-natured policeman past his breaking point. His country patience evaporates as the performers continue their disruptive parade. In an explosion of anger, Officer Dillingham strikes the costumed entertainers with his nightstick and locks up the entire group. What begins as a simple disturbance becomes a clash between order and chaos, between a peaceful community and the wild energy of traveling performers. The story explores how even the most patient person can reach their limit when faced with disruption to their carefully maintained world.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, 20th-century, comedy
Vibes: emotional, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: clash-of-cultures, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Main Street
Period: 20th-century
Unknown Binding · Harpercollins Juvenile Books