Two weeks passed after the transformation of preppy law student Timothy Porter into farm worker Leroy. Madame
Illusia’s shows were sold out. One cold night a man appeared in the back of the carnival tent. He sent a
message to Madame Illusia on a business card “MUST SPEAK PRIVATELY. URGENT!”
The card said William Henry Wells, Esquire, Attorney at Law.
Stephen looked at and they exchanged wicked smiles.
She yelled “There is a gentleman in the back who MUST speak with me! HE IS A LAWYER! Come forward, SIR!”
All eyes turned to see a man in his fifties, extremely well and formally dressed. He said angrily: “No – I
will speak to you PRIVATELY!”
She responded: “I said COME HERE! NOW!”
The gentleman attempted to leave but couldn’t move his feet. Yet he was able to resist the pull to the stage.
Madame illusia yelled; “Ah! A strong man of iron will! You will need some help! Who will assist this man to
the stage!”
An Old Man said: “BE GLAD TO, MADAME!”
He ran to the lawyer, who said “DO NOT TOUCH ME!”
The Old Man grinned and said: “No need to put up a fight boy. You are coming with ME!”
He was a foot shorter than the gentleman, but he picked him and threw him over his shoulder like a sack of
potatoes.
“HOW DARE YOU!” bellowed the lawyer. “PUT ME DOWN IMMEDIATELY” The crowd roared and clapped as he passed
through in his expensive clothes, but when he stood on the stage, there was silence. The lawyer was very
impressive – over six feet tal, handsome, lean and distinguished – and dressed impeccably.
“Thank you friend!” said Madame Illusia to the Old Man. “Stay right here!”
“Sure thing Madame!” smirked the Old Man,
Madame Illusia circled the dapper and distinguished attorney. So did Stephen. So did the Old Man who carried
him up. He was uncomfortable with the attention and was used to being in command.
“I will get straight to the point. I am an attorney and the Dean of the finest law school in this state. My
best student has changed his life because of you. I want to know what happened!”
Madame illusia said “Sir, who is your student?”
“Timothy Porter – he is – or WAS – a law school student until he came here! Now he is working on a farm! I
have not seen him in a month! I had a letter from him that said “Working on farm now. It’s great” cried the
lawyer. “I found out his car was seen here that night. What happened to him?”
Laughter and clapping and whistles broke out in the crowd.
“Do any of you KNOW him?” yelled the lawyer.
The Old Man grinned. “Sure. I know him real well Mister Hotshot. That boy works for ME”
“HE WORKS FOR YOU!” said the lawyer, stunned as he looked over the Old Man’s filthy jeans and weathered face
and beard. “The Timothy Porter I knew would EVER work for a lowlife like you! He is a brilliant young man who
will be a lawyer!”
The Old Man looked at the lawyer with silent rage. “He’s my farm hand, lawyer boy. And he ain’t so brilliant
now. Not so high and mighty either. He was an arrogant boy when he came in here. Now I see you are the same –
even more. Looks like you got some lessons to learn, boy. Never too late to learn”
“How dare you speak to me like that! Calling me BOY! Do you know who I am?! William Wells, one of the city’s
leading attorneys! Take me to where Timothy works immediately!” yelled the lawyer.
Madame Illusia snapped angrily: “YOU WILL LEARN!” She passed her hands suddenly over the handsome attorney’s
face.
He had piercing blue eyes. He was a handsome and impressive and powerful man. But now his sharp eyes were
losing focus.
“It seems to me that you need somebody to teach you to obey.” She sneered. “We have to find a job for you just
like we did for the former Timothy.”
“FORMER Timothy! What do you mean?”
The attorney, so confident, powerful, successful, commanding, wealthy and well dressed, was frightened and
confused. His mind was cloudy. But he fought back. He suddenly noticed with astonishment that the Old Man was
wearing very expensive black tasseled loafers
The Old Man smiled a nasty smile. “I bought these fine shoes from the boy.”
“Timothy Porter’s SHOES?! Then what he is HE wearing?” gasped the lawyer.
“I keep him barefoot for his job”
“What kind of job could he do in his BARE FEET! “ cried the lawyer. “There is NO job that a man can do where
he goes barefoot! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH HIS SHOES?”
“He works barefoot every day – he’s getting’ used to it!” said the Old Man with a grin. “Those sure are some
fancy clothes you got on!”
The Old Man looked over the beautiful three piece suit, the silk necktie, the starched white shirt – and his
eyes took in the cufflinks and gold watch. His eyes rested on the gleaming black polished shoes.
“Those sure are a very fine pair of shoes you got on boy. Where did you get them? How much you pay? What are
them fancy socks made of” said the Old Man.
“ANSWER!” screamed madame Illusia.
“They..are John Lobb shoes made in London. I paid fifteen hundred dollars for them. The socks are silk” said
the lawyer reluctantly.
The audience screamed.
“There’s some jobs a man HAS GOT to do in his bare feet. Your former student won’t be needing these shiny
shoes”
Madame Illusia suddenly yelled “Let the transformation BEGIN! This is a wealthy, successful, well-dressed
lawyer! He is obviously much too arrogant and high and mighty for his own good! We like to help people in any
way we can! So we will give Mr. William Henry Wells a new life!”
“What is going on? What is happening? Stop this ridiculous joke NOW!” shouted the lawyer. He sounded assured
and confident but a slight panic was rising.
He then realized he could not force himself to walk. He could move his arms and legs but could not leave where
he was standing.
Madame Illusia snarled “WHAT WILL IT BE FOR OUR FORMER BIGSHOT ATTORNEY? Who will change him to your liking?”
The lawyer was now frightened and desperate as he realized he could not leave. He looked out at the crowd.
“Those rednecks and scum?!” he yelled. “Keep them away from me!”
A murmur of anger and energy moved through the crowd.
The Old Man said: “I WANT YOU BAREFOOT”
The attorney looked at him with revulsion. “You want my SHOES? NEVER!” he cried. “I am a LAWYER! A Professor!
“I am 54 years old. I do NOT walk around in bare feet. In case you hadn’t noticed, I am wearing a SUIT!I don’t
walk around in my bare feet – I’m not like YOU!”
The Old Man snapped: “You don’t understand. You ain’t got a choice. I said I want you BAREFOOT. Nothing
teaches a man obedience like forcing him to go barefoot in public – and wearing that fancy suit only makes it
better! I took the fancy shoes off that stuck-up student of yours. I’m gonna go home with YOUR shoes too boy.
And your socks! Take those shoes and socks off NOW!”
“NO!” said the lawyer in a rage. But he still could not move.
A voice shouted from the audience: “The humiliation starts now!”
Screams of laughter followed. Madame illusia said to the man who shouted: “Come up to the stage my friend!”
A huge biker walked to the stage, with a full beard and biker clothes. He grinned and pointed at the lawyer.
“I never did like rich men in nice suits. Now it’s time to make you into something else. I wanna see you in
your bare feet too!” sneered the biker. He picked up the six foot three inch tall lawyer and tossed him over
his shoulder. The lawyer’s legs in their gleaming polished black shoes waved wildly.
“Thank you!” said the redneck. He grabbed the lawyer’s legs and held them. He carefully untied one polished
shoes and slipped it off. He then reached under the pinstriped cuff and found the top of his silk sock.
“No – not my socks too” gasped the lawyer. Now one bare foot waved wildly while the other was still secure in
its expensive shoe and sock. But not for long.
“Hold still!” shouted the biker and slapped his captive on his pinstriped rear end.
The redneck then grabbed the other shiny shoe and untied and pulled it off. He then slowly peeled off the
other silk sock.
The biker then put the lawyer back on his feet – which were now bare.
“I can’t believe this” gasped the lawyer.
The crowd cheered. The biker handed one hundred dollars to Madame illusia. “I wanna make this lawyer boy into
a biker. He’s gonna travel with us as my special guest…”
Madame Illusia screamed “DONE! You gonna be a biker’s “boy”
The barefoot lawyer and professor looked at them with horror. “I AM A LAWYER! THE DEAN OF A LAW SCHOOL! Are
you insane!”
The Bald Redneck grinned and said to the barefoot lawyer “Not anymore. Boy I’m gonna be wearing your underwear
tonight”
Madame Illusia yelled “Step right up! Put five dollars in the box and take one item off our fancy dressed
friend here!”
Cheers rose from the crowd.
“WHAT?” yelled the lawyer.
“We’re gonna strip you boy! Everybody has to pay something!”
“This is a nightmare…” said the lawyer. He was trapped, stunned, breaking down and imprisoned.
The bald redneck said “I’m watin’ here for your skivvies!”
A long line immediately formed.
A young man in punk clothes dropped five dollars in the box and walked over to the lawyer: “You look like my
grandpa. I don’t like him. Gimme that pretty necktie. NOW”
The lawyer felt his hands move to his beautiful made in France necktie, untied and pulled it off.
Then a toothless farmer dropped his five and grabbed his wrist. “Looks like you won’t be needing a wristwatch.
I’ll take this off you!”
“MY ROLEX!” gasped the lawer.
“Lemme have them cufflinks BOY!” snarled a man with a heavy beard. He grabbed the white shirt and unfastened
them.
“What do YOU need with cufflinks!” said the lawyer. “YOU would never wear them!”
The man slapped the lawyer’s face. “Don’t talk back! You ain’t a bigshot now!”
The lawyer was shocked.
A fat and laughing man dropped five:
“TAKE OFF YOUR SUIT COAT!” he screamed with laughter.
“My suit” he whispered. Here he was taking off his business suit in a carnival…
The beaten broken down lawyer unbuttoned and took off the jacket of his navy blue pinstriped three piece
business suit.
A giggling young man said “I’ll take yer vest”
Off came the vest.
The owner of the local diner said: “I don’t like lawyers. I wanted to strip one of you men many times. Take
off your pants!”
The layer unbuckled and pulled down his pinstriped pants.
The redneck smiled: “Now for them skivvies. Lose the underwear lawyer boy!”
The shamed, degraded lawyer took off his silk shorts and undershirt.
“You’re in fine shape for a man of your age – not an ounce of fat” said the biker. The biker pulled out
clippers. “SHAVING TIME! Off with all that nice silver hair on your head! You will stay bald!”
“MY HAIR” gasped the former lawyer. Within minutes he was bald.
Madame Illusia suddenly produced several documents. “I got something for you to sign. “ Laughter filled the
tent.
She handed the papers to the stunned, stripped lawyer. “Sign it boy!”
“HOW….HOW DID YOU DO THIS SO QUICKLY? HOW DID YOU…I DON’T UNDERSTAND! THIS SAYS I RESIGN AS DEAN OF THE LAW
SCHOOL! IT’SA PROFESSIONAL LETTER!” cried the horrified lawyer.
“YES!” screamed Madame Illusia. “Read on!”
“This one says I resign as director of my law firm effective immediately! And this says I sign over my car, my
bank account, my investments and my home to YOUR CARNIVAL! Where did you get all this information? This is
insane!” said the horrified lawyer in desperation. “My lawyer will NEVER agree to this! My ex wife has to get
alimony!”
Madame Illusia grinned and handed him a pen. “I’ll take care of ALL of that. I will control his mind so he
will agree to it all. There’s no way put for you Mister Fancy Lawyer! SIGN!”
“I refuse to sign!” he cried. But he found that he had no control of his own hands. His hand signed one paper
after another as he shook with rage and fear.
The naked and bald former lawyer and former dean of the law school and formerly wealthy man signed over all of
his possessions and money to Madame Illusia’s carnival.
“Put these on!” shouted the biker. The former lawyer found himself putting on a heavy, tight leather
jumpsuit.
The audience shouted with approval. “A big difference from your fancy suits, ain’t it boy!”
The biker grabbed the lawyer. “I’ll keep you barefoot in your new life. No more expensive shoes for you!”
The former lawyer screamed “HELP ME” as he was carried away to his new life.