'What acts?' said Iowa Bob.
'It's probably one of those awful circuses,' Franny said. 'The kind with goats and chickens and those everyday junky animals everyone's seen -- some dumb reindeers, a talking crow. But nothing big, you know, and nothing exotic.'
'It's the exotic ones I'd just as soon not have around here,' Mother said.
'What acts?' said Iowa Bob.
'Well,' Father said. 'I'm not sure. Trapeze, maybe?'
'You don't know what animals,' Mother said. 'And you don't know what acts, either. What do you know?'
'They're small,' Father said. They just wanted to reserve some rooms, and maybe half the restaurant. They take Mondays off.'
'Mondays off?' said Iowa Bob. 'How long did you book them for?'
'Well,' Father said.
'Win!' my mother said. 'How many weeks will they be here?'
'They'll be here the whole summer,' Father said.
'Wow!' cried Egg. 'The circus!'
'A circus,' said Franny. 'A weirdo circus.'
'Dumb acts, dumb animals,' I said.
'Weird acts, weird animals,' Frank said.
'Well, you'll fit right in, Frank,' Franny told him.
'Stop it,' Mother said.
'There's no reason to get anxious,' Father said. 'It's just a small, private circus.'
'What's its name?' Mother asked.
'Well,' said Father.
'You don't know its name?' asked Coach Bob.
'Of course I know its name!' Father said. 'It's called Fritz's Act.'
'Fritz's act?' Frank said.
'What's the act?' I asked.
'Well,' Father said. That's just a name. I'm sure there's more than one act.'
'It sounds very modern,' Frank said.
'Modern, Frank?' Franny said.
'It sounds kinky,' I said.
'What's kinky?' said Lilly.