| "Pageant Wagon" | |
|---|---|
| Author | Orson Scott Card |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Published in | The Folk of the Fringe |
| Publisher | Phantasia Press |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| Publication date | 1989 |
"Pageant Wagon" is a short story by Orson Scott Card. It’s first and only appearance is in his short story collection The Folk of the Fringe (1989).
Contents |
In a post-apocalyptic America range rider Deaver Teague is trying to get to the town of Moab because his horse died. On the way he is picked up by the Aal family’s pageant wagon. When they arrive in the town of Hatchville Deaver decides to help the Aal’s set up for the show because he likes them, he wants to see the show and because they have a beautiful daughter named Katie. Over the course of the day Deaver learns that the family has a lot of problems. The most serious of them is that the middle son Ollie wants desperately to get away from the pageant because his father won’t let him act but makes him run the lights and sound board instead. When Ollie takes off with a local girl in an effort the get the family into trouble Deaver talks the sheriff out of arresting anyone and then offers to take over the Ollie’s job so that he can either leave the show or start acting.
In the story "West" by Orson Scott Card, Deaver Teague was found by a group of traveling Mormons after his parents were killed. Since the boy had no parents the group decided to take him along with them to Utah. At the time he was unable to talk and they didn’t know his name so he was named after two of the men in the group; Jamie Teague and Brother Deaver. In the story "Salvage" Deaver is a young man who goes diving in a Mormon temple to try and find hidden gold. In Card's short story "The Fringe" the main character, Mr. Carpenter is rescued from drowning at the last minute by a group of traveling actors calling itself the "Sweetwater Miracle Pageant".
As with many of Card's other literature, a Christian/Mormon influence is present in this story.
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