Don’t put on the hat

This particular story was an assignment meant to show the same scene but from two different points of view. I posted one last week, and this week, Third person

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Olivia bounded to the sidewalk, not waiting for her Grandpa as he walked down the stairs off the bus.  Grandpa watched Olivia who was excited to be her on her first big girl adventure!  He smiled as she looked around, taking it all in and eager to know what was next.

Suddenly Olivia said, “Grandpa, can we go see?”

Grandpa looked up and saw the juggler on the sidewalk in front of the bank.

“Sure.”

Grandpa took Olivia’s hand and they walked to the corner, nudging their way through the small crowd so they could see.  The juggler was throwing knives in the air, around his shoulders, under his legs.  The crowd gasped with every near miss.   Finally, with a flourish, he snatched all the knives out of the air and took a bow.  Grandpa wondered how the juggler managed to not drop any knives or knock that weird hat off his head, tall and wide, bright blue with a red bow and to long feathers.  Wait, nope he couldn’t keep it on as he bowed and the hat fell off and rolled down the street.

Grandpa watched as the juggler moved closer, shaking hands of the people around, gathering money.  He reached into his pocket to pull out some bills, losing track of Olivia, and when the juggler reached him, said “Great show, man.  Don’t know how you kept all those knives in the air and didn’t  lose your hat until the end!”

The juggler looked at Grandpa, shocked.  “My hat?!?”

The juggler turned around, and Grandpa followed his eyes.  Olivia was a few yards away, bending over to pick up the hat. As she lifted it off the sidewalk, the juggler suddenly shouted  “No!”

Olivia put it on her head. “No don’t put it on!”

Grandpa was confused and as the juggler started towards Olivia, Grandpa tried to grab his arm, but the juggler wrenched free.  He shouted again “Nooooooo!” And as he reached her, Olivia  looked up and as the hat settled on her head, she sank into the concrete as if it were quicksand.

Grandpa yelled and ran towards her, trying to take hold of her hand before she disappeared, but when he reached for her, all he grabbed was air.

“What?”  Grandpa yelled, turning towards the juggler, “What did you do to my granddaughter?”  “She shouldn’t have put on the hat.”

He replied, his voice shaking.  “I can’t believe I lost another one.”