With the name of Jesse Thomas Cromwell, he definitely belongs in the world of Renaissance Faires. Playing old instruments of yore and singing ballads and bawdy tunes puts him on stage. This is Jesse’s favorite pastime, and things are going well until bagpiper James opens up a competition on a neighboring stage. Jesse becomes louder and bawdier until security comes and kicks him out.<br><br>Later James finds Jesse and apologizes for the ruckus. Together with a young lad whose faire gear was stolen and James’s niece, or maybe now nephew, they hatch a plan to get back into the Ren Faire. There are signs James isn’t altogether straight, but can Jesse answer that question in a satisfying way? Especially when they just might get thrown out of the faire again?

The Troubador

Right now, I’m on stage and my show is starting. I scanned my audience for children and at the moment all was clear, so I started in with one of my all-time favorites, “A Whore in Every Porthole,” as it was known several hundred years ago on British sailing ships. I strummed and the audience watched me. I knew I looked good in my period costume, lots of red and lace and very tight tights; the ladies were enthralled, whoopee. I had just gotten to the part about what went into the whore in the porthole when a horrible cringing noise started on the other stage. There he was, Mr. Ego in a Kilt, warming up. All the children nearby ran over to his stage. Half the women in my audience went too, and the rest covered their ears and cringed, looking over their shoulders. I actually hit a bad note and tried to cover it up.


Chapter 4