I was talking to John when Wesley joined us.

Wesley: “The heavy rain a few days ago must have hit the circus pretty badly. I heard even the big tent collapsed.”

John: “That’s rough. They live off their performances. I might drive over and see if I can help. There’s not much going on here right now.”

Gillian: “That’s a good idea, John. Go ahead.”

When John arrived at the circus, he saw the full extent of the damage. Ydris, the circus director, came toward him.

John: “This looks really bad. You were hit hard. I’ll grab my tools and see what I can do.”

Ydris: “You’re an angel. If we don’t fix this quickly, the circus is finished. The wagons were damaged too.”

John worked on the tent all day and managed to rebuild the frame.

John: “The storm caught the roof, and with all that rain the weight became too much. I reinforced the whole structure. It should hold now. A circus that doesn’t move on is rare, though.”

Ydris: “I can tell you believe in things that last. I do too. I’ve seen many places on my travels — but never one to stay. Now I’m here. And I’m staying.”

John listened. When Ydris said, “I’m staying.” — just two words — it hit him harder than it should have. Suddenly it wasn’t about a tent, a circus, or a place anymore. It sounded like the decision to truly arrive somewhere. The next day, John returned because of a damaged wagon wheel. Ydris brought him coffee.

Ydris: “Black. No sugar. I thought that’s how you like it. And thank you for coming back.”

John: “I like finishing things. And sometimes something isn’t broken — there was just no one who wanted to repair it.”

When John said that, Ydris knew he wasn’t just talking about a wheel. After John had finished, he spoke to Ydris again.

John: “Everything should hold now. If you’d like, I could show you Meadowland sometime. We have a few buildings that survived worse storms.”

Ydris: “Thank you, John — for everything. I’ll come. Not everyone invites someone to a place that matters to them.”

And a few days later, Ydris really did come to Meadowland.

John: “I’m glad you came.”

Ydris: “Some places you simply have to see. Some people too.”

John showed him the entire ranch. They talked animatedly — and not just about Meadowland. Jamie watched them from a distance.

Jamie: “Since when does John explain things with that much enthusiasm? He’s using full sentences.”

Gillian: “Simple. Since someone started listening.”

After their tour, they stood for a while near the outdoor stables.

Ydris: “So Meadowland is your firmly anchored anchor?”

John: “Something like that… but even an anchor sometimes needs a little company.”

When they came back to the main stable, John introduced Ydris to us. As Ydris was about to leave, Jamie couldn’t resist a small warning.

Jamie: “…but be careful. If you come around more often, she’ll put you in work clothes.”

Ydris: “Ha! I’ve worn worse.”

I pretended to pout. But John smiled. And he looked happy.