The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees

do it. I thought, ‘What use am I to Miri and the dear lady her mother if I cannot do even the simplest things for myself? I will be a burden to them all my days.’ But then I thought, ‘Wait. Have I not got skills that may seem wondrous here? Miri tells me that but few can do those things that any ac.tor in London knows better than he knows his catechism. I will make myself a blessing to them this day.’ And I took these oranges and crossed the bridge over the freeway, and I went and stood in front of the bookstore and spread a cloth before me, and began to juggle.
    “And it went well enough. Near everyone who went in or out by that door gave me something. But I was not there above an hour when this most officious little fellow all dressed up in blue and patches came to me and told me I might not do so. I must have permission, he said, and sent me on my way. ’Tis a large place, so I went over to the pub called Falstaff’s, and there I did even better. But once again this yapping little feist comes up and says I must be gone. ‘This is an authentic English pub,’ I say, ‘And I am English, too. I do but make it more authentic. In London, many a man who can juggle for pennies does so, and the pub keeper brings him beer. Leave me be.’ ’Twas then he said, ‘Get lost, Shakespeare.’ ‘Shakeshaft’ I did say. ‘Me name is Edmund Shakeshaft.’ ‘Whatever’ says the varlet and gives me this.”
    Edmund handed Mom the pink slip of paper.
    YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
    You have been found in violation of the laws cover.
    ing Public Nuisance, Loitering, and/or _______. You
    are herewith informed to quit these premises and not
    return without proper authorization. Violation of this
    warning will result in the immediate summoning of
    sworn law enforcement, and citation under the rele.
    vant statutes.
    MALPASO ROW SECURITY
    Mom sighed with relief.
    “Dang, Edmund you’ve been busted,” I said, laughing.
    Mom shook her head. “It’s nothing, Edmund. This isn’t a real ticket or anything. That guy wasn’t even an actual cop— I mean, constable. He was just some underpaid jerk in a bad uniform. But he was right. Here, you can’t just sing or dance or juggle in public for money. You have to get a permit.”
    “Damn such nonsense!” Edmund said. “Is every petty this-and-that a master of the revels here? How is a man to support himself? Be that as it may, I should most like to give you what I did earn.”
    And he reached in his pocket and handed my mom some money. “Seventeen and thirty-five,” he said. “’Tis but the promise of better, milady.”
    “Aw, Edmund,” Mom said, and she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “What are we going to do with you?”
    “Profit by me, I hope.”
    “Edmund, you have to be careful,” I said. “If that had been a real cop, he’d have wanted to ID you. And you don’t have anything, not even a student body card. You could have gotten into real trouble.”
    “Miri’s right,” Mom said. “Without identification you’re literally nobody. And with your accent, nobody’s going to think for a minute that you’re an American. Which would make you an illegal alien. We’ve got to do something about this. You need an identity.”
    “I don’t take your meaning,” Edmund said. “What is this thing I need so badly?”
    Mom showed him her driver’s license. “As long as you’ve got a little piece of laminated plastic with your name and pic.ture on it, you’re somebody. Without it, it can be very hard trying to prove you exist, in the legal sense. Then there’s a Social Security card, California ID—oh, my God, what about a birth certificate?” Mom said, panicking herself.
    “This is major, Edmund,” I said. “From now on, please don’t go anywhere unless you have one of us along. Other.wise, those fairies’ll get you for sure.”
    I could see Edmund wasn’t happy with what he was be.ing told. Trying to make my point, I said, “Bad fairies, Ed.mund. Very bad