chapter xxxiii: first cousin, once removed
part i: it's in the blood
 
Although he wanted to be in show business, at first "Vagaofechado Junior" resisted the notion of performing as a magician like his beloved "Unka Bill", feeling that it would be impossible to live up the older man's reputation, despite having informally studied under Vagaofechado for years.
For several years, he put his skills of manual dexterity and breath control to work as a ventriloquist, with the unique twist of having a second "dummy" on the floor, which he skillfully manipulated with his feet. Although successful enough regionally, not even his unusual feat of drinking a glass of water while the lower dummy played marbles was enough to get him a national tour, or on TV. 

Ambitious, yet not without a certain caring side that his female fans found irresistible, he decided a career change was in order.
Eventually, the dummies began asking questions that bordered on the personal and embarrassing. 
 
The answer came to him in a flash as he was racing from De Kalb to Peoria during an insanely booked three week-tour of geographically distant one-night stands. Driving all night and most of the day to get from one stop to the next, he had been awake for 79 straight hours fueled by massive consumption of coffee and amphetamines, which in those days were legal if you were in a show business family. 
Amusing himself by watching the mile markers reach over and attempt to hit his car as he drove past, he suddenly decided on his next career:
The High Wire. 

Hooking up with a circus that mostly toured the Corn Belt, he auditioned with the high wire troupe and was accepted. His magical training allowed him to feel right at home, but more importantly, even while dressed in tights he exuded an unmistakably masculine aura, balanced by a certain caring side that female fans found irresistible.  He quickly became the featured performer.