Circus acts

When i was a small boy, like 12 years old or something, we used to spend about a month every summer at my grandma's house in Venice. One time a circus came to the island (we stayed on the island of Lido, where the film festival is held, very prestigious!), and so we went, my mom, little brother and me.

As we entered the circus, they gave to every little boy (including me) or girl a piece of paper with a number on it.

About halfway through the show (i didnt enjoy it much because i felt sorry for all the animals), they filled up the lion's cage with some big cuddly toys. One of them was an enormous puppy, bigger than all the others. I immediately set my heart on it.

As it happens, the papers they had given us were lottery tickets. They started calling out numbers, and every little boy or girl would check their number, and if they won they would go in the cage and choose their toy.

They called numbers until only my puppy was left. And guess what! They called my number!!! I was so excited, but there was a big problem. I had just swallowed an enormous chunk of ice cream (lemon granita, still my favorite) and my mouth was all full and frozen, and I couldnt shout that i won! It took me a few seconds to swallow, catch my breath and proudly shout "Io, io!" (me, me!). Then i walked to the cage and picked up my toy.

In those few seconds that elapsed, between almost having and really claiming my toy, i unexpectedly found myself thinking of only one thing. Not the big lovely puppy waiting for me, but all the other little boys and girls, looking at their numbers, hoping that i'd be unable to collect so that they could claim the toy, since another number would obviously be called if I didnt respond.