1931 Winter: The Time of the Oasis/Digression 3

Synopsis
In the years between being friends with Firo Prochainezo and being well-known as "Vino", Claire Stanfield had been a member of a traveling circus.

In New York, 1927, Firo asks Claire why he'd decided to become a train conductor. Claire replies that it had just been convenient, and that the cook who'd traveled with the circus had been the one to recommend him for the job, giving Firo an opening to ask about the circus. Despite Firo's assumption that Claire would be upset at the reminder about the circus disbanding, Claire also divulges the details of its disbandment without issue: the troupe had gotten into trouble with a fairly large gang, and though Claire and the ringmaster had disposed of them quite easily, most of the other performers had scattered.

Claire goes on to rave about the members of his troupe: a magician who could summon bats and survive being cut in half, the aforementioned cook, the acrobats, and the star girl who'd punched him in the jaw after he'd asked her on a date following his victory against her in boxing.

The conversation then turns to Cookie, who Claire considers his rival for top star at the circus.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Firo Prochainezo
 * Claire Stanfield