Melba is So Theater; never a moment without an audience; hosting the traveling Circus; delighting in the intimacy as the clever circus performers exhibit their elegant and exciting talents. I can just see Melba tapping her toes to the Circus music/noise. The elephants and tigers and clowns must be resting in their nearby trailer, thank goodness. I talked to Schubert here telling him the story as you have written and because he remembers a time when he was just a pup, of hearing the story of Toby who joined a circus and he loved the story and wanted to join a traveling Circus Train and do everything that circus dogs do; dress up in clown suits and be a Clown Dog. I could see that telling the story was making Schubert very sad even though he has now the best of care and love. Circus people are lonely; never making true friends because the circus must keep moving to make money and often, when they return the next year, the families have moved away - maybe to Europe or Australia. 

Schubert tells the story with kind thoughts of Melba as she offers the room in her house to Olga and Babushka for the night. Music is the language and needs no other conversation. Louise might set up a lovely large ceramic wash bowl and pitcher filled with clean water sitting there in the bedroom for washing the little circus costumes with a rack nearby for drying; Schubert thinks of Everything and so Louise will be back in her kitchen cooking and cleaning and even humming softly a peppy circus tune. Schubert sends his love and best wishes to the Circus People.

Pearl