Katiya and her husband, Maxim, teach their son, Jerry, the family business, and he eagerly practices to perfect his routine. Like his parents, Jerry thrives on the applause and enjoys the world of the circus and all that it encompasses. But for his father, those heady days may be dwindling.
Maxims knee, damaged long ago when he took a nasty fall, has become arthritic and increasingly more painful. The prospect of retirement looms in front of him, but he doesnt know how he will ever leave it behind. Yet the next generation wants to take the stage. Jerry and his new wife, Carla, are ready to step into Maxims shoes.
Katiya also has to make a decision: continue to perform or stay with Maxim at the family homestead. Will they get a second chance to hear the applause, or will the lights go dark?
Gayle Wilson is a former bareback rider with the Loyal Repenski Bareback Riding Troupe. She met her husband on a circus lot in Kingston, New York, and they have been married for fifty-six years. They have three children.