Corky is putting up fliers in Pineville when Bimbo knocks over a fence to smell some flowers.. The boy shoos him away, and Mrs. Amelia Lilly comes out. She says that she hasn't seen the circus since her son was a little boy, and Corky gives her some passes and says that he'll have Tim pay her for the fence. Amelia assures Corky that her son Edwin can fix anything, After Corky leaves, Amelia's daughter-in-law Alice comes out and Amelia says that an elephant picked the flowers. She tells that she read the tea leaves earlier and they said something unusual would happen. Alice doesn't believe her, and Edwin drives up in a carriage. When he hears Amelia's story, he sides with her and tells Alice that he just passed Corky and Bimbo on the road.
Later at the next town, Amelia goes to the circus, steps between the jugglers practicing, and knocks a performer off the wire he's rehearsing on. Tim and Corky come over, and Amelia says that she's going to work for them. She says that she can sew and wash, and tells Tim that the tea leaves said that he had an opening. Pete comes over and tells Tim that their cook just quit, and Amelia says that Tim has an opening. Joey and Pete are eager to eat Amelia's home cooking, and Tim agrees to hire her. Once the men leaves, the dog trainer Bumps Tooligan comes over and asks if Amelia can really read tea leaves.
Later, Amelia is serving dinner in the mess tent. Pete asks for coffee, but Amelia insists that they have tea so that she can read their fortunes. Joey is skeptical, and Amelia reads Corky's tea leaves and says that he's going to come into money soon. She then says that soon Tim will have hundreds of people with smiling faces around him. Outside, Corky insists that it's possible but Joey isn't convinced and says that people should live in the present. The boy finds a purse on the ground with money in it, and Joey says that it's Bumps' purse.
That afternoon, it rains heavily and the workers get everything inside. Tim figures that they should cancel the performance because of the rain, and Pete points out that the farmers will be happy. He realizes that Amelia's prediction about hundreds of smiling faces was true. Pete goes to the mess tent and tells Amelia that her predictions came true. Bumps gave Corky a $0.50 reward for finding his purse, and Tim saw smiling faces. Pete asks what is going to happen to him, and Amelia says that he'll be a hero that day and the center of attraction.
Pete runs out and tells Tim what's going to happen. Tim tells him to take better care of the equipment, and doesn't want to hear anymore about the tea leaves. The owner says that Amelia predicted that Forenzo would get a lot of money, so he demanded it from Tim. When Tim didn't give it to him, Forenzo quit. The high wire walker quit because Amelia said that it was dangerous, and Tim considers firing her. Joey points out that he's not going to fire a sweet old lady, and Tim agrees but figures that something has to be done.
Later, Corky visits Amelia in the kitchen and she says that it's good to be where she's really wanted. She admits that Edwin is trying to start a family of his own and she's just in the way. Bumps listens as Corky says that Lucy and Davy are getting married because of Amelia's predictions. The older man asks if Amelia is going to get married, and she says that he isn't but warns that there's a danger to Bumps that day. Bumps insists on going to bed and Corky goes with him. When they see a horse and buggy out, Corky insists on putting it away so Bumps isn't endangered. The horses take off, knocking Bumps over. Pete rides after the wagon, catches Corky as he falls off, and stops the horses. When they go back to the circus, Corky mentions Amelia's prediction and Tim tells them that he's getting sick of her predictions. As Bumps goes to get into his costume, he bumps into a wagon and boxes fall on him.
The doctor confirms that Bumps is okay but can't work. When Tim complains that it's the third act out of the show. Pete offers to work the dogs and figures that once he's done, the crowds will cheer him just like Amelia predicted. Joey half-jokingly says that he foresees a great disaster. Later, Pete begins the show in the big top and he puts the dogs through the routine. The dogs finally run off and Tim and Joey help catch them.
Later, Edwin comes to the circus and explains that Amelia disappeared just before the circus left town. Tim confirms that Amelia had a hobby of reading tea leaves, and says that they can struggle along without Amelia's cooking. Corky takes Edwin to the cook tent. Meanwhile, Amelia brings Bumps some English food and invites him to call her by her first name. He says that she's wonderful, just as Corky brings in Edwin. Edwin takes her outside to talk, and Corky tells Bumps that Edwin wants to take Amelia home.
At the next show, Edwin approaches Tim and says that Amelia refuses to come home. She doesn't believe that Edwin and Alice want her, and the tea leaves told her to stay. Tim loses his temper, and Joey suggests that they fight fire with fire. He still has a swami costume from an old routine that he performed.
After the show, Joey puts on the costume and goes into the mess tent. He pretends to be a swami and says that he's visiting some of his old friends. Joey "senses " that he's in the presence of someone else who can see the future, but dismisses tea leaves as amateur. He explains that he uses the crystal ball and agrees to read her future. Joey provides detailed information about Amelia's past based on what Edwin has told her, and Amelia says that Alice is always bossing her around. She tells Joey that Edwin loved her until Alice came around, and Joey insists that they both love her very much. Joey then reads her future and says that there is much love in it, but then pleads fatigue and leaves. Edwin comes in on cue and Amelia tells her son what Joey said.
Soon, Edwin is preparing to leave with his mother. However, Amelia tells Edwin that she's going to stay with the circus. She assures Tim that she doesn't believe in the tea leaves anymore because they don't tell her the truth. Amelia tells them that Bumps is going to get married: to her. Bumps says that they were made for each other, and Amelia says that she met a swami who predicted her marriage to Bumps.
Written by Gadfly on Jun 21, 2017