My First Circus

Last week I was invited by my trapeze coach to go to see Circus Vargas. I enlisted my friend Brock and the two of us enthusiastically set out. After all, you shouldn't go and make a movie about the circus unless you've seen a few along the way. Due to my unfortunate sense of direction (seriously, does anybody have a TomTom they can lend me), we had ample time in the car to talk about our past experiences at the Big Top. After he finished telling me about the time he spent 20 dollars to see the invisible man, I started to share some of my circus memories. That's when it hit me, I don't have any circus memories! Is it possible that I, a man who spends hours each week on the trapeze, had never been to the circus? Well, I am from Maine... I immediately called my mother and demanded to know why my childhood had been devoid of such a classic American tradition. And then she told me, I was afraid of the clowns. Turns out I had been to the circus when I was very little but I didn't last very long. I got one good look at a sad faced clown in over sized shoes and sheer terror set in. No amount of floss (cotton candy) could appease me and I cried all the way home. This revelation about my primal fear of clowns made me nervous as we approached the canvass tent that now loomed in the distance. Would I see a clown and revert to being a terrified child? Would my friends and coach laugh as I ran screaming from the Big Top? Would I wet my pants? Well, I almost did wet my pants, but it was from laughing so hard. I'm happy to report that Circus Vargas was a delight. The small, one ring affair was a real treat and just about the size of the circus we will be building for Lancaster. It was truly inspiring to see acts that have changed very little in over 100 years. I was even invited to fly with the professionals after the show was over. It was more than I could have hoped for. So why am I sharing this with all of you? Well, circus season has just started up and I want you to go. Across the country, dozens of troupes are putting on their hilarious and death defying acts and they deserve an audience. While I have no doubt that my film will rekindle an interest in the circus when it is made, I don't want you to wait until then. Grab the kids and go. If you don't have kids, go and let the kid in you come out. You won't be disappointed. And you never know, you might finally see that clowns aren't that scary after all. Enjoy the show.