Description
The Kindergarten Circus was held every year: Mrs. Parker dressed as Coco the Clown (that’s a whole other story) and she marched the children into the gymnasium to perform acts they had worked on for weeks. There were lions, elephants, ballerinas, mad scientists, acrobats, clowns, and of course a ringleader. I wanted so badly to be a clown, but as luck would have it… I was to be a ballerina.
Our assemblies in grade school were amazing! One year a group of jugglers came to perform with unicycles and juggling pins. Afterward they passed out nylon scarves in multiple neon colors and tried teaching all of us to juggle.
It was a brochure from a visitor’s center on our way to see my cousin in Wisconsin that further sparked my interest in the circus. I loved doing impersonations, miming, colorful clothing, and magic tricks. Always willing to do anything it took to make someone laugh. “Mom, if I save up money can I go to a clown camp in Baraboo, Wisconsin?” Her very quick response was that she would never allow me to spend time with Circus People. You would think I’d asked to become a FIRE EATER!
Looking back at her response I now understand completely the phrase, ‘running off to join the circus’. So I saved my money and bought myself the Juggling for the Complete Klutz Kit. It came with a book that didn’t stay open easily and, more importantly, 3 aerodynamically-sound bean bags. And… I taught myself to juggle. Learning to juggle has come in handy in my life. I don’t juggle bean bags anymore but instead a husband, three kids, a mother I care for in our home, and now soup. I would never had thought that as an adult I would be running a circus… well, a Soup Circus. It makes me smile to think that when combining Dreams, Desires, and a little Pursuit of one’s Passion… most anything is possible.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Children of all ages…. feast your eyes on the ring of FIRE EATERS!
