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Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus
I seen the sign first. My kid brother Joe told Mama that he seen it first, but really it was me. The sign was hangin’ from old man Lawson’s barn, just up the road from the fishin’ hole we was headin’ to. The sign said that the greatest show on earth, Ringling Brother’s and Barnum and Bailey Circus was comin’ to town. Boy, was we excited! Joe had never been to a circus, but Pa took me to see one once, back when I was just startin’ school. We was both hopin’ we’d get to see this one. After all, it was the Greatest Show on Earth.
We decided to skip fishin’ and head on home to beg Mama into askin’ Pa to take us. Our farm was ‘bout two miles down the road, but we covered the distance in no time flat. We’d have made better time, though, if Git hadn’t scampered off for us to find. (Git’s Joe’s puppy. We call him Git because when Joe first brung him home, he kept tryin’ to get on the kitchen table, and Mama would yell at him to “Git down!”) When we found Mama, she was hangin’ up the clothes to dry. We both ‘bout knocked her off her feet with our bribes of hugs and kisses and tellin’ her what a great Mama she was.
Then, just when she figured out somethin’ was up, we started beggin’. Me and Joe pestered poor Mama all afternoon. We was beggin’ like two boys ain’t never begged before! We bombarded her with “Please!” and “Oh, can’t we go!” and “If only you’d ask Pa!” until she had her fill. Finally, just before preparin’ for supper, she gave in and said she’d ask Pa. “But not ‘til after yer Pa’s had somethin’ to eat. Don’t mention if ‘fore then, and I mean it,” she fussed, shakin’ her finger at us like she always did when she meant business. So, that was settled. Mama would ask Pa to take us to the circus.
Me and Joe spent the rest of the afternoon waitin’ for Pa to get home. We sat on the porch, me in the swing and Joe playin’ with Git. Joe kept pesterin’ me with dumb questions ‘bout the circus. “Are there clowns?” “What’s there to eat?” “What ‘zactly we gonna do at the circus?” He sure was annoyin’ for a five-year-old! I had to get in my pockets and get out my best marble and pet frog ‘fore he’d leave me alone. I just wanted to think, not be pestered by some kid. After I gave him my marble and frog, he went runnin’ off to the barn with Git.
I sat on the porch swing and remembered when Pa had taken me to the circus when I was Joe’s age. I was so excited that mornin’, I couldn’t finish my grits. I was real quiet on the way over there. Pa asked me if I was sick or somethin’, and I says to him, “No Pa, I’s just real nervous ‘bout them clowns.” Seein’ how I was only five, I was pretty scared of them clowns, but Pa said I had nothin’ to worry ‘bout.
I remember Pa walkin’ me through the crowds of people and into a big tent. We sat down, but then we got back up to get us some wieners with mustard and peanuts. When the show started, everyone, even Pa, was hootin’ and hollerin’ and all excited. They had lots of animals at the circus, and I ain’t ever seen animals ‘fore like the ones they had that day! Big elephants, lions and tigers, even a camel! I got kinda nervous when them people was swingin’ up on them swings, let me tell you! Thought for sure I was gonna see someone get kilt. But no one did. And them clowns wasn’t too bad, long as I was sittin’ on Pa’s lap durin’ that part of the show.
When it all ended, they had fireworks goin’ off everywhere, just like on Independence Day! Pa told me it was time to go, but I didn’t want to. He scolded me because I was dawdlin’ so much. Said he had to get back to the fields. When we got home, I spent the rest of the night tellin’ Mama and Baby Joe what all I’d seen. Mama said she’d like to go next time, too. Maybe we’d all go together this time!
Well, me and Joe didn’t sleep a wink last night. We was up talkin’ all night, and we was both so excited this mornin’, we couldn’t finish our grits. Mama said it was okay, just this once. She’s bein’ real easy-goin’ this mornin’. She ain’t been fussin’ at me and Joe for getting’ in her way like she usually does. It’s because she’s happy that she’s goin’ to see her friends later on, after Pa gets home. We’s gonna meet all our friends in town today, because when Pa gets home, he’s takin’ us the circus! All us friends and family is goin’ together. Mama talked Pa into it! Now, they’s both just as excited as me and Joe. Everyone’s gonna be there. I mean the whole town! After all, this is The Greatest Show on Earth, ain’t it?
--SVWingo, ‘99
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