THe Circus is in Town

It was a hot and sticky June evening when Peggy Abbott slid through the second-floor window of her bedroom, climbed down the trellis, and leapt the last four feet to the soft grass of the backyard. She felt for her bike in the darkness. It was leaning against the fence, exactly where she had left it in preparation for her adventure. She walked it through the rear gate so that clicking of the chain wouldn’t wake her light-sleeping parents. Once she reached the alley, she swung one leg over the seat and pedaled as hard as she could. Her heart was beating fast, but not because of the exertion of leaving her bedroom or the pedaling. The circus was in town, and for Peggy, that was the best three days of the summer.

Peggy rarely defied her parents. However, they had strong feelings about how the circus animals were treated, how little the performers earned, and the disreputable reputation of the carnies that operated the games of chance along the midway. For Peggy, the lions and tigers were simply majestic, the acrobats floated in air, and the clowns were too funny for words. The scene was irresistible, but what especially captivated Peggy were the huge and mighty elephants who would walk around the big top with their trunks holding the tail of the gray beast in front of them.

Peggy chained her bike to a tree and felt for the umpteenth time for the five dollars in her pocket she would need for a ticket. Instead of rushing inside the tent, Peggy liked to walk the grounds. She loved to watch people pay a dollar to try and throw ping pong balls into glass bowls to win a ten-cent goldfish. She couldn’t wait to catch a peak of the lions and tigers in the cages, and she was twitter pated at the thought of watching the elephants eat their dinner. There was nothing more amusing than watching the food go in one end and the man with the wheelbarrow racing from one elephant to another to shovel up what came out the other.

Two hours later, the show ended and Peggy lazily pedaled home still relishing the sights she had seen. She retraced her steps and slid into bed hoping that her parents hadn’t checked on her. She closed her eyes with a smile on her lips because she knew there were two more shows this season before the circus left town.

Sixty years later, Peggy turned down the stove and left her kitchen to see what the fuss was that was going on in her den. Her children and her grandchildren were angrily arguing. Her son was complaining bitterly that a fifteen-dollar minimum wage would cause widespread employment. Her daughter was spitting mad because none of the candidates in this year’s election were supporting paid family leave. And, her eldest grandchild, was arguing that most politicians did the bidding of the rich and couldn’t be trusted to keep their promises.

Free speech was welcome in Peggy’s house until she tapped her wooden spoon on the end table and clucked her tongue. That was the sign for the children and grandchildren to cease their arguing and give her their attention. Once they had quieted, Peggy peered toward the television. She could see that one of the presidential debates was being broadcast. Peggy’s mouth turned upward and into a wide grin.

“What’s so funny grandma?” Asked one of her grandchildren with a serious voice. “These are important subjects the candidates are discussing.”

Peggy answered her grandchildren’s questions politely no matter how much disdain was in their voices. “Don’t you see? Look closely. The circus is in town.”

“There are no circuses anymore, grandma. They’ve been disbanded. The animals are now on special farms where they aren’t exploited. The acrobats don’t risk falling from trapezes. And I think clowns are downright scary. I don’t see why anyone would want to go to one. I’m glad they're gone.” Shared another of her grandchildren.

“They’re not gone.” Peggy shared politely.

“Sure they are. Everyone knows that.” Said another of the grandchildren.

“You’re watching a circus right now.” Peggy said while pointing to the television. “That box you watch for hours at end is nothing but a big tent, filled with carnies who deliver ten cents on the dollar, political clowns who shovel shit for a living, and ringmasters who give no more thought to how they exploited the animals in the circus all those years ago.” Peggy paused for a moment and she smile grew wider as she remembered sneaking from her bedroom to see the circus. “Now that I think about it, I prefer the real thing. It was far less savage than what you are watching.”

Peggy rapped her spoon on the table and clucked her tongue again more loudly than before. She wasn’t going to tolerate any more discussion or dissent. “Dinner is ready in ten minutes. Wash your hands. Leave your cellphones in another room. And, we will say grace before we eat – no objections are welcome – this is my big top. It’s full daring acrobats, exotic animals, and many many clowns. Just as it should be.”

When her assembled family joined hands, Peggy thought, for a moment, that she saw trunks joined with tails.