Click play for some mood music# # #
In the middle age
s, carnival originally meant a "time of merrymaking before Lent." As I sweep up crushed popcorn boxes and cotton candy cylinders I wonder how it morphed into a platform where the sick and handicapped are mocked, cheated and in some cases, abused. I saw all sorts of different folk on my carny tour. The most normal of the oddities were the hairy sorts. They were just like you and me but just... hairier. You had to watch out for the clowns, however, who I believe are all insane. Never cross a clown. That's all I'm gonna say. More on that another time. The acrobats were like royalty and wouldn't dare dream of consorting with any other carny workers other than the boss. When a high wire snapped in a "freak accident" one night, I almost didn't mind. We blamed the clowns. I know the truth though. # # #
Pip and Flip were special to me. They were pinheads. Well, the doctor term was Microcephalia. It's when your noggin fails to grow and the body doesn't. Some pinheads - the ones the carny bosses said were from Peru - were pretty much dwarfed. Nevertheless, they were all usually a tad touched in the head and hyper as a jack rabbit. So they locked up Pip and Flip. Not because they were dangerous but because they would wander off the first chance they got. Combined, they had the mentality of a first grader and every now and again, I would sneak them roasted peanuts in a brown paper bag. They were adorable. Carny bosses said the pair were twins that came from the Yucatan of Mexico. I knew that was a bunch of baloney, though. I got the skinny from the human skeleton one night. He said that they were actually born in New York and their real names were Elvira and Jenny Lee Snow and worked the Coney Island sideshow before being sold to this swampland pit of despair. # # #
It was 1933, I think, when the man in the big black trenchcoat ushered the two girls out of the cage and into a large car on the outskirts of the fairground. I followed him because it didn't seem right. "Hey, where you takin' them, bub?" I shouted. After he ushered Pip and Flip into the back seat, he strolled towards me and said. "I'm Tod Browning. Gonna put them in my movie." "Movie?" "Yeah..." he said patting me on my shoulder. "They'll be in good hands. Metro-Golwyn Mayer owns them now. Lock, stock and barrel. Don't worry." Oh, sure, I saw the movie. The whole carny went on our night off. The two gals made it. Apart from their small part in the movie, though, I never saw Pip and Flip again. It's as if they vanished. No one knows what happened to them. Subscribe to my newsletter for upcoming book news, pop culture goodies, noir delights and all things gin-soaked. Never spam - just utter coolness from time to time.
I saw that movie, and I remember those two. Now you've got me wondering what did happen to them.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I agree. Clowns are utterly insane.
Fabulous story. I was right there. You have a gift, Ant. And the music was exactly the right touch.
Oh wow, I like how you weave history in with your work. Big fan of your style. Catchy, like an old ragtime tune.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great piece. The voice was such a visual thing for me; a great narrator that was so much a part of the story and an observer.
ReplyDeleteLoved it.
Adam B @revhappiness
I tried to listen to the mood music but I couldn't. Too creepy! Augh! Clowns!
ReplyDeleteI agree with afullness, the narrator was great. A real voice of kindness in a very strange world.
Clowns are insane! I knew it. Another story with your signature style.
ReplyDeleteNever cross a clown. Sage advice.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the history mixed with the story was great. I've always thought 'freak shows' were horrifically cruel, and slavery is never a pretty thing.
Thank you for sharing this. Great writing!
I know there's a name for clown phobia, but I can't recall what it is. Whatever it is, I have it!Because of that, along with the voice here, this gave me chills Ant. I absolutely love your style.
ReplyDeleteP.S. For those afraid of clowns, who like a good scare, read Dean Koontz's Life Expectancy.
Thanks for always giving us fantastic entertainment Ant!
What clip is that movie from? I'm not familiar, but it was fascinating.
ReplyDeleteFascinating also describes your stories. Wow, you have a gift. Loved the fiction/reporter/commentary style, plus all the understories alluded to in this piece. Will we learn the others in future posts?
there was a show in the late 1970s/early 1980s...the Great Space Coaster. on it was a space clown named, Baxter. i once had a dream where Baxter chased me through my grade school cafeteria with a knife...haven't liked clowns since then.....not sure how i feel about pinheads not named Zippy....a great little piece of flash!
ReplyDeleteTruly astounding. The whole "Truth is stranger with fiction" aspect of your stories chills me with the realism it injects. Your voice is always dead-on for them too; you never miss.
ReplyDeleteAnother awesome piece, Anthony. Really amazing. You've got a fan here.
And I see a writing prompt I'd love to use with your permission ... that line about clowns gave me a million ideas. Heh.
I like that you pointed out there is a hierarchy even among carnys with the acrobats being "royalty". Royalty sometimes get their comueppance. :)
ReplyDeleteI always like a story with a carnival setting, so much gritty grime in the underbelly. More appealing than the flashing lights and cotton candy.
As for clowns, Bob Goldthwait's movie "Shakes The Clown" was hilarious. Party clowns, circus clowns and rodeo clowns could not tolerate each other and EVERYONE hated mimes.
Another nice FF Anthony!
Anthony, as per usual, you have entertained with both great words and excellent background music. Well done, mate.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing that film and it totally creeped me out. Like most people have a fear of "insane" clowns, I have the same fear of midgets. Aoplogies to all midgets, its just how it is!
Have a great weekend, mate.
Interesting what you say about origins of word 'carnival' maybe the things that had to be given up for Lent and displayed in the carnival precursor got more and more freakish themselves?
ReplyDeleteLoved the line about who'd look at a janitor when there's wild animals around.
Good stuff
Marc nash
I wish I knew what the narrator was on the lam for.
ReplyDeleteIntricate piece.
That Anthony voice pours through even in the mouth of a carny.
ReplyDeleteThat was such a strange time...
ReplyDeleteYou are right about the clowns!
I read something awhile ago, I forget where, about the reason clowns are scary... They resemble corpses. Deathly white skin with black and red makeup that makes them look like they're decomposing. Makes sense to me. Ew!
ReplyDeleteCreepy and sad, too. Well done.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's a fact: CLOWNS ARE EVIL. I'd only cross one if I was sure I could run faster.
Thanks everyone for checking it out...
ReplyDeleteFor those that were wondering, the clip at the end is from the film "Freaks."
It's a 1932 American horror film about sideshow performers, directed and produced by Tod Browning and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with a cast mostly composed of actual carnival (funfair) performers.
The story was based on Tod Robbins' short story "Spurs". Director Browning took the exceptional step of casting real people with deformities as the eponymous sideshow "freaks," rather than using costumes and makeup.
Browning had been a member of a traveling circus in his early years, and much of the film was drawn from his personal experiences. In the film, the physically deformed "freaks" are inherently trusting and honorable people, while the real monsters are two of the "normal" members of the circus who conspire to murder one of the performers to obtain his large inheritance.
Ant, I loved this. You wrote with such humanity here, and authority. A very melancholy thread of futility here, told in a spare, matter-of-fact tone that only heightened the sadness. One of your best. Peace...
ReplyDeleteThat was another fantastic story, Ant, combining a lot of fact with a hint of fiction. I wonder what became of them as well after the filming of the movie. The YouTube clip from the movie is brilliant with its accompanying Johnny Cash music.
ReplyDeleteThis was really well done, reminded me of Water For Elephants. Very nice piece. Sad how some people will exploit others.
ReplyDeleteI thought the line about knowing what really happened when the trapeze line broke was really chilling and thought it was going to foreshadow something. Is there more story here than meets the eye?
~jon
Hey Anthony. *loud clapping* Take a bow sir. ;-)
ReplyDeleteps: Even if your stories do totally depress me.
"I was fueled with spit and spite" That is ridiculously good. Love the whole tone with this. Another fine read.
ReplyDeleteThis was great, and I loved that the narrator went after the guy who was taking the girls away in spite of his shady past.
ReplyDeleteOne small typo in the sentence "So they locked up Pop and Flip." Shouldn't it be Pip?
I've never crossed a clown and don't plan to. :)
CD
Your story was great, Ant, but right now I'm bowled over by that clip. I can't believe those poor people were exploited that way. Appalling really, that their physical challenges became popcorn fodder.
ReplyDeleteNot surprising, though - if carnivals got away with featuring them live it's not surprising that filmmakers wanted to exploit them the same way.
But your description of the girls, your character's affection for them, was lovely. Good job, Anthony.
The voice in this one is terrific. Neat to see the carnival from an inside view. And I wonder what happened to those two. Excellent story!
ReplyDeleteThe voice in this story is so believeable, it is a fantastic blend of fact and fiction.
ReplyDeletesad how people are treated. i dnt understand that heart.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion you are not right. I can prove it.
ReplyDeleteJennie Lee and Elvira (Jennie's name was always spelled wrong) were brought back to Northeast Georgia where they lived out their lives. Their brother Clyde is the one who took them to Carnivals and made money off of them. He kept them tipsy so they would be controllable. My name is Jennie, I'm actually named after Jennie Lee.
ReplyDelete