Big Top Hits Bottom

I have to admit that I’m not a big fan of the traditional circus like Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. When I was a little kid around five years old, my mother took me to the Shrine Circus at the Shrine Auditorium in Ft. Wayne, Ind. I was scared to death of the clowns and loud firecrackers. I write about it in my book, “Trackrat: Memoir Of A Fan.” As an adult, I took my children to the circus a couple of times because I didn’t want my fears to govern their entertainment. Best for them to make up their own minds, and as it turned out, they didn’t care for the circus either. My circus experience has been limited to the traditional except for Cirque De Soleil. I saw that twice in Hartford and it was delightful, inspiring and funny. I’ve never been to the Big Apple Circus, but I hear that it’s creative and fun in its own way. Both circuses have something I like. No fireworks. Lately, people were only interested in seeing the elephants at RB&BB because when they freed the beasts, people stopped going. It’s sad to see an American institution like Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus go the way of the mastodon even though I didn’t care for it. I wish the performers and employees well. There are probably other traditional circuses still in business. I won’t be going to them either.