1884: The Ringling Brothers Circus drew its first crowd.
1919: The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey merged.
1989: I attended the Greatest Show on Earth. This is, in fact, false advertising. I alone have attended many a show more effervescent and enchanting, and would posit that Britney's Circus makes these Brothers appear lackluster.
2009: I returned to the circus, Ringling Brothers' production of Over the Top.
When my friend Allie sent an email asking if anyone would go to the circus, I committed without hesitation. Let the show begin.
The Verizon Center had a distinguished scent of baby powder, and the soundtrack of My Little Pony playing throughout. The audience was 49.5% Children, 49.5% Parents, 1% Other. I tried rationalizing my inclusion in the Children category, but feel that unfortunately I probably fell in the Other category. One child in particular proved to be less engaged in the circus and more engaged with her flashing sparkle spinner and consequently, nearly gave me an epileptic seizure.
But in the end, after all of the fanfare, the elephants, the trapeze artists, the rebel riders, the tigers, what did I take away from the circus? Lesson learned: I went into the wrong profession. I should have been a Ringleader. After all, my life is a circus. And it is definitely Over the Top.
You would be a perfect ringmaster and thank you for going with me, I had a lot of fun. When you fullfil your dreams of ringmaster stardom, can I be your sidekick?
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