Zali didn't get an omelet this morning. He says he's packing a bandanna on a stick and leaving to join the circus.
Clown.
I told him there's a precedent in the family for it. My maternal grandfather left home at thirteen and joined a traveling roller skating show. That's almost the circus. Well, except that there aren't any clowns, so what would they do with him?
He's pouting on the giant dog bed in the office.
Hud and I are trying to get out in our town more since he said, "I wish somebody would come visit so we could go see the Stax Museum." I shot him my best RCA dog head and responded that he should get in the car. I mean, what were we waiting for?
This past weekend, we traveled over to the Memphis State area to visit Clarence Saunder's old digs. He built it out of the moolah he scored creating the first grocery store, Piggly Wiggly. It's called the Pink Palace. Clarence really raked it in. It's built of pink Ashlar. Hence the name.
One of my favorite exhibits in the museum is the Clyde Park Miniature Circus automaton. It's a twenty five foot spectacle of every aspect of a circus. Ninety-eight percent of it is animated.
Clyde lost his job in the Great Depression. To make good use of all the extra time on his hands, he started carving. 1500 people. Countless moving animals. Exotic parade floats. Carny side show booths.
It took him thirty years to complete. Mostly working eighteen hours a day.
And I spent yesterday regaling you with my six week project regarding the repair and decoration of my office. I am a slacker.
Look Zali! I found your tent. It's full of animals... No wait. That's mine.
You belong in the big top.
*In 1970, Clyde Park donated his masterpiece to the Pink Palace. He thought it was selfish to keep it to himself. He wanted kids and adults alike to understand his wonder at the Greatest Show on Earth.
