Jerry of the circus.
The.
Now for Jerry of the circus.
I wish you'd tell me what you're gonna do.
Don't be so much in a hurry.
I show you or maybe I let you show me.
How can I show you what you're gonna do?
Especially if I don't know what it's all about.
You see Jerry, Alfredo don't know any better.
He never know what he's going to do next to himself.
So how can he tell someone else?
But he's putting those stakes into the ground for some reason.
I tell you. I do this to amuse Rags.
He is an invalid. He must laugh and get well quick.
I think he likes these pounding eh?
You see Rags, this is all for your own special benefit.
You better this morning Mr. Rags.
Yes, yes.
I was sure worried about him yesterday though.
We all worry about our star performer.
Eh Alfredo?
There, now that he's finished.
What you say?
Yes, yes of course we worry about foolish dog that bangs his bad leg into a stake.
He should be around circus more and watch out for those stakes.
He usually does.
Guess he just wasn't feeling so well.
That's alright though Rags. The doctor says you can work in a few days.
Ruff, ruff, ruff.
Dave, what you doing with that wire?
You just hold your pony.
You mean hold my horses.
What difference it make? Pony, horses, all same animal.
Oh I see. You're putting up a wire.
You see Carlos what a smart boy we have.
After it is most done he says quick what I am doing.
But it's so close to the ground.
Daddy so you won't fall so far.
Me? What do you mean?
I thought you say you want to learn to walk the wire.
Oh gee you really gonna show me how?
Oh say Rags isn't it swell.
Now Rags can see how quick you learn.
Or how quick I fall.
There that is nice and strong.
Look I show you how it goes first.
See nice and easy like this.
Gee wiz it looks easy enough.
Here I lend you an old pair of my shoes.
They too small for me.
Probably they much too big for you.
But you can try.
Oh say here Rags.
You sit up on this top step and guard our wagon while I learn to walk on the wire.
No no take it easy Jerry.
Anyhow I won't hurt myself falling.
Hey don't watch your feet.
How will I know where to put them?
Ah that is the trick.
Now watch me.
See I tap very gently with my foot before I put it down on the wire.
Then you see I put my weight on that foot and very slowly take up the other foot.
Oh I see.
Then you bring it around and feel for the wire before you change your balance.
That is right.
Be sure you have a good place to put your foot down before you change your weight.
Yeah.
Now let me try.
Eh.
He he he he.
Hey Alfredo Jerry must think he is a windmill ah.
He swings his arms around just like.
Hey I.
Oh golly I had to keep my balance.
Yes I see you balance yourself nice and flat on ground.
Here take my balancing pole.
Oh hello.
Maybe you like my parasol hey Jerry.
Oh hello there Carmen.
Say did you just see me fall.
Sure she saw you fall.
Every time we make mistakes Carmen is right there.
Yes yes you fall just like Alfredo.
He used to be all black and blue when he learned.
You not like my parasol.
It's better than balancing pole.
No that's for girls a parasol.
Maybe but it is easier than pole.
You see it catch the air more like a sail.
You remember Alfredo how easy it was the first time you used my parasol.
He he he.
I never forget it.
You see Jerry Alfredo and I learned with the pole and Carmen learned with the parasol.
So Alfredo told her how much harder the pole was.
Alfredo had the wire up pretty high.
And Alfredo told me he do the parasol easy like rolling up a tree.
You mean rolling up a log.
Yes a log what difference it makes.
So he not wait to make the wire lower.
No he smart fellow he try the parasol up high.
And he come down plunk like parachute.
Only the parasol turn wrong side up.
I bet you were black and blue that time.
I was and so steep I could hardly walk.
And to walk with parasol after that.
He sure did.
You see it is entirely different.
You wave the parasol over your head with one hand.
But the pole you hold that with both hands and not over your head.
I think I'll learn with a pole first and close to the ground.
You smart boy.
All right you ready now.
Remember don't look at the wire where your feet are.
But watch it way at the other end.
Yes because soon by watching wire at the end you learn which way it is swinging.
And you keep steady by watching it where it is most steady.
Oh I see.
It might make me dizzy watching it sway back and forth under my feet.
That is part of it.
But the real reason is you must keep your body straight.
Not let it bend.
You keep your balance better.
Not to mention looking a lot better.
Say there's an awful lot to think about isn't there.
At first yes.
But as soon as you get used to it you finally come automatic without thinking.
Listen you all talk talk talk.
And look at poor eggs lying there waiting for Jerry to try again and make a nice fall so he can laugh himself well.
Come come on now Jerry.
Better try again.
See this is fun.
There.
Now if I can just keep my balance till I get my foot up.
Remember keep your eyes on the other end of the wire.
Good.
Stand nice and straight like little Indians.
Now be sure you have your foot steady on the wire before you put your weight on it.
Good boy.
Oh.
Phew.
Lucky I catch you this time.
Golly thanks.
You sure saved me another black and blue spot.
I guess I stepped on my other shoe.
I should say you did.
What do you boys do?
Put great big shoes on Jerry.
What do you try to do?
What do you mean?
We don't have shoes for boys but these old ones of mine are too small for me.
So you think it does not matter if they are too big for Jerry.
You both crazy.
He step all over his feet.
He never learn in these shoes.
They are kind of big.
Kind of.
They big enough for two of your feet.
Look Jerry.
The Bendymen always crazy.
Never think.
Just like little boy.
But the women they smart.
Like you eh?
Yes like me.
Now I get you all pair of my shoes Jerry.
So they are fit just about the same size.
Gee they are at that.
And then some day when these Bendymen boys have time we all three show you how to walk.
Golly I really think I could learn if my shoes weren't too big.
I kind of was beginning to get the hang of it.
Good.
I look through my things and I find my old shoes for you.
Well hello folks.
How's my partner coming along?
Oh well good.
You sound kind of perky there Rag.
Too bad you come so late Bump.
Jerry here walk on wire.
You did?
Well good.
Let's see.
No no not now he cannot.
Look at these shoes they put on the boy.
It's a wonder he could walk at all.
I going to get him some nice little ones of mine and we try again some other time.
All right if you say so.
Oh say I hear we're in for some bad weather ahead.
And they say the grounds are awful in the next town.
No.
And it's so nice and sunny here.
Well you hear that.
Well I was talking to Mr. Randall when a telegram came through from the advance agent
warning us about the next stop.
Say do they have to do that?
Boy sure.
Every time we move we get word what the place is like ahead.
What did the telegram say?
Well now if I remember correctly it said very slow lot.
Half mile haul load poles to caboose.
Doesn't make much sense to me.
What does load poles to caboose mean?
Well you see Jerry the poles on the wagon are always loaded in the same direction.
So that when we get into a town they'll all be heading the right way to unload.
Say they had to think of everything don't they?
They're very smart in this country.
But I didn't hear you say anything about the weather or the circus grounds being bad.
Well as a matter of fact the papers are full of the rains and yes and even floods
they're having in the country we're heading for.
But the telegram did say very slow lot.
Yeah but what does that mean?
Well slow lot means that work has to be done on the lot before we can pitch the circus.
It may mean it's muddy or overgrown with weeds or...
Then very slow lot means more extra work.
Right and when we can move right in they say fast lot.
I see. That's easy once you know the code.
You know I happen to remember that field we're coming to.
We played there last year and it's clay which is plenty mean when it rains.
See I should say so. You know I'd kind of like to watch him unload sometime.
Well why don't you?
Jerry he likes to sleep too much huh?
No I like to get up if somebody'd wake me.
Oh that is a good excuse.
I'll wake you up if you really want to get up Jerry but I won't get up myself.
I guess it's the circus in my blood but I always wake up when we stop at the runs.
And then I turn over as if nothing had happened and settle down for my last snooze.
Gee will you call me in the morning then Bumps?
Rain or shine?
Sure who's afraid of a little rain? I like it.
That's the trooper. Okay Jerry I'll see that somebody takes you in charge in the morning and shows you the ropes.
That'll be swell.
Oh I forgot. I forget to tell you boys why I came over here.
Happy told me to tell you he thinks you better check on the wire yes?
Why? What is wrong?
I don't know. He said when he tightened it yesterday it did not seem to have the resiliency or something it should have.
These women they never remember technical terms.
The wire could be ready to fall apart and you would never know it until it brought you to the ground.
Why should I learn? I have two perfectly good brothers.
I guess they want to save their neck as well as I. I let them do the worrying.
Well that's perfectly good reasoning for a woman.
Well boys I guess it's up to you to see that the wire is checked.
You bet we see. Come Alfredo.
Goodbye Jerry don't forget to leave the shoes in the wagon.
I won't.
And remember some morning soon we really teach you how to walk the wire.
Goodbye Bums. So long Rag.
Goodbye.
Bye folks.
Golly they sure move fast this time.
Well the nose a blim. After all that wire is the only thing that keeps them hanging in midair.
Why that's their life. It certainly behooves them to take every precaution they can to see that it's in perfect condition.
I should say so. Well Rags we hope they find out what's wrong with the wire huh.
And next we hope you hurry up and get that foot out of the splint so Bums can do his act.
Well I certainly miss that dog. Seems like I was coming to depend on him for an awful lot of laughs.
I'll tell you Rags if you feel good enough in the morning I'll take you along when we watch them unload.
Think you like that.
I'm going to.