My son’s street show is coming together.  Most all the props have been built.  I’m just waiting for the paint to dry on a few.  Pictured above is his pitchman’s case with his new Danish top hat, and of course Gabriel needs his horn.  In the background is a long stemmed Emergency Red Nose® leaning on the spool of rope to form his circle and “claim his pitch” as they say.

On the outside of the spool I painted our family’s trademark of a white cross on a red nose. My son is at the opposite end of the circle from me. He is the age I was when I began my career as a clown. Whether Gabe pursues a career in our family tradition is up to him, but so far the choice has all been his to street perform for the summer in Boulder, Colorado.

As I write this I’m watching Gabriel mow our lawn. His red hair is sticking straight up and he has been complaining the entire time. He will be turning twenty which was the age I was when I started performing at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, forty years ago this coming season. I remember I hated mowing the lawn too.

All of the props will be finished tomorrow.

*<[:o)