Clown Lives Matter

For the most part, I don't have to worry about the back porch of the Corner Cafe and Grill being occupied at 7:30 AM on a Saturday morning. On occasion, a table or two are taken by members of the local police force but there seems to be an unspoken agreement between the BK club and Franklin's Finest. We always leave two tables for the policeman unless we know they are done or not showing up and they do the same for us.

This Saturday, I was met with a situation I wasn't prepared for. Sitting at our usual table was someone dressed as a clown. Not knowing if it was a joke or not, I proceeded to push an empty table along side the clown's table so the whole BK club could sit together. After settling into a chair next to the clown, I opened up my paper and began sipping my coffee. Not a word was spoken but I could feel a certain calmness fall over the both of us. We were happy sharing a quiet and peaceful moment together. After ten minutes or so and before anyone else had showed up, the clown got up from his chair and walked towards the door. Just before leaving the room, he turned back towards me and gave a tip of the hat, as if to say "it was nice spending some time with you".


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#ClownLivesMatter

Coulrophobia (kool-ruh-foh-bee-uh)
1. an abnormal fear of clowns.

What is going on with these clown sightings?  All across America, there are reports of clowns engaging in criminal activities. There have been reports over social media of violent threats in Philadelphia, a report of an attack on a woman by a knife wielding clown in Cincinnati, a report of a clown trying to lure children into a wooded area in South Carolina, and on and on. Schools are sending out emails to parents letting them know the security measures that are in place should a clown attack occur. Even the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest has made a reference to clown sightings during his press briefing. Have we all collectively gone mad? Is it possible all or most of these reports are a hoax? Please note, the majority of recent accusations against clowns are unsubstantiated and completely without merit.

The clowns of my youth were far from perfect. Yes, a few of them drank too much but that was part of their charm. They were sad, lovable creatures. The floppy shoes, the makeup, the wigs; these were all tools of the craft of making people laugh. You wouldn't call their humor sharp or witty. It's more clumsy, lacking in grace, and calamitous. It's not the highest form of art and it does seem a bit outdated but it certainly is a bit premature for retirement.

How did clowns transform from sad and pathetic comics to slashers, molesters, and perverts? Has the roster of America villains run so dry we have to turn to clowns? Do we really want the year 2016 entered into  the pantheon of great American hoaxes alongside the Salem witch trials of 1692? As a side note, I do believe this presidential election cycle will go down as one of the great American hoaxes. We have enough villains today. It's time to extend an olive branch to clowns.

If you see a clown, reach out to him. He is probably hurting right now. Offer your hand in friendship, a smile, something to show you care. Sure clowns look funny, dress like a hobo and smell like a day-old sardine sandwich. But guess what? Clowns are human beings, they deserve our respect, and clown lives matter.

#ClownLivesMatter, #ClownsArePeopleToo, #GiveAClownASardineSandwich

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Lots of talk today about the recent discoveries of off- the-record comments made by The Donald and Hillary. Is this suppose to be a 'gotcha' moment? How clueless can the media be? This doesn't even register with the hard core base of these two candidates and the independents still don't have a clear choice.

It was great seeing Rob, Al D's brother in-law. You have to drop by more often. You provide some badly needed balance to Al. He always gets us bogged down with silly facts. Very Frustrating!

We also had a guest appearance by my wife Cindy, our granddaughter Brooklyn, and my son Mark. Brooklyn can make a mush out of any conservative like myself.

Mike H. Thanks for you input.

James B. - Happy Birthday! I owe you a Vermont craft beer. With a little luck, a shipment of Heady Topper, Sip of Sunshine et al. will be arriving soon.

Count down to Hamilton: 4 days. I am taking my kids on Wed, Oct 12. Cannot wait!!!

"Give all the power to the many,  they will oppose the few. Give all the power to the few, they will oppose the many"
-- Alexander Hamilton