The No Ringgit Traveler

We heard you went to circus?
How do you know? Whatever I did people will notice (laugh). Anyway, yes I went to circus last Friday. My housemate told me he got free ticket from some people at charity organisation. So after dinner we took bus to ASB Showgrounds.

So how was it?
Nervous at first.

Nervous? Should you be happy?
Okay I tell you what, personally, I don't like clown. Never ever like them. So you know, circus and clown are jive together so I was a bit afraid. Frankly, I'm phobia to clown after I watched IT (adaptation from Stephen King novel) when I was little. Since then every time I see them, I kept thinking about they are an infanticide or a serial killer that hunting children. Scary (his hair stands at its end).

So you see them (clowns)?
Thanks god I done. I think if they welcome me at the entrance, I bet I make some scene there like I was about to enter ghost house! (laugh). The clowns that I saw were on top of their (circus) van with their wide eyes and big nose. I dare not approach them even though my housemate asking me to take the photo.

Then what happen inside?
we were there at about before 7 pm and the show started at about 7ish because they were having a charity auction right before the show. Oh yeah, the night that I went was for charity. There were some bloody good deal during the auction for example digital SLR for sold for NZD$700 whereas the RRP is about thousand plus. After the charity auction ended, they turned the light off. Then we heard this husky and coarse voice talking something over the microphone. Then I was like, "who is this retard?". Then the spotlight light followed and that was when I saw his face. He look like Einstein with round belly and that super frizzy grey hair (or maybe it was blond!) and wearing red tailcoat. Immediately I felt sick. Felt like throwing up. Nak muntah.

Why?
I don't know. It's hard to explain. But I bet it something what I was conditioned when I was a kid. You see I did watch movies and tv programmes about circus. If you remember, circus at those time (19-20th century or perhaps until now) were oppressive. The owner of the circus using forced labour and threat to their casts and talents. And those working at circus were freaks- those people that doesn't fit in the society like a lady with beard whereas she was having excessive male testosterone . They were underpaid or not being paid at all and living in poor sanitation and diet. So when I was a kid I always felt pity for them though I know it was just a movie but I have a reason to believe it (were real). I still think it was real. So back to this Einstein guy, I didn't look at him and my housemate told me off to not saying "retard" as it derogatory.

You weird man (laugh), I think you can also work in circus.
HEY!

Just joking. So what's after that?
Before that, I was reading the ticket and it said "Shokarn- Oriental Spectacular" and from the cover they have this Chinese guy with red nose riding a dragon. Instantly I knew it something got to do with chinese acrobatic performance. Then I read some description at the back (of the ticket), "Emporos, princesses and dragon fly high into the air to recapture the sphere so that the kingdom is saved. All thing intermingles with the magic of the circus in this fabolous new show". It sounds good.

Was it?
I thought the acts was having some sort of story telling element but not all, only the opening act. The write up was like Peter Barnum and Robber Baron era of public relations- it was merely a hype and nothing like it (I'm sorry because I sometime read too much and started to become so critical to many things in life). But nevertheless, the first acrobatic performance was pretty cool.

Tell us about it.
Look at the video.

Okay, how about the other acts.
Some were lame and some was boring and some were ok.

It sounds you don't enjoy it.
I wasn't. Since this is my first time, now I know circus is not my thing and I will never like it. During the show I kept raising questions and my friend was a bit annoyed I guess. For example, I asked him did the Chinese performers were having a proper visa to work in circus or were they holding just a visitor visa. They were also kids working at the circus and I started to wonder should a kid be allowed to work even though it is for show business. My head that night keep boggling.

So describe your night in 15 words.
Disgusting. Gross. Manipulative. Exploitation. Cold. times these 5 words by 3 and it shall make 15 words!