A Character

Shorty was used to his nickname. As long as he could remember he was called Shorty. Cecil his birth name was foreign to him. As far as he was concerned he was born in the circus rather than someplace. Arthur and Ethel, his Pa and Ma, met on the trapeze.

“Catch me Arthur” she yelled above the drum roll and launched herself from the top of the big top. He couldn’t miss. The ring sparkled. As a toddler, Shorty was a joy to his extended circus family. Inquisitive and mischievous by nature his mingling quickly taught him life in the circus. He loved the animals and knew them by name. While cleaning their stalls he no longer wrinkled his pointed nose at disagreeable odors. Shorty studied the performers strutting out their acts, how the ringmaster in his top hat and tails deftly steered the show to a resounding conclusion and laughter at the clowns antics wrapped him in enthusiasm.

At four feet five inches he made an ideal clown. Heavy eyebrows were an awning to big wide blue eyes. Elephant like ears, that pointed nose and strong jaw were features that makeup embellished. He was one of the best Auguste or Red Clowns of his time being drawn to the anarchistic slapstick antics of the role.

Shorty’s performance tonight would be his ten thousandth gag. He was thirty five years old. Clowns filled the dressing room greeting him with a popular “Go Shorty!”. His face was covered in a reddish tan base with black eyebrows and mouth both outlined with a thick white circle of makeup. Clambering into plaid baggy pants, pulled high by red suspenders, he tripped falling on his padded derriere. “Nothing new” he muttered. Jutting out from the crumpled pants were two grossly oversized green shoes. A goose-step like gait added to the clownish image. His bold yellow shirt was in sharp contrast to the blue coloured wig. A small bowler hat topped it off but it was the squeaking red nose that drew delight.

Sporty’s booming voice emanating from his small frame surprised the audience. He used it to great effect in his gags and on occasion he sang the national anthem at the start of the show. Gymnastic skills picked up over the years allowed him to stand on the trotting horses or somersault over the tiger standing on a stool. The faked falling on his derriere hit the right chords. “Yow” he bellowed. Clowns chasing each other through the audience was mayhem but a great hit. Shorty loved it all.

After the evening show Shorty joined his wife Eleanor and their young daughter Jasmine for a late supper.