The Circus

Cy and I went to the circus.
Cy got hit with a rolling pin.
We got even with the gosh-darned circus,
Bought two tickets and didn't go in.

We went to the circus yesterday. Although I know I shouldn’t complain if the circus was free, which it was for us as we received donated tickets, I’m going to register just a bit of concern with the event.
The Shrine circus is a staple of this part of the country. Each year for many, many years the circus has come to town. For the past couple of decades or more, it has performed at the Kansas Coloseum here in the Wichita area and is a well-attended event.
Some things I noticed, in no particular order, come to mind. The Coloseum was dirty. Not just from the prior performance, but deep-down, never-scrubbed dirty. I thought the smell was probably from the circus acts, but believe whole-heartedly that at least some of the odor was from a long accumulation of various kinds of dirt and filth that permeated the arena and concourses.
The circus has become an event for elevating the Shrine rather than as entertainment. I don’t care to see the Wichita Divan (board of directors of the Shrine) come in on motorcycles in a long procession and be introduced as if they were grand dignitaries. I don’t care for the commercials given by the ringmaster every few minutes regarding how great the Shrine is. And while the Shrine hospital system is indeed a good work, I would think the people who should be honored would be those who work with the sick and infirm rather than those who donate out of their largess.
The acts were, in many cases, second-rate. I haven’t a clue who actually owns and operates the circus even though the ringmaster said the name several times. However, it’s time to look around, I think, for people who will give a good performance. Cutting corners when paying for entertainment might be OK in some venues, but not this one.
On the other hand, it was free and it was for a good cause (assuming the money indeed does go to the hospital system). The drinks and popcorn were moderately priced and people seemed to be having a good time. I did too even though there were some things not to my liking. Gripe? Nah, just giving an opinion, which you’re free to agree or disagree with, read or not.