My Clown

1

This chapter contains music from "Shaddap you face" by Joe Dolce.

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I was on my break and went out to a nice coffee shop. I sat tired-eyed, slumped over the round wooden table with my mug of coffee in my hands. I carefully took a sip and the milky liquid crept over my taste-buds and tickled down my throat. I sank into my chair and peered around. A few customers were glaring at my clown outfit in disgust. You see, I'm a professional party clown for a living. Yeah a clown! I thought it would be useful for my acting career, but I'm not quite there yet. Alright! I admit it, I'm never going to make it, it's Gotham for crying out loud! Dreams are beyond reach, slipping into delusions, it's simply impossible! I sighed with distress and turned my attention to the window and tried to focus on something outside.

The streets were crowded, thick smog in the air, piles of trash sitting on the sidewalk, insane traffic with mad people blaring their horns at each other.

'What a glorious morning!' I thought to myself.

Gotham is a very run-down city on every level. It's a troubling time. The crime rate is at record highs. There's a garbage strike that seems like it's been going on forever. The city is broken.

People's eyes were glued to me. A few adults were whispering and slagging me off. Two scruffy old men were scoffing at my blond curly wig and a group of immature teenage boys with their girlfriends were whistling and howling like wolves.

I would of much rather preferred to hear some compliments, like "Wow I like your costume" or "It must take a lot of courage to go out everyday and listen to a bunch of  assholes sniggering at you!"

Although I tried to stay strong and ignore it, I couldn't take the humiliation any longer. I got out my seat, threw my winter jacket on and exited.

As I was strolling down the litter-covered streets, my eyes caught a colourful dancing clown dressed in tattered clothes, twirling a massive yellow sign in the air across the other side of the road. Wait no, could it be? It was Carnival!

Aw look at him! Dancing around with joy to the piano being played outside the shop. I mean Arthur's always had music in him.

I could cast my mind back to the time when we were in the locker room and the radio was on...

***

I was quickly fetching the makeup brushes from the dressing table to apply the paint on my face in the bathroom. The workers were playing cards around the table. The radio was on, Arthur just finished buttoning his yellow waistcoat until he suddenly yelled out with excitement, "I love this song!"

He was getting excited like a child receiving a puppy for Christmas. Well, I mean, this song does bring a smile to my face too!

"Knock it off Arthur," Randall sneered.

"Hey don't treat him like that, I actually quite like this song myself!" I remarked, "it always makes me laugh."

I dropped the makeup brushes down on the table and began dancing around while clicking my fingers, encouraging Arthur to get up and dance with me. He sprang up and joined in.

"What's-a matter you? Hey! Gotta no respect?
What-a you t'ink you do, why you look-a so sad?
It's-a not so bad, it's-a nice-"

Randall groaned, "Alright enough-"

Arthur and I sang in his face, "Ah shaddap-a you face!"