Welcome to Showbiz!

 By Kelley Bell

When I first ran away to join the carnival, I was working a High Striker. I got wind that the police were on the lot looking for me.

A cute little blond haired girl in a wheel chair named Annie, said "QUICK, follow me!"

Her mother was Barbara Bennett, The worlds smallest woman.

She took me into Hall and Christ's ten in one, and hid me under the blow off stage of Bill, the human pin cushion.

Bill and Annie talked to me between acts, and brought me a hot dog and a coke.

That evening, the friendly elf like face of an old man bent down and peeked in on me.

It was Ward Hall. Mr. Showmanship himself.

He looked me over and said "Hello young lady. Would you like a job?"

That night I laid low while we tore down. When we got to the next town, Ward put me under the wing of a beautiful and exotic performer named Connie.

Connie took me into town and picked out some costumes for me at the thrift store.

She did my makeup, and then pushed me on to the bally stage with Chris Christ.

Chris tied me up as he talked to the crowd, and he seemed to take great pleasure from the fact that I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing.

He mumbled through his spiel, and I could not understand anything he said, except for the one word of each sentence that he would utter with great inflection to startle the crowd.

Bla bla bla ALIVE... bla bla bla INSIDE...Bla Bla Bla RIGHT NOW!!!...

He wrapped a giant snake around my neck and announced that I would treat the crowd to a daring escape.

I kept trying to hint to him that I had no clue how to get out of my bondage, but he just ignored me.

Suddenly, "One, Two, Three!"

He turned, covered the mic, told me what to do, and exalted my great talent to the amazed crowd.

Connie was waiting at the bottom of the steps to cover the gaff, and untie the ropes.

Welcome to show biz!

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