| Recently, I, Lucky the Happy Hobo Clown, was sort | | | | and balloon twisting. |
| of feeling 'down', so I went to talk to Lullabelle, a | | | | So, when I did my clown and magic show, I took the |
| fellow clown. She told me, "Lucky, you have to toot | | | | offensive by using the 'evil clown' side of me, and I |
| your horn more." I replied, "What are you talking | | | | made the two sons the target of my clown humor |
| about, I don't even begin to know how to play a | | | | and pranks. I got lots of laughs at their expense, and |
| horn." She then sort of repeated it, saying, "Lucky, | | | | really embarrassed them. When all was done, I |
| you have to toot your own horn or someone will use | | | | thought it was my best show ever, except I knew |
| it as a spittoon. | | | | the two teens were totally 'ticked off' at me. |
| Then, you'll start to feel better about yourself." | | | | After the show, the two teens cornered me |
| "Spittoon? What's a spittoon?" I asked. She went on | | | | immediately. Then the youngest blurted out, "Hey, |
| to explain that a spittoon was used a long, long time | | | | Lucky, we just wanted to say we both thought your |
| ago (and no, not in a galaxy far, far away) by folks | | | | show was great! And we still haven't figured out |
| who chewed tobacco. They would spit their leftover | | | | where you 'ditched' (this is teen talk) the rope that |
| tobacco 'stuff' into a spittoon. Yuck! | | | | you made disappear in that magic trick. Keep up the |
| Anyway, Lullabelle explained this meant that it was | | | | good work." |
| OK to pat yourself on the back and to brag a little | | | | So now, finally, I had found something great and out |
| about yourself, cause all too often no one else will. I | | | | of the ordinary that I could feel good about, and |
| tried it, but quickly found that my arm was nowhere | | | | thus, that I could toot my own horn about. So, I |
| near long enough. I then figured that to 'toot my | | | | proceeded to do just that to whomever would listen, |
| horn', I had to first find something noteworthy to | | | | and I was very proud of myself. And to make a long |
| 'toot' about. Read on... | | | | story short, please remember, "You have to toot |
| After lots of soul searching I remembered I did this | | | | your own horn or someone will use it as a spittoon". |
| birthday party for a local acquaintance's* seven-year | | | | * Acquaintance - Someone you think is your friend, |
| old daughter. She also had two teen sons (the | | | | but when you move to a new city you never keep |
| acquaintance had two sons, not the seven-year old). | | | | in contact with them. Not as good as a 'real friend', |
| The teens were ages 13 and 15, just the ages that | | | | but better than just 'knowing' someone. |
| give me so much grief when I am doing kids' shows | | | | |