Every year we were taken to the circus, I think my parents must have enjoyed it too, despite the elephant's antics! There is no child alive who doesn't love a clown. Not only do they look funny, but they do the most ridiculous things and survive it all. Adults might not admit it, but they can't wait for the clown act. My favourite clown was Tickey, and he appeared every single year as expected. 'Tickey' was slang for the smallest denomination of money in South Africa. It was actually worth 2 and 1/2 pennies. No doubt he was called this as he was a dwarf, with the made up face and a sense of humour like no other. He cavorted, fell over, sobbed, was punched and pushed and beaten, and still he came up smiling. Years later, I read in the local newspaper that he had just died at the ripe old age of 82, penniless and alone. What price fame?
