I always suspected Lucky the Llama truly was lucky.

As part of Big John and Son's traveling menagerie in 1975, Lucky had only one circus duty per show; and that came early. The rest of the day Lucky was free to eat hay, hang out, poop pellets, and probably dream of his ancestral home in the Andes.

As 'Bouncer the (energetic but only marginally talented) Clown', I was privileged to be Lucky's daily escort into the ring; actually just outside the ring.

Lucky and I were part of the fabulous Pre-Show festivities. The Pre-Show entertainment included all the acts and performers not really good enough for the regular show...perfect for Lucky and me. I walked Lucky around the tent as moms, dads, and kids were sitting down on their bench seats. I delivered some clever patter about how Lucky was the world's smartest llama and could do arithmetic. I would tap Lucky under his chin and he would rise up onto his hind legs. To be truthful, I don't even remember the punch line of the act. But the kids seemed to like looking at Lucky.

Lucky was blind from cataracts. Lucky wasn't even a llama..he was a guanaca (which is larger version of a llama). But Lucky was livin' the show biz dream!

Greg Homer
 

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