Memories - Candy Apple
 

My Mother told this story so many times she should get a prize. But it never fails to get a few little snickers. Not the good kind, but snickers!!!

It has also given the family a little funny at the right time, as needed. She and my Dad were on the road with their big Sideshow, the one with the 150 foot front. They had a couple of fat ladies, Lala Coola, and the little prince who were black, a fat lady and a midget. Then there was Big Bertha Curtis and her husband Slim. Slim was just that, Slim and very slow moving. He did every thing in slow motion. You would have to know them to really appreciate him. Bertha was the one who wore the pants in the family.

One time there was a really big Blowdown, when that happens everybody, star or not, grabs the banner line and starts dropping banners. Back then they might have cost a couple of hundred bucks for a Snap Wyatt, which is what covered the front on our show.

Well everybody was there doing their job but Slim Curtis. The front was saved, but Slim was nowhere to be found. Daddy finally found him, back behind the show and in his little tiny Italian voice asked him just where in the hell he had been during the storm when no one could find him to help. In his slow southern drawl he said, "But Al, don't be mad at me, I couldn't find anybody to hold my candy apple!!!"

To this day, when one of the family can't be found only to turn up later, it is only because we couldn't find anyone to hold our candy apple!!!

© 2003 Judy Tomaini Rock, All Rights Reserved

Published with the permission of Judy Tomaini Rock