Summary

A retired wealth management firm owner, Brooks, attempts a second career as a clown, motivated by a desire to entertain his grandchildren and utilize his free time, but his plans are thwarted by the negative public perception of clowns following a series of violent incidents in 2016.

Abstract

Brooks, a recent retiree from a successful wealth management career, decides to pursue a new path as a clown, driven by his love for children and the extra time he has in retirement. He invests in a traditional clown costume and even secures a booking for a bar mitzvah three years in advance. However, the sinister events of 2016, where clowns were involved in violent crimes, lead to a decline in the popularity and image of clowns. Consequently, the client, Wilford, cancels Brooks' engagement for the bar mitzvah, despite allowing him to keep the deposit. Brooks, faced with the reality of the changed perception of clowns, decides to retire once again.

Opinions

The author suggests that success in one field does not guarantee success in another, as evidenced by Brooks' unsuccessful venture into clowning after retiring from a successful career in wealth management.
There is an implication that Brooks' decision to become a clown was somewhat naive, as he did not seem to consider the impact of recent negative events associated with clowns on his new career choice.
The author expresses a sense of irony in Brooks' situation, as he goes from being a respected business owner to a figure of fear and ridicule due to circumstances beyond his control.
The client's decision to cancel Brooks' clown engagement reflects the broader societal shift in the perception of clowns, emphasizing the impact of cultural events on individual careers.
Brooks' attempt to return the deposit with a check from a "corporate clown deposit account" may indicate a sense of humor and resilience, despite the setback in his clowning aspirations.

Success In One Career Is no Guarantee For Success In Another

The image of clowns was irreparably tarnished in 2016 with some grizzly murders and shootings by maniacs dressed as clowns.

My old business partner Brooks called me this afternoon. Since we’d sold our wealth management firm and retired, I’d not heard from him since this morning. Seems like we both were trying to find something to do with our newly earned free time.

Hey I know, why don’t you old somama bitches write a couple of scribbles for Medium?

Just kidding.

I hadn’t heard Brooks this excited since Michael Bloomberg announced he was running for president.

He told me he was starting a 2nd career as a — CLOWN.

He said that he had always liked kids, was good at making them laugh, and had the time now to learn how to make balloon animals — something in which he thought he may have a talent.

He had raised 3 kids who were all solid citizens now with families of their own. He was blessed with 7 grandchildren. He felt as peripheral benefit to being a clown his grandchildren may tease to see him more.

I didn’t have the heart to tell him that his teenage grandchildren probably wouldn’t be motivated by the prospect of an afternoon of twisting balloon animals even if it was their Pop-Pop doing the twisting in a clown outfit.

The big thing however, clowns didn’t demand the gleeful attention that they used to. Maybe I should have mentioned this to Brooks but I thought he already knew it.

Turns out — he didn’t.

Brooks went out and spent over $100 on a clown costume. He bought the old fashion kind, the ones with the red hair growing out of the side of his head, a creepy white face mask with a big bulbous red nose. The shirt was billowy, the pantaloons — ridiculous.

Brooks didn’t hold his breath for his kids to line him up for his teenage grandchildren’s amusement.He’s lucky he didn’t, he would have asphyxiated himself.

He reverted to his old preretirement prospecting behavior and called a number of his old clients. Pretending to be concerned about their retirement income he would segue into their grandchildren’s birthday plans. Of course, this was a shot in the dark but Brooks DID have copies of all his old client’s family members and their ages in addition to their investments.

It didn’t surprise me when Brooks excitedly reported to me that he a landed a gig for Wilford Wolf’s grandson’s bar mitzvah to take place in 3 years when the boy turned 13. It would be held in the local synagogue. Brooks the clown was hired for the party in a monstrous tent out in the synagogue parking lot.

The image of clowns was irreparably tarnished in 2016 with some grizzly murders and shootings by maniacs dressed as clowns. Outfits almost replicating the one that Brooks bought.

He lost enthusiasm for his new career.

It took a couple of years for the new negative image of clowns to catch up with Wilford , still a year before his grandson’s bar mitzvah.

He called Brooks and canceled his appearance as a clown.

Wilford said Brooks could keep his deposit.

Brooks sent it back using a check from his 2 year old cooperate clown deposit account.

Wilford never cashed it.

Guilt?

Brooks retired again.