MICROFICTION

The Clown

What’s not to love?

Face forward.

Flash of light.

Face sideways.

Flash of light.

It’s always the same when they take my mug shot. One set with my signature makeup, one set without.

Why do they always think that the clown did it? We’re not trying to be scary. We’re just trying to make the little kids laugh.

Tell a joke.

Dance a funny dance.

Blow up a balloon animal. A giraffe or a wiener dog.

Wear big shoes and goofy makeup.

Scoop out ice cream for cones.

Scoop out mommies’ eyes for a laugh.

Castrate naughty Daddies.

Hack and hew for laffs and giggles.

It’s all for their amusement, and this is the thanks we get: persecution and prosecution.

All for the laughs.

Paul Mansfield is a writer, a photographer, a guitar player, a philosopher — some he does well, some not so well, but he still tries them all.

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Follow him on Twitter @pmansfield