Circus minimus, part 2

Where was I? Oh yes, the tigers.

So this year's show had lots of trained animal stuff. I mean, you expect the elephant parade and the attendant standing on one foot and linking trunks routine. But the tigers, for some reason, just make me sad. I know I mentioned this last year as well, but part of me (a big part, if I'm being honest) always roots for the tigers.

I know we'd be talking through the incident in our house for the next 20 years [we had a smoke detector with a low battery that went off some time around Christmas, and we still discuss it at least three times a week before Samson goes to sleep], but I just can't help it. There's something profoundly ignoble (and depressing) about watching a giant predator reduced to jumping through a hoop by a guy in sparkles and spandex.

Anyway, Samson seemed sort of interested in them. And there was just enough noise to keep Jane moderately interested. Unfortunately, there was also a trained horse and zebra act. Three rings of horses (and zebras) running clockwise, counter-clockwise, and then doing some kind of drill where half of them ran one way and half ran the other. No, really.

But even this was preferable to the trained dogs. I'm pretty sure I didn't say this out loud while I was sitting there, but Jesus H. Christ is there anything more boring that watching dogs do tricks? Probably listening to people talk about dogs doing tricks.

Honestly, with the tigers at least I've got some kind of vested interest. When it comes to poodles in skirts on scooters and the people who train them, there is absolutely no one to root for (see also: existential dread).

Surprisingly, the one thing missing this year was the guys on motorcycles in the giant metal ball. Samson remembered them and kept asking when they would appear. I assumed they were part of the show [why wouldn't you include them?], but alas, they were not. I assume they're out in the world somewhere doing that right now, right? I mean, it's probably not a hobby.

Still, Brian and Tina being shot out of the cannon was pretty neat. By that time, however, Jane was sound asleep.