Off Work with Zippo's Circus Audience Particpation Injury!!

[Blu]

I have done my knee in and can only hobble!

All I can say is that if you go to Zippo's Circus, DO NOT volunteer at the point where they ask for "someone over 18 to sit on a horse". Actually, to be fair, they might have said "someone quite agile and over 18..." and I should have had more sense!

I got to the ringside and a helpful clown briefed me:
"Walk straight over to the Ringmaster - he will introduce you, then run across the ring and jump on to that horse"
The horse was about 15.2 hand high - i.e it's back came up to my nose
"the horse will start moving, then when we say 'kneel up', kneel up on the back of the horse. Then when we say 'let go' just let go - don't worry, you will be on the rope".

I thought he was joking, so didn't take this seriously at all.

So there I was , after an undignified scrabble with the help of clowns, on this horse with a belt round my waist attached to a rope which went up to the top of the tent, cantering round the ring - no saddle, just a blanket, nothing to hold onto, and then attempting to kneel up! They shouted 'let go' and I was swinging wildly in mid air, very fast, in big circles above the heads of the clowns. DP said I swung right round the ring 3 times. Eventually the clowns kept bumping into me and brought me to a halt - but I still hit the ground very fast.

I was literally weak-kneed walking back to my seat, but put that down to adrenalin - I was actually shaking.

By last night I couldn't walk, bith knees are swollen and agonised, and one is all black down one side . Am still hobbling this morning, can't drive, DP had to take DS to school on the bus.

I feel such an idiot!

But that is quite extreme audience particpation, isn't it?

Hiya. Doubt I would be as good-humoured as you seem to be ! Knee injuries can be an ABSOLUTE mare to sort out. Like SERIOUSLY long time to heal. I presume they're not actually feeling much better ? The 'gone black' bit doesn't sound v. nice... whatever you feel know, I'd crawl over to the GP and have someone take a look / record it on file. If it heals in a weak and nothing comes of it, great. If that's not the case...

Ouch!!
I am very impressed that you volunteered, Blu! I would have been far too scared!
I have to admit to having a little chuckle when I read about your adventures in the circus ring!
I bet you won't be too quick to volunteer yourself for the next circus stunt!
Hope your knee feels better soon, it sounds very painful.

I think embarrassment is cancelling out the pain, Hub. [Hub)
I have a physio appointment tomorrow, and after a day of ice and ibroprufen today, it is quite a bit better - but still painful. Last night was extremely painful, but I think it was the kneeling up whilst gripping with my knees on a moving horse that has done it. The bruise is spectacular, but not the source of the pain, iyswim. That could have been done crashing into a clown.
I have longstanding dodgy knees from my career as a teenage athlete. I must keep a tighter grip on my common sense!
DS said it was scary and he was worried that I would fall of the horse and be trampled and it was scary when I was flying round and he didn't think I would ever come back! All his friends were tutting and agreeing that it was 'stupid' like a group of fussing Mums!
That's taught me!

Oh Blu, you poor thing.

No, I'm sorry - I tried just to be sympathetic...what were you thinking of you complete fruitloop ?

Pmsl @ "That could have been done crashing into a clown." You don't read that sentence very often.

Good lord above! We are going to see it next week - any chance you could do it again Blu?

Budgies, eh? My my.

Oh Blu, you have to put 'collision with clowns' on your form for being off work!!

In my youth I remember Ben Elton commenting on audience participation - something along the lines of telling the performer:

"Do I ask you to come to my place of work and polish my laithe? I've paid for my seat, it's your job to put on a show, now f*^£ off and entertain me!"

Maybe you should remember that next time you see a clown?!!

Your poor thing - I hope you feel better soon.

(And after all that, your DS wouldn't talk to you - I'm chortling as I type! Speaking as one who had to endure watching my DH (wearing a pigtails wig) on stage with two Chuckle Brothers, a pantomime cow and a custard pie, I know how he feels! )

F&Z - No! On Yer Bike! But you could have a go...

I can send you some money off vouchers for the tickets if you CAT me your address!

PMSL at calif and Humphrey's dh's.

Thanks Blu, I have bought them already - they were only a fiver each for the day we are going so I reckon even if the highlight is performing budgies then it will be money well spent.

Hold on though, I thought there were no animals other than horses? I am not mad keen on birds in captivity...

I think the budgies are happy. They could have flown away under their own free will (and I can tell you, we will not be returning to Zippo's Circus until they do...) but they hopped back into their cage very chirpily.

Actually, the budgies weren't the worst act, and definitely take your own refreshments!

Blimey

thanks for the warning

I was thinking about the budgies this morning and wondering how you could train them if you were a cruel circus manager - do they have budgie size cattle prods or something?

FrannyAndZooey, you have hit on a question I have often asked myself in relation to flea circuses!

Blu, I hope the physio appointment went well and that you are feeling better.

Yes, how is the knee, hopalong? Have been thinking of you with mixture of awe and concern XXX

OMG Blu , have only just seen this

Sorry but pmsl at this thread - hope you are on the mend soon. My dd would be highly impressed if I was ever foolhardly enough to volunteer for such a stunt!

Batters, I am sure your DD would be so much more impressed if you were to do it!!

I have been to a very nice physio this a.m - she was apalled (when she could speak for agog and aghast-ness) that they should do this, and is surprised that there has not been serious back injuries, broken ankles, heart or asthma attacks. Luckily there is no serious ligament damage - but there is bashed joints swelling and strain. I am feeling much better, thank you, still limping but not in excruciating pain. I am going to tell Zippo's Circus that for their own good they need to stop this before they are sued out of business (not by me - but you never know what the next person will suffer and do.)

Hope you're feeling better, Blu, and agree that Zippo's should be warned to stop this parent torturing before there is a serious accident.

But I have to admit to chortling about it a couple of times today!

(Not the injury, of course, but the way you gamely went along with it thinking it would be much tamer than it actually was.)

It seems a bit mean to get it stopped before F&Z gets a chance to see it, though? Doesn't it? (though I note she is more concerned about the budgies than the poor dangling Mums )

Absolutely.

Actually I think it would only be fair for F&Z to be the volunteer and go through the same process as you, Blu.

Then she could tell us all about it and we could compare the two experiences.

If you still wanted to complain to the circus then having two concerned 'dangling mothers' would make a much stronger case for banning that part of the show - hopefully before it gets anywhere near where we live!!

yes there are more than a few people who would like to see me strapped to a horse and dragged round a circus ring I bet, especially after today

I bet some unscrupulous people would be tempted to volunteer now just so that they could sue afterwards

You really were terribly brave, Blu. I would never have done it in a million years. Are you normally so full of derring do?

LOLOLOLOL

"a helpful clown briefed me"???
there is your error
never tryst the barstards