Column Chronicles
 
The life and times of a rodeo clown, part four
 
 
Frank Cotolo
August 7, 2014
 
My rodeo clown work at The Rootin' Tootin' Wildcat Rope and Revolver Rodeo almost killed me. The unfortunate scare took place when the show was being presented in Chloride, Arizona.
 
Buster Evans was working with his partner, Evans Buster, doing his usual routine where Buster, riding a Shetland pony, jumps a burning wagon that Evans is driving. It was a dangerous act on its own but Buster decided to up the ante for one show. He wanted to tie up a rodeo clown, put him in the back of the burning wagon and have Evans save the clown from burning when the wagon crashes.
 
Evans said, "But the wagon doesn't crash, Buster."
 
"That's the other addition to the act," Buster said. "When Scorpion [his pony] and me jumps the flames coming from the wagon, we make a quick turn around and ride in the opposite direction while the wagon hits a brick wall."
 
"What brick wall?" said Evans.
 
"That's the other addition to the act," Buster said. "We build a brick wall and before the wagon crashes into it, you get in the back of the wagon and untie the rodeo clown so he is free to get off with you before the crash."
 
When Evans Buster agreed to do the trick with his partner Buster Evans, they both thought of me to the be rodeo clown in the act. Mind you, there were at least six other rodeo clowns working the company but Buster said he wanted me because I had the best smile of all the rodeo clowns.
 
As flattered as that was to me I resisted being in the act.
 
"I can burn to death," I said to Buster.
 
"You sure can and that’s what makes the whole thing so exciting," Buster said.
 
"You don't have to worry," said Evans, "because I untie you and you jump off the burning wagon with me unharmed."
 
"You can do that?" I said. "You can jump into the back of a burning wagon moments before it crashes into a brick wall and untie a man and still have enough time to jump off with him?"
 
"With him or without him, I'm jumping off," said Evans.
 
I didn't want to do it but Buster threatened to kill my pet turtle and make it look like suicide so I went through with it. Something went wrong. Evans jumped out of the wagon forgetting to untie me. I saw him fly off the side of the wagon and shimmied to the back and rolled off before the wagon careened into the brick wall. I was literally inches from becoming a part of the pyre that resulted from the crash.
 
Buster was quite perturbed. He blamed me for ruining the act. However, it turned out that when Evans jumped from the wagon and ran he was so scared that he kept running and never came back to the rodeo. I was glad to be alive and so angry at Buster that I punched him directly in the face and made him bleed profusely.
 
...to be continued
 
Frank Cotolo can be found hosting the talk and interview programme Cotolo Chronicles. You can send him an e-mail at this address: frank@148.ca.

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