Ten Drum Rolls

Mums Story about trip to the Circus
Its not everyone can say they got a drum roll, when they appeared at Duffy’s Circus. In fact it’s not everyone who had an opportunity to appear in the Circus. Well it happened to me once.
My two sons Frank and John saw a bill poster advertising ‘Duffy’s Circus and they persecuted me to bring them to the Circu. So I agreed to take them, and we were joined by our next door neighbour Mildred and here two boys Graham and Trevor.
Husbands were recruited to take us to Terenure and to call back later to bring us home.
And so we set off, boys with their bags of swag and mothers with a packet of Aspirin.
The Band played the march of the Gladiators and out came a procession of the circus performers. The excitement was ninety and there were Clown, Dancing Girls, Bareback Rider, Jugglers, Ponies and a Lion Tamer.
After a little the Ringmaster announced that ‘Thunder Cloud’ an Indian Chief was going to give an Exhibition of Tomahawk throwing and asked for a volunteer from the Audience “ any brave lady like to appear with Apache chief Thunder Cloud”
Mildred turned to (Frank my eldest) and said “ I am sure your Mum would like to volunteer”. Well some little Devil must have whispered in my ear, and never being one to turn down a dare, up I got and went down into the Ring amid great applause.
The Ringmaster nearly had a heart attack as it appears that usually a Circus member pretends to be a member of the audience, but because I hopped up first he had no alternative but to let me take part. He kept on repeating to me “ Don’t move Mrs. whatever you do. I had no intention of moving as much as an eyelid and was already regretting my action.
Out came The Chief with his ten Tomahawks and he got me to stand with my back to a wooden door. Well I can tell you that every time he threw a Tomahawk I got a Drum Roll followed by a thump as the Tomahawk became embedded in the door. I can still remember the thud today.
Mean while up in the audience Mildred was also having palpitations and already trying to think of how to break it to John (My husband) that I had been killed by Indian Chief Thunder Cloud. She regretted daring me to go on. He would ask her “ why didn’t you stop her”
However it finished at last and I returned to my seat, the four boys were thrilled by it all.
It often comes up in conversation that night. My Son Frank now nearly 53 years of age says “ I can still remember the look on Mildreds face when you went into the Circus Ring.