Bo Bo And Charlie At The Circus

Bo Bo And Charlie At The Circus  

 By Paul McCann

 

It was spring festival time and the circus came to town . Bo Bo had some money saved  in his piggy bank from all the  odd jobs he had been doing for people in the community. And thought it might be good to go to see circus show .

He took a walk to Charlie’s house and knocked on the door and asked his mother’s permission to take him to the circus .After getting the thumbs up , he told Charlie who was so excited about going to the circus he smashed open his piggy bank and started counting out all the money he had saved .

Together they had more than enough money to have a good day out . That day they both went into the  town to buy the tickets and see the circus parade that was going through the streets .

When they arrived into the centre of town a huge crowd were standing on the sidewalks waiting to see the parade .

The place was buzzing with excitement and there were lots of other activities to see  as well .

Charlie looked at some kids getting their faces painted by a street artist and said ,

“Bo Bo what about getting our faces painted too ?“

 “Great idea Charlie let’s do it “

Bo Bo chose to have a tigers face and Charlie wanted to be have a clowns face .They waited their turn to have their faces done and after it was over Charlie said ,

“I’ve always wanted to be a clown Bo Bo “

Smiling back Bo Bo replied ,

“Well now your dreams come true Charlie  or should I call you Co Co .the clown “

Then he roared like a tiger and they both started to laugh .

There were people doing some 

street theatre and open air concerts .

Then the street parade arrived with people from the circus all in attendance . 

As the circus performers  stood on truck floats a marching band accompanied them along the  main street . All the  traffic lights were turned off and the local police were on duty directing people and traffic .

The parade was able to make its way without interference .

Lots of visitors had arrived in town for the circus and shopkeepers put on clearance sales and special lunches . Footpaths were over crowded with people and as advertised the  circus had come  to town 

Bo Bo and Charlie bought some candy floss and stood there watching the colourful parade of floats with funny clowns running around zig zagging through the crowd as the parade went past.

Some trucks with caged tigers behind bars went past . There were two huge elephants walking past with chains around their feet .

Charlie asked ,

“Why are they in chains Bo Bo “

“They must have robbed the bank

and now they’re going hard labour for the circus Charlie .”

“Really I didn’t know elephants could rob banks Bo Bo “

Bo Bo stood there  in disbelief what Charlie said and replied .

“I’m just joking Charlie , the chains  are to stop them from running away as sometimes elephants can get upset or angry and then they might run off and damage things , so the chains kind of help to keep them walking peaceful and slow”

Some ponies with acrobats on their backs passed by and as they made their way up the main street to Hope Park , people had gathered on both sides of the road cheering  the  parade as ended at the gates of Hope Park and with a flurry and a hurry scurry all the circus crew started to put up the Big Top tent . Work crews threw their energies to get  the circus tent ready for the first show .

 Bo Bo and Charlie went into town and bought some fish and chips at a cafe  and waited until the gates opened to sell circus tickets . Lots of caravans arrived into town  and the excitement was building in apprehension of the circus. Later that afternoon the gates of the park opened for the public to go inside . 

Ticket stalls were already there and people lined up in  queues  to get their tickets for then show .

There was some free entertainment on display to entertain the people who waiting to buy tickets . Snake charmers made  music  putting trances on snakes that danced from tall flower pots and  there were strange glances from people passing by but  they soon realised the snakes were both real they were just puppets and  started to laugh .

There was a funny clown riding on a penny farthing bike with streamers and  balloons tied  to his bicycle and a dancer dressed up like a fairy queen who span
around and round to the sound of a gypsy playing  a fiddle .

It didn’t take too long before all of the performers and circus animals had settled themselves ready for the circus show. The circus was only in town for a week and so far it was one of the most popular ever .

Apart from the performers and animals Paples Circus had the first ever hover-doover bumper car ride in the world . The Hover-doover bumpers were new on the
scene with the ability to float  which was a trick of a  mechanical device that lifted to bumper cars as they were hit by another bumper car . It added a new experience to the excitement of the ride .

Thousands of people had made their way through the gates of Hope Park to see the first circus show and Bo Bo and Charlie where on their way .  Charlie hadn’t slept all week in excitement of going to see the show  and Bo Bo was also looking forward it as well  .

As they were approaching the gates of Hope park Charlie suddenly stopped and said 

“I wish I had brought the TV set Bo Bo “

Bo Bo looked at Charlie who seemed a bit frantic and asked 

“What do you want a TV set for ?”

“Because I left my ticket on top of it last night”

“Oh no Charlie , hurry come on let’s go back “

 Both of them ran as fast as they could all the way back to Charlie’s house where they got the ticket on the TV set and made their way back to Hope Park .

On the way Charlie stopped to catch his breath and said ,

“Let’s grab a bar of  chocolate to bring with us Bo Bo “

 Even though they were in a hurry Bo Bo nodded his head “

“Good idea Charlie “

They went into a shop there and got some chocolate before racing off to get a seat inside the  circus  Big top .

It was a sell out show and many people had travelled from far and wide to enjoy the excitement and atmosphere of Papples Circus .

During the interval Bo Bo and Charlie had a ride on the new Hoover-Doover bumper cars and wandered around the circus grounds where colourful side-show tents lined the pathways and bright lanterns glowed overhead . There were laughing clowns, juggling acts, funny mirrors and even a fortune teller sitting beneath a striped tent inviting people to hear their future .

Everywhere they looked there was something wonderful to see and the crowds all agreed it was one of the greatest circus events ever held in Hope Park . One of the biggest attractions at the circus this year was the brand new Hover-Doover Bumper Car ride . Inside a giant clear dome brightly coloured bumper cars floated gently above the ground using hidden air cushions and spinning fans . Whenever one bumper car bumped another it would bounce softly into the air and glide harmlessly a few feet away while children and parents burst out laughing with delight .

Bo Bo watched the floating cars and smiled .

“We have to  ride that one more time before we go home Charlie .”

Charlie nodded excitedly while holding tightly onto his candy floss . Soon afterwards a loud trumpet sounded across the grounds announcing the second part of the circus show was about to begin . Bo Bo and Charlie hurried back towards the Big Top as the crowds streamed inside once more for another evening of music, laughter and amazing performances at the travelling Papples Circus 

The crescendo had arrived with lively music playing and spotlights changing colours lighting up the big top . Acrobatic dancers presented a powerful act dressed up as animal characters Dancers in a circus disco arena put on performance that had made the audience get to their feet .

After the performance all the performers came out and took a bow before the audience . 

Bo Bo and Charlie were also standing on their feet applauding and shouting out for more in appreciation for the performers . Suddenly a deadly silence fell around as the ringmaster asked

for silence then the spotlight shone on a little poodle dog high above walking across the high  over everyone’s head .

When the dog safely reached the other side some white ponies with monkeys on their backs came into the arena and cantered around and around the centre of the big top until they were replaced by two elephants that threw large balls into huge baskets that were left  on the ground .

The circus continued on and on with a magician and bare back horse riders , then they  sent in the clowns to end the show with a very funny performance everyone enjoyed.  At end of the show everyone applauded and asked  for more 

Bo Bo and Charlie left the big top and played some carnival games in the side shows that were an added  attraction for everyone .

A man with  a megaphone thanked everyone for coming  o and urged them to come back ,

“ Come back again soon to Papples Travelling Circus , roll up and come again soon , we’re here every day until the weekend .
Roll up and have some  fun with everyone here at Papples circus “

The ringmaster was there handing out free balloons to anyone who asked as Bo Bo and Charlie walked home after the day with a red balloon on a string and smiles  all over their faces and great memories of the day when the circus came to town . 

 

The End