THESE ARE STILTS!

When we were on the Ringling Show in the 70's there were many colorful characters on the show from the tent days. One of these was our electrician named Congo. I did some research to find out his real name but it seems no one knew him by any other name. This story of Congo comes from my good friend Chuck Sidlow who was Boss clown at the time.......      IT WAS ANOTHER DAY IN CLOWN COLLEGE AND THE CLASSES HAVE STARTED ALREADY.I WAS WALKING THRU FROM THE PROP SHOP OUT INTO THE ARENA.THE AREA BETWEEN THE WARDROBE AND THE BACK DOOR WAS WHERE THE STILT-WALKERS PRACTICED. THERE WAS A CABLE WITH ROPES TO HOLD AND A PATH ACROSS TO WALK ABOUT 20 STEPS. INTERESTED STUDENTS WOULD WAIT AND TAKE THERE TURN.   CONGO WAS THE ELECTRICIAN ON THE RED SHOW FOR ABOUT 40 OR 50 YEARS. HE HAD DIABETES AND ENDED UP WITH HIS LEGS HAVING TO BE AMPUTATED. BECAUSE OF THIS HE WAS RETIRED TO WINTER QUARTERS TO WORK IN THE WAREHOUSE.   THERE WAS ONE OF THE STUDENTS WHO HAD JUST TAKEN ABOUT TEN STEPS ON HIS STILTS WHEN CONGO CAME WALKING IN WITH A BIG PIPE ON HIS SHOULDERS. CONGO LOOKED UP AND DROPPED HIS HEAVY PIPE ON THE GROUND, THE LOUD ECHO FILLED THE ARENA AND EVERYONE INCLUDING THE STILT STUDENT STOPPED IN THERE TRACKS. HE LOOKED AT THE YOUNG BOY AND PULLED UP HIS PANT-LEGS TO EXPOSE TWO CORK STUMPS DUCK-TAPED TO HIS SHOES ON ONE END AND ABOVE HIS KNEECAPS ON THE OTHER.HE YELLED TO THE BOY,"THESE ARE REAL STILTS,LOOK HERE, THIS HIS HOW TO WALK ON STILTS!!!!"    NEEDLESS TO SAY,THE KID TURNED WHITE AND CAME DOWN QUICKLY, I DONT THINK THE STUDENT EVER WALKED STILTS AGAIN. AND THEN CONGO PICKED UP THE PIPE ,LAUGHED AND WALKED AWAY.  THE NEXT CHRISTMAS,WE WERE HAVING A PARTY IN THE CLOWN ALLEY.WE DECIDED TO INVITE CONGO IN AND GIVE HIM A FEW PRIZES. HE AND I HAD A LOVE HATE RELATIONSHIP,AS I LOVED TO MAKE FUN OF HIM AND HE HATED ME FOR IT.   I ASKED HIM TO COME TO THE PARTY,BUT HE REFUSED,SO WE SENT A FIRST OF MAY TO INVITE HIM.AFTER COAXING HIM HE FINALLY SHOWED UP. I PRESENTED HIM WITH TWO BOXES. HE RELUCTANTLY OPENED THE FIRST BOX AND PULLED OUT A PAIR OF SOCKS, HE LOOKED AT ME WITH A PUZZLED FACE BUT, NONE THE LESS HE THANKED ME.   THATS WHEN I TOLD HIM TO "OPEN THE NEXT ONE" AS ALL OF THE CLOWNS WERE AROUND WATCHING HE OPENED IT AND INSIDE WAS A PACKAGE OF THUMBTACKS. HE SAID "WHAT ARE THESE FOR?"  I SAID...."THOSE THUMBTACKS ARE TO HOLD YOUR SOCKS UP THE NEXT TIME YOU TRY TO TEACH STILTS WITH YOUR CORK STUMP LEGS!!" CONGO CHASED ME AROUND THE WHOLE ARENA AS THE CLOWNS LAUGHED AND CHEERED!   BELIEVE IT OR NOT THAT LITTLE INCIDENT BROUGHT CONGO AND I CLOSER TOGETHER AND WE BECAME GOOD FRIENDS FROM THAT DAY FORWARD.HE TAUGHT ME ALOT ABOUT ELECTRICITY, WIRING, AND LOADING WAGONS.HE ALSO HELPED ME TO DESIGN A WORKING TOOL BOX THAT WE TOOK ON THE ROAD FOR THE CLOWN ALLEY .