Professional Documents
Culture Documents
by Steven D. Donnini
Library Of Congress
WGA
Copyright Stephen Donnini 1999
Steven Donnini
407-645-4705
were working the small towns up and down the east coast.
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riding shotgun with Jimmy a 16 year old black kid in the
gold letters across the sides. All those black and gold
the fairgrounds was Ace Bailey the advance man. The field
where we were to set up the tents for the midway was in the
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out what we were doing wrong, it was too late.
dates we did from Palm Beach to Maine each one was a little
different.
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won the Bright Light Shows in a poker game in 1948.
flat store “Flat takes your money.” You can’t win and you
don’t get a Teddy Bear to take home. The back end of the
Over the years, the Bright Light Show had many colorful
would climb up on you and kiss you on the lips at the first
playful and jump up, wrapping his long arms and legs around
her. On fair days she would put him in his 10 ft. x 10 ft.
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x 10 ft. steel cage on the midway and stand out front
everyone that came down the midway looking for a mark. She
would pick out the biggest, tough guy on the midway. The
idea was to get this guy to put up $20, to stay in the cage
closed it. This action triggered the clock over the door.
When the guy stepped into center of the cage, Monty climbed
get out.
in a few more good wacks to the nose while the man screamed
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in the middle of the midway at the beating he was getting
crowd.
One night, this big redneck got in with Monty and he didn’t
the time the guy managed to get out he was humiliated and
must have been the best. He was tall, thin and handsome.
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traveling with the show and Danny trusted him with the
Jimmy backed the tractor trailer into a spot Ace picked out
alley arcade. The rest of the crew worked into the night.
she was. She had a fiery wit. A true carnie at heart, she
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well dressed and mannered. He looked like he was on his
She could tell a dirty joke with flair and often did, but
simple, but there are some things you need to know. I’ll
put Jimmy and Paul with you. It won’t take more than the
and shill. Paul is the banker. Just take the lead from
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others knew why he picked me to work the Creeper, but I had
the bingo tent with the other kids. We were all so tired
and lifted out a blue velvet bag. Out came the Creeper, he
across the surface and bouncing off the rubber bumper that
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idea of the game was to pick the correct color and number.
Jimmy set me behind the game and adjusted the swivel chair
“It’s important that you know when to let the mark win.
The hard part was learning how to stop the Creeper on the
look natural.
As the sun went down, the show opened and the midway lights
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in a white crowd. But, because Jimmy was there I felt like
I fit in.
and pick a winner.” The mark was cool. His diamond ring
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the magnets. As it floated over the numbers it would
miss.
This big man with the gold tooth, made his money selling
was excited but held it in. I didn’t notice but Jimmy did.
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I looked him in the eye. He looked at me for a few seconds
eye and don't look away until they do, or you'll get
streak. That one was so close. You pick one number for
opened his wallet and took out $500 and looked at Paul with
Creeper.
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He knew I was on thin ice. Because the stakes were so high
Paul was nervous, shifting his weight from one foot to the
other. I wanted to let the Creeper take it's own path, but
and so on. The next day, I felt like a pro. Jimmy, Paul
didn't know who he was when we took all his money. He lost
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a folding lawn chair smoking a Camel cigarette. They
it down and give my brother his $1,500 back or I'll run you
come to a game and loose then you pay the price. On the
of big bills from his pocket and slowly counts off $1,500
Sunday was the big day on the midway. The most popular
best. She was hot into it. A big peanut farmer came up
chimp made. She noticed that he was with his two brothers.
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They all looked and acted alike. So she did her thing.
“You boys look tough enough to stay in the cage with Monty
for 10 seconds. How about it? I'll give you $100 if you
can do it. Just $20 bucks boys, will get you 100 green
took his twenty, handed him the football helmet and helped
cage door, set the timing clock over the door and pushed
him in. When the door shut Monty was all over the guy and
was pounding him with the football helmet. The guy’s nose
walked away.
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That night, I went to the canteen for dinner. I wanted to
be part of the crew and talk to the dancers that worked the
When I walked into the canteen tent Suzy was sitting alone
so, I sat down next to her. She was the daughter of the
was like. “We have four sheer veils at the entrance to the
costs $1 and you still can't see much. The third, cost
$2.50 and you can see Della spread eagle on the pillows,
of her, two feet away. You can clearly see it all. For
$20 you can come in and touch her. Pass the gravy!” Suzy
climbed into a box and her mother would stick swords in it.
Inside she would move her arms and legs to avoid getting
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cut. She was a true contortionist. She told me that her
they got out of the car. The driver walked by the table
had him around the neck. Thank God he was drunk, I don't
think I could have kept him down. The others just watched.
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Suzy felt responsible for starting the whole thing, but I
hadn't said anything the guy would have gone on. It turned
Danny looking for the hoodlum that had broken a bone in his
every name you can think of and demanded that I pay the
told him what happened, the “Indian choke hold” part made
bills, but I was to pay him back. He never took any money
fight. I just got my arms around his neck and wouldn't let
go.
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Every Saturday back in Miami we would go to the Little
River Gym and spar with the boxers there. I learned to box
became a real bad actor when he had a few tall boy beers.
cards. Would you like to play?” She took them out of his
hand, gave him a big toothy grin and off she went leaving
her man to the sharks. We cleaned him out before she got
back with a shining new toaster and stuffed bear. She was
mouth. “It's all about the action and saving face. Don't
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but I couldn't forget the intense way he told me.
about life.
The next guy that came to play was a nasty SOB and I loved
Jimmy and Paul saved me. We had taken his rent money. It
did Jimmy.
We were about to shut down for the night when Jimmy saw the
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was thinking, it's like a football play but the guys are a
tent pole. I heard a crunch when his fist hit it. Another
Jake the Giant came to my rescue. Jake was the biggest man
I've ever seen. He stood 7.8 ft. tall and was a mass of
He picked up one of the guys over his head and through him
over two Bingo tables. The other guys moved back. The next
Jake's arms. I had never seen Danny get really mad before.
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of the night sitting at the bedside. I slept hard that
knew I was out of the Creeper business for a few days. The
the time being. Danny had a sit down meeting with Jimmy
out to tell everyone to watch out for the guys that had
somehow.
they can't handle it. I've got the perfect plan. Meet me
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from behind me. I didn't want her to get hurt if we got
loudly behind us. The people at the bar were all drunk. I
man let it go. The kid wants to say he's sorry. In fact,
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from an eye dropper in his shot glass. Jimmy picked up the
knocked it back.
in the bar he said, “Doesn’t look like this dumb farm boy
their seats. Jimmy smiled and said, “I’ll beat $100 that
you'll mess your pants the first time I hit you.” Everyone
in the bar wanted to bet on the fight. Suzy went down the
bar taking beats and collecting money. Jimmy got off the
than I did. Judd took the first swing at Jimmy and missed,
caught him on the top of the head and he fell back on the
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again. His nose was bleeding. I could see that he was
stopped his knock out punch in midair and let out a giant
fart that all could here clearly. The room fell silent as
Jimmy knew this was his best chance, so he hit him square
that came with every step toward the Men’s room. Suzy
counted the money and paid the bar tab. I told Jimmy I
They will tell the story of how a skinny guy hit Judd so
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if I could control my feelings or my need for it.
we got in the trucks and drove off toward our next date,
turned bad and the forecast was for thunderstorms for the
The rain was like nothing I had ever seen before. We were
the brakes too hard and the back end of the trailer
slippery red clay that had washed down from the hillside
the red mud. We got the trailer hooked up and made the
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meeting. All the concessionaires were worried about the
the Creeper and Jimmy walked up, he was in the mood for
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would pick up the girls after we were finished and go
over and I'm smashed in the back set and not found for
The tailpipe was dragging and smoke was filling the air
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damage. The back window was gone and the roof was crushed
him out of it and we went off to get the girls back at the
fairgrounds.
so I told Jimmy we should get into the car and head out of
the car.
us and they got out of the car. One of them had been
one of them told me to get out. Jimmy just sat there and I
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was holding back my panic. I think that's when this one
up and his fist hit the metal tap on the heel of my shoe.
primal about angry crowds and blood that brings out the
large rock came through the back window bounced off the
seat and landed on the floor beside me. It was time to get
started. He popped the clutch and the dirt and rocks flew.
We were on our way out of there. Suzy was hanging out the
I've ever known. His girl Jessie was hiding. She had been
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could hear them all around us. Jimmy decided to stay put.
me. The animals had their own smell that would drift
and the lighting was not theatrical. It was raw and real.
and that's where you make the money. More and more shows
are not carrying the big top because it cost too much.
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thing that I heard before. “On the midway it’s all about
I looked down the midway and saw Jimmy coming with his arm
know why. Jimmy told me to quit the game with this guy and
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Jimmy was angry with me to the point where he stopped the
game. I took the car keys from him. Suzy and I took it
that I had cheated this guy out of his new car. It's all
the Creeper and I had shown no respect for the rules of the
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in the doorway. He was the original poker face, so I knew
real trouble. Suzy got out of the car and quietly said
said, “You're going to give the car back. Put the keys on
go home tomorrow.”
should not have brought you with me this season. You're too
Looking for a way out I said, “I'll bring the car back to
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what you're told and nothing else.” It was clear that he
was an apology, the truth is that the guy lost his car in a
giving the car back, then we could save face and the guy
“Grandpa, please let me take the car back. I'll tell him
tonight. Go out with Jimmy and return the car. The sooner
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knew that he had done this kind of thing in the past. I
When we got to the guy’s house Jimmy went to the door and
said, “Yes, what can I do for you?” Jimmy took off his
out here, it's your lucky day.” She sat down in an old
odor in this house was different from our house. The food
said, “Sit down son.” Jerome came into the room. He was
mama’s boy.
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Jimmy sized him up instantly. “Jerome, I'm here to give you
here are the keys and the title.” He was so delighted that
deliver a speech about the moral issues but Jimmy cut her
off. “I smell pecan pie. I bet you make the best in the
she forgot what she was about to say and went to the
The next morning, Suzy came to awaken me. She had tears
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tried to comfort me. I turned to see the midway, as if it
had died as well. The rescue team rapped up and Danny was
away.
show.
on Claudia. The door was open and I saw her sitting at the
of beer. On the table was lit Pall Mall with red lipstick
Now, I know where I got the idea that what you do in this
the people that love us. In one way we draw life from the
Claudia would keep the show. The next day my Dad came up
carried
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Danny's friends had come to say good-bye. They were mostly
to be a traveling showman.
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