# No empty threats! I'm running off to join the circus! I mean it this time! Advice? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 4, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-empty-threats-im-running-off-to-join-the-circus-i-mean-it-this-time-advice/199461 "2003-09-04T03:52:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-empty-threats-im-running-off-to-join-the-circus-i-mean-it-this-time-advice/199461/21 "2003-09-09T02:46:54Z")
Get a copy of Michelle Chalfoun’s book _Roustabout_. It’s a novel but Chalfoun did run away with the circus. She has also worked on boats as a deckhand and cook, and in shipyards as maintenance and repair crew. Her second book _The Width of the Sea_ uses these experiences as background. She is a great writer. After reading _Roustabout_ I felt like I’d been with the circus. ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-empty-threats-im-running-off-to-join-the-circus-i-mean-it-this-time-advice/199461/22 "2003-09-09T03:07:29Z")
Hey, can ya get me some circus peanuts while you’re there? Oh, and could you hook me up with a few contortionist chicks too? They’re pretty hot. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-empty-threats-im-running-off-to-join-the-circus-i-mean-it-this-time-advice/199461/23 "2003-09-09T03:41:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by slortar \* > \*\*Sadly, I really can’t say too much about them–they were the black sheep of the family and most of the people who know the details aren’t telling. > > Hm. That reminds me of another circus link in my family–my great-grandfather on my mother’s side ran off on my great-grandmother for several years. Turns out he was living with an ex-circus peformer–a woman with bright artificially red hair and a wooden leg. My mom gave me the picture of the family reunion where he returned. Great-grandfather at one end. Great-grandmother at the other end, looking like she’d swallowed a bucket of ammonia. (Very young) mom in between looking like she’d rather be somewhere else… > > Really, my family **isn’t** as abnormal as I’m making it sound. 😃 \*\* OMG! If you weren’t a Yankee, I’d think we were related… My great-great-great grandfather ran away with a woman that had a wooden leg… What are the odds? ~J ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-empty-threats-im-running-off-to-join-the-circus-i-mean-it-this-time-advice/199461/24 "2003-09-09T11:32:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jaade \* > \*\*OMG! If you weren’t a Yankee, I’d think we were related… > > My great-great-great grandfather ran away with a woman that had a wooden leg… > > What are the odds? > > ~J \*\* You never know. 🙂 FWIW, that branch of the family’s in Indiana, which is somewhat farther south…hmmm…come to think of it, he might have been living as far south as Kentucky or Tennessee at that time. I’ll have to ask… ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-empty-threats-im-running-off-to-join-the-circus-i-mean-it-this-time-advice/199461/25 "2003-09-09T17:56:02Z")
> [@](#): > > My parents never took me to the circus when I was little, will that hold me back? You poor poor child. My house is a circus! If you want you can come work for me. You can have free room and board. Keep in mind I pay in peanuts! ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-empty-threats-im-running-off-to-join-the-circus-i-mean-it-this-time-advice/199461/26 "2003-09-09T18:56:14Z")
You want to join the circus? Why not give yourself a glimpse of what it will be like and go to next year’s Burning Man. If you can survive that, you’ll have a remote chance of lasting in the circus. ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-empty-threats-im-running-off-to-join-the-circus-i-mean-it-this-time-advice/199461/27 "2003-09-10T03:10:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by slortar \* > \*\*You never know. 🙂 > > FWIW, that branch of the family’s in Indiana, which is somewhat farther south…hmmm…come to think of it, he might have been living as far south as Kentucky or Tennessee at that time. I’ll have to ask… \*\* Kentucky? Tennessee? ~gasps~ I swear, that’s where they said he went, one of those two states. But he was from Louisiana. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-empty-threats-im-running-off-to-join-the-circus-i-mean-it-this-time-advice/199461/28 "2003-09-10T12:09:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jaade \* > \*\*Kentucky? Tennessee? ~gasps~ I swear, that’s where they said he went, one of those two states. > > But he was from Louisiana. \*\* Veeery interesting. I’m too lazy to pump my Mom for more information right now, but if I’m guessing right, his last name would be either Hunt, Upton, Owsley or Gray. This would’ve been in the 40’s and 50’s…so, given that you were talking about your “great-great-great-grandfather” it’s probably all a coincidence. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-empty-threats-im-running-off-to-join-the-circus-i-mean-it-this-time-advice/199461/29 "2003-09-11T02:54:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by slortar \* > \*\*Veeery interesting. I’m too lazy to pump my Mom for more information right now, but if I’m guessing right, his last name would be either Hunt, Upton, Owsley or Gray. This would’ve been in the 40’s and 50’s…so, given that you were talking about your “great-great-great-grandfather” it’s probably all a coincidence. 😉 \*\* Yeah, my family name would be Wheatley in this particular branch. But what a strange coincidence anyway. How many one legged women were running around? (No pun intended!) ~J ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-empty-threats-im-running-off-to-join-the-circus-i-mean-it-this-time-advice/199461/30 "2003-09-11T07:33:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by slortar \* > … I’m too lazy to pump my Mom … Yup, Tennessee! ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-empty-threats-im-running-off-to-join-the-circus-i-mean-it-this-time-advice/199461/31 "2003-09-11T12:17:48Z")
LOL Well, I’ll be my brother’s Uncle…_slaps knee, runs off to hootenanny_😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-empty-threats-im-running-off-to-join-the-circus-i-mean-it-this-time-advice/199461.md?page=1)