jaeleslie

We had just finished successful filming of our three he-men wranglers, in flowing desert silks, riding respectively a horse, a camel, and an elephant, so the production was going pretty smoothly, considering the rough ride the elephant had given, and they had unbuckled their swashes and disappeared into the Memorial Union for refreshment. Then Tracy who was co-ordinating the whole circus was called urgently to the security office. I was swaggering about as a sort of piratical maid-of-all-work and asked a gofer what was going on, and learned that a fairly serious situation had developed with our Rudolph Valentinos being detained at gunpoint by armed security guards, although how one might mistake an overly colorful Sheik of Araby wanting a beer for a dangerous terrorist was hard for me imagine. So I went into the building and wandered over to the security office, where through the glass I could see Tracy was talking fast. Then a little security woman in blue who was trying to look businesslike even though she was a head shorter than me (I am of merely medium height) gestured meaningfully toward the gasoline can I was carrying, decorated with a rampaging tiger. It barely sloshed, as I had been filling up the tanks for some small engines. "What?!" I explained, "you wouldn't want me to put it down and leave it somewhere would you???" Someone was going to have to explain our carnival to these people in terms they could understand.

But then the cellphone rang and woke me up.

Far too early, I seem to recall. It's been a long day. More later, I hope.