Years ago, probably 40 years if not more, in Elmer Thomas Park there was a playground. And in that playground there was a cannon with a clowns head sticking out the business end. I think there were other circus related pieces of equipment but the clown cannon is the one that haunts my dreams.

Hanging on the barrel and hand over hand, working my way to the clowns head... the highest point on the cannon I kept telling myself that if I could do this I would reign over the clowns for the rest of time and I would not need to fear them any longer. When I reached my goal and wrapped my arms around the neck of the clown, I swear the head swiveled to look me in the eye.

I did not know it was called a Coccyx. We called it a butt bone. I fell on it.

I didn't try to land on my feet because they were busy running in mid air out in front of me, trying to get away. I did not try to catch myself with my hands because they were busy covering my eyes to fend off the eyes of the demon clown which were, seconds before, mere millimeters from my own. All this while screaming the shrillest, loudest and most blood curdling scream I could muster.

The scream, which in fact sounded quite like a very small girl confronted with a snake or spider, lasted only seconds. When the previously mentioned Coccyx struck the ground an eerie quiet fell over the playground. A searing silver bolt of pain shot from my butt bone up through my body and out the top of my head. I was sure it was the feeling of my soul leaving my body. The bolt of pain took with it all the air that was in my lungs which in the mind of an eight year old boy simply meant that the clown had sucked all the air from my body as he flung my dying carcass to the ground.

Picture if you will a very pale eight year old boy sitting in the pea gravel under a clown cannon, hands covering eyes with his mouth agape in a silent scream...

I do not know if the cannon is still in the playground. I do not know if the playground still exists. I have no plans to go and look. I avert my eyes when I drive by that area of the park.