Big-top lessons

Great article on “Closing The Greatest Show on Earth.”

This reminded me of standing in line with my grandmother from Paris for over two hours in hot sun to buy tickets for the circus in Lexington about 1944.

Next day she read me an article in your paper about two guys who stood in the same line thinking it was for buying rationed cigarettes, and upon finding their mistake, their nicotine fits caused them to attack the circus ticket sellers and wind up in jail for assault.

We enjoyed a great show, but missed the last bus back to Paris, and “Grangran” had to hire two taxis to get us home; one to go to the Fayette-Bourbon County line, and the next to get back to Paris. Gas rationing due to war was the cause.

I learned a lot, at age four, about war, rationing, and a strong admonition about not smoking when I grew up.

This story was originally published May 26, 2017 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Big-top lessons."