By: Marcia Love

A clown walked into an ice cream shop. It sounds like the beginning of a corny joke, but it’s actually how my weekend began at the Reno Rodeo in Consul on July 31.

As I sat in the shop eating an ice cream cone and killing time before the evening’s big events, I didn’t expect to see a middle-aged man standing in the doorway with a bright red frown painted across his face adorning full rodeo clown attire.
“Can I bring my dog inside?” he inquired of the shop owner.
With a smile, the owner said yes, and in walked the clown with an invisible dog on a leash.
“This is my dog, Killer,” he explained to me and the rest of the puzzled yet entertained customers. “Don’t get too close – he sometimes bites.”
The clown and Killer sat down at a table beside me and initiated some of the most bizarre conversations I’ve ever heard. The family at the next table seemed just as amused at the situation as I was.
It was an odd sight. I was glad to be reminded there are people who get a kick out of poking fun at themselves. But what I found most interesting about his behaviour was that he didn’t seem to care in the least what people thought of him. Here was a guy who was comfortable enough to walk confidently into a public place by himself in the most ridiculous clothing possible.
That takes a lot of self-assurance – the kind not many people possess. I could barely imagine making a public appearance with a circus of clowns, let alone by myself.
Watching the lone clown, I was reminded of some advice one of my teachers in high school passed along to the class one day. He informed us it’s good to spend time by ourselves. Go on a date with yourself to the movies, visit your favourite restaurant solo or take a trip to the gym without dragging along your best friend.
You don’t always have to be with a group of people to feel comfortable enough to have a good time. And from the strange way I dressed in high school, I was used to having alone time (some things you don’t realize until hindsight).
It sounds like a simple enough concept, but it’s easier said than done for many people. That’s probably because most of us are afraid of being alone. We’re social creatures who are programmed to travel in packs for protection. The ever-popular line, “Will you come with me?” is proof of that.
There are a lot of things we’re more comfortable doing if we know someone has our back.
But sometimes it’s the people you meet and the experiences you have while you’re alone that you remember the most. Having the confidence to do something on your own can be a very rewarding feeling.
As I drove home from Consul that evening, I saw the same clown standing by the side of the road excitedly waving goodbye to the rodeo spectators.
Amid all the great rodeo action of the day, that clown played a big role in making it a memorable weekend.