Thank you for thinking of me, but I have Ramoncito, mi amore, the greatest, all-business, no goofing around, serious as a heart attack number one tiger groom in all of Latin America in my corner, so I won't be needing additional assistance.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
To Anonymous
Thank you for thinking of me, but I have Ramoncito, mi amore, the greatest, all-business, no goofing around, serious as a heart attack number one tiger groom in all of Latin America in my corner, so I won't be needing additional assistance.
Like Napolean, I Am Blessed With a Great, Great Army of Men
One of the hardest things I have attempted in my life is to built a new cage act on the road. It is very different from adding one or two animal's or a new behavior. I have always appreciated and admired GGW for building the great leopard act on the road, and how he did it, in addition to performing with tigers, elephants, horses, etc. to this day is almost beyond my realm of comprehension. We have managed to "get er done" because I have a fabulous crew of men.
Above is my "main man" Ramon attaching the chute, and behind him is "Bin Laden". because he looks like Bin Laden. Ramon and I have worked together for a number of years, and although we don't speak the same language, we have come to understand each other, although sometimes he take's "liberties." Last week when I finished practicing and turned to tell Ramon to let the tigers out of the cage, he was no where around. I stood in the cage by my self for 15 min. until he returned. As I was reading him the "riot act" for leaving and not watching my back, he is trying to tell me in "Spanglish" that he had to go to the bathroom and didn't know how to ask in English, so he just left. He then told me I should be reading the "riot act" to Gabriel, because he had used all the paper, and if he(Ramon) didn't have to go look for more, he would have been back before I noticed he was gone. :) How can you be angry at that reasoning? The other day Ramon was asked what English he had learned working with me this long, and he picked up my whips and sticks, threw them on the ground and said, "son of a bitch!!!!" :) Oh, we have so much fun, don't we, mi amigo, Ramoncito
Above is Armando with the puto pony tail, and Pepe on the left and Juan on the right. Armando is presenting the old tiger act on the show and is on deck to take over the new act when it is completed. Armando's sister Monica is married to Ricardo Aguilar. Initially, Armando thought the 2 male tigers in his current act were tough. That was until he saw the 10 in the current act being trained. He is learning a lot more about what "testosterone" really is, and why I told him initially the 6 females in the new act were going to be a "piece of cake." :) That is Pepe, Juan and Gabriel in the picture at the bottom attempting to stay warm and comfortable in the extra side wall. Loyal men who refuse me nothing. When I sense there is a security risk to the tigers, and tell them they must sleep in the tent to keep an eye on them, they do what is necessary.
Last but surely not least is Gabriel. Gabriel doesn't like to "exert" himself in the morning, so taking advantage of his other talent's I give him 200 pesos every morning when he stumbles out of bed and send him to the Oxoxo store to get coffee, cokes and cappachino's for everybody and set up the buffet table before practice. We call Gabriel "Senior Infection" because earlier in the year one of the tigers clawed him on the hand, while he was being careless with the water pan. Not taking care of the wound like I told him(after all what do I know about tiger wound's, right Gabriel?) he developed a severe infection which required hospitalization for two weeks and he was this close to losing the whole arm. After two weeks in the hospital, he was instructed not to work for two week's so Pancho Aguilar graciously provided him with a hotel room to "recuperate." After finally returning back to work, 10 day's later Gabriel disappeared. Nobody knew where he was or what had happened to him. Later in the day, I went to Pancho and told him we needed another man as Gabriel had disappeared. He said, "no, he is at the hotel." I said, "what is he doing back at the hotel?" Kind hearted Poncho said, "he told me his infection had returned, so I got him another room at the hotel, and told him to take a few days off." I said, "Poncho, infections don't return once they are gone!!!!!" Poncho said, " all I know is what Gabriel told me." Gabriel thought he had found the promised land, until I went to the hotel and got him, telling him "what is the matter with you!!! Ramon didn't get his cappachino yesterday and was "llorando como un nino." When ever Gabriel show's up late, which is every other day, the men ask him if he has an infection. :) That's why he is our "coffee puto."
That's Freddy in the Chicago Bulls jacket. He owe's me 2000 peso's, so he is hard to find most of the time. He prefers to wait until I am someplace else to come out of hiding to ask Armando(behind Freddy) what else need's to be done. :) That's "Bin Laden" on the left "patiently" waiting for Gabriel to get the "breakfast buffet" table set so he can have his coffee. He has already spent a busy morning watching Ramon hook up the chute(see above) and needs a break. :)
Nut's To A Tent Show. I'll Take Madison Square Garden Any Day Of The Week!!!!!!
Until I came to Mexico, I had spent all of 9 miserable months on a tent show in 35 years. People used to always tell me, "you missed a lot by not being on a tented circus. You don't get the feel of "real circus" unless it is in a tent." That is not true, and folk's that told me that are full of shit. We are currently on a God awful lot. Slopes, ravines, tires planted in the ground of what used to be a go cart track. Looking for any excuse not to practice the men informed me yesterday that it was impossible to line the cage wagons up because of the "hill" in the middle of the tent. I immediately went to "def com 3" and did one of my "things", as Ramon refers to my executive decision making process, :) I told them to never tell me something was impossible and to bring me some of the planks of wood laying all over the lot.
My main man Ramon, in the middle, who told the rest of the crew to "stay out of Gringos way when he get's loco, and just let him do what he wants. He has done this a long time." One the left is Tepic(I call him Tepic, because he looks like a Tepic Indian) and on the right Yosa.
There, now don't tell me something is impossible.
Jose Barrada--Clyde Bros. Circus 1966
Jose was the only trainer I ever knew or saw who used a bull whip, instead of a more commonly used twisted willow whip. As most of you probably know, Jose is the father of George Barrada, who had one of the best male lion acts in the American Circus, as well as a male Liger act. George and his wife, the former LuAnn Jacobs, daughter of iconic clown Lou Jacobs currently have a 4 African elephant act. For years the Barrada family, Jose, George, and the late Chino had all the animal act's on one unit of Clyde Bros. Circus. Chimpanzee's, elephants, lions, and bears. Chino also had one of the greatest high wire act's to be seen. A multi talented family to be sure. Jose and I have some "history" with a particular bear, that tried to kill him.
Shrine Circus--Bayfront Center Tampa 1971
Clyde Bros. Circus used to play at the Bayfront Center, and I recognize Jose Barrada's props and arena, so am I right in assuming this is Howard Suez's show?
Red Hartman--Hubert Castle Circus 1979
Red was quite a character, and much has been "jackpotted" about him over the years, including the loss of two finger's to a Hawthorn bear. The first time I ever saw him work, in 1976 on Hubert Castle Circus, he was in "the grapes" and when he bent over to roll two tigers over he fell to his knee's and couldn't get up. Darndest thing I have ever seen in a cage. But for all his faults, his was the only fighting act, with the exception of Pat Anthony's and Jose Barrada's that actually did something, other then bounce. Tall, skinny drink of water, the last time I saw Red was when he came to visit me on the Ringling show in 1984, carrying an oxygen tank, which he set in my trailer so he could go outside and smoke a cigarette.........
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