Jack's mother took him to the circus.

And so they sat through the lions, and the acrobats, and the AOL users, and the other freaks, until at last the CLOWNS came out.

A tiny car drove into the middle ring, and about 20 clowns got out. They frolicked and did clown-like things, and Jack was oh-so-happy.

But then the lead clown - a tall, bald clown in wild garb - emerged from the car. He motioned, and the other clowns fell silent.

"Can I have," the clown asked, "a volunteer from the audience?"

Jack frantically waved his hand. "Me! Me!" he cried. And then - through perhaps a special kind of magic possessed only by little children...

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