From pretty much the moment we can formulate an answer, we
are asked this question. For some people, this answer never changes – they know
what they want to be from day one. And it is impressive. For the rest of us,
the answer can be fairly fluid. This week I’m taking a look back at some of my
earlier aspirations.
Thanks to all the school work my parents have held on to
over the years, I know one thing for sure:
I had a lot of plans when I was a kid.
When I was in pre-school, the teacher handed out a sheet of
paper with this timeless question written across the top and we were supposed to draw our
answer.
I drew a clown.
I honestly can’t tell you what was going through my head
when I made that decision. My best guess is that it had something to do with
liking to make people laugh. I was also a bit of ham back then, so I wouldn’t
be surprised if when asked this question my thought process was, Hmmm. What would get me the most attention?
Ah, yes, the art of clowning. It was either that or, Hehe. Silly clowns. Either way, the irrefutable logic swayed me.
I believe this choice also points to a subtle desire to
scare the crap out of people. ‘Cause let’s face it, clowns are a wee bit
creepy. (And by “wee bit,” I mean “extremely.” It’s the whole facial
cues issue.) I used to love to hide behind things and jump out at people. Thankfully,
I eventually kicked that twisted little habit (for the most part. I still get
the urge sometimes when I’m around my sister. But I figure, that’s only natural),
which is probably why my interest in clowning waned.
This was not a dream with any longevity to it, but it did
foreshadow my current approach to writing. If at the end of the day, I’ve put
something on the page that can both give the reader a chuckle and the creeps, I
feel successful.
By the way, my dream of being a clown totally came true, if
a little earlier than I expected. At the age of eleven, I gave the performance
of my life as the clown at my sister’s eighth birthday party. I am proud to say
that I was both amusing and horrifying (with a slight emphasis on the latter).
So, check that dream off the list.
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