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October 2024-French Piñata
A FRENCH PIÑATA Railcar# 73
MULBERRY-BUSH, FRANCE: Cabaret performers Jon and Jone'e We-sil welcomed their new born child Jacque into the world......True
Young We-sil spent his early years with Mon'kee (a monkey that was part of his parents’ Cabaret act) chasing each other around town popping water bombs on each other. Coming of age, Lil' We-sil developed an interest in the family trade, specifically the art of Mime, the acting out of a story using only body movements and facial expressions......very popular with the French. To aid son Jacque in developing the classic 'stuck in an imaginary box' routine, Jon built an actual glass box for him to practice in. The box, being visible from the street, caused neighbors to say, “look, there's Jacque in the box”.......You know where this is going.....
Excited to introduce this amazing art form to America, Jacque would travel to San Francisco’s Fisherman's Wharf, the country's premier street performer's location. With the big day at hand, in costume and white face, Jacque quietly steps into his imaginary glass box and begins the classic 'stuck in a box' routine. Time passes by, and so do the tourists. The singers, jugglers, dancers and especially the WORLD FAMOUS BUSHMAN* are getting all the attention. Persisting day after day at doing his act, some onlookers finally began to gather......kids......bratty kids. But they were laughing, making fun, poking, kicking and throwing food at him......Not good......but still persisting, he kept on day after day, along with developing an extreme dislike, more like an extreme hate, for kids.
Then one day a new street vendor setup his booth next to Jacque......PEDRO'S PIÑATAS......Not knowing what a piñata was, Jacque inquired. To demonstrate what they were, Pedro grabbed one of the kids, handed him a broom stick and a simple instruction, pointed to a brightly colored crepe paper donkey hanging on the display. With a few direct hits, the donkey burst open spewing candy and toys all over the sidewalk. The kids went bonkers. Inventory sold out instantly.
THE EPIPHANY......There it was......clear as day......Jacque's salvation.
With all eyes on PABLO'S booth, Jacque quietly found his way out of the imaginary box, folded it up and tucking it under his arm, hailed a cab, and rode off into the sunset.
SIX MONTHS LATER......6am......FISHERMAN'S WHARF:
A U-HAUL truck pulls up to the curb. A clown, a mini clown and a monkey get out and began unloading. By noon they were open for business. Quickly attracting a large crowd, business exploded, literally......A success.
THE GAME......
The newly invented French Piñata or 'exploding prize bombs' contain either 'tricks' or 'treats'. The kid selects one, Mon'kee takes and gives it to Jacque, in the box. With the lid closed, Mini Clown begins turning the crank that plays a song**. At its conclusion out pops Jacque with bomb in hand......you know what happens next......BOOM......the Piñata explodes sending its innards everywhere for the player to gather up.
THE DARK SIDE......
Jacque knew his French Piñata would make him rich, but getting revenge on all the bratty kids that tormented him doing the Mime act days was the true reward. When a bratty kid comes up and selects a bomb, Mon'kee gives it to Jacque and while shut in the box, he switches it with another bomb, a 'trick' bomb. This one contains stuff like rotten fruit, paint, broken glass, rusty nails and other bad stuff......and then......with the turning of the crank......**ALL AROUND MULBERRY-BUSH MON-KEE CHASED THE WE-SIL, MON-KEE STOPPED TO PULL UP HIS PANTS, AND GOT POPPED BY THE WE-SIL......the rest is history.
MONIKERS.......NEW CATCH PHRASES
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK
NEVER MAKE FUN OF MIMES
HE RODE OFF INTO THE SUNSET
HAVE A BLAST
*THE BUSHMAN, David Johnson, was a Busker in the 1980's working Fisherman's Wharf. He would crouch down on the sidewalk hiding under Eucalyptus branches waiting to jump up and scare an unsuspecting passerby. Previous victims and onlookers would quietly gather around and wait to watch him surprise his next victim. He might be hiding in a photo in next months' article, remember to look for him.