R.I.P.

It was after dinner; dark already this time of year and Dick Grayson was going through a couple of day's worth of e-mails. Sorting through the junk, the spam, the bad jokes sent by friends and the few things he actually wanted to read. There was one from Tim from a couple of days ago; the subject line read 'Anyone you know?'. It was a simple cut and paste without comment:

Emmett Kelly Jr., 83; followed in father's large footsteps as circus clown

From Times Staff and Wire Reports

December 2, 2006

Emmett Kelly Jr., 83, son of one of the nation's most famous hobo clowns who followed his father into a career under the big top, died Wednesday of complications from pneumonia at a hospital near his home in Tombstone, Ariz., according to his daughter, CherryAnn Kelly-Knapp.

Born Nov. 13, 1923, in Dyersburg, Tenn., Kelly spent much of his childhood around the circus industry.

His father, Emmett Kelly Sr., created the character of Weary Willie the tramp clown, and his mother, Eva Mae Kelly, was a trapeze artist.

In 1960, with the makeup and blessing of his father, Kelly made his clown debut at the Circus Festival in Peru, Ind.

Besides touring with the circus, Kelly performed on TV, entertained at hospitals and made personal appearances until retiring in 2004.

His father died at age 80 in 1979.

Uncle Emmett.

The Kelly's were longtime family friends of the Graysons; Dick's grandfather had flown with Emmett's mother. Emmett was the first person beside Dick the night his parents had fallen, kneeling beside him blocking his view so he couldn't see and had held him, wrapped inside his costume's jacket so he could cry in privacy against the warmth of his chest.

Emmett, along with Pop Haley, were the only ones who had kept track of him, sent birthday and Christmas cards and done what they could to remain a presence in his life and let him know he wasn't forgotten. He'd been a touchstone for Dick all these years but one by one, these reminders of his other life and childhood were going.

Going to another site, Dick ordered four dozen white roses be delivered to the funeral home and made a five figure donation to the Retired Performer's Home in Emmett's name.

He didn't patrol that night, slowly going through and savoring memories instead.

12/4/06

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