Watch now (7 mins) | Gentle reader, There’s a word that old time carnies and circus people used to use to describe the civilians who came to the Midway to have some fun and get into fights: rubes. The rubes were operating from a place of weakness, because even though the circus is set up on the edge of the town they know well, within its boundaries, the carnies make the rules. If a rube is lucky, he’ll lose a few bucks to a crooked game, catch a wild show and have some laughs. If unlucky, he’ll lose some teeth.
If the rubes got really tough, a circus staff member would shout 'HEY, RUBE!", and his colleagues would come running. Either the rubes would retreat or a bit of a "clem" (fight) would result.
Obviously, saving this historic building is one major "clem".
If the rubes got really tough, a circus staff member would shout 'HEY, RUBE!", and his colleagues would come running. Either the rubes would retreat or a bit of a "clem" (fight) would result.
Obviously, saving this historic building is one major "clem".