My grandmother believed you could tell a lot about people by their guest bathroom, hence the concern emerging in this coffin-like space: wallpaper of expressionless clowns framed like photo-booth mug shots from the local precinct, like sepia-toned images found on library microfiche while researching for a report on Wyatt Earp. Their stares neither hindered nor helped the business at hand. I rummaged through cabinets seeking rouge and face paint, looked for squirting daisies under the sink, until behind the door I confronted a life-sized Pagliacci with a plumb-crazy stare. I take it back. They absolutely facilitated the business at hand.
Thad DeVassie is a multi-genre writer and painter who creates from the outskirts of Columbus, Ohio. Under no circumstances does he enjoy clowns. Find Thad on Twitter and Instagram @thaddevassie.