Laughter is the Best Medicine
Voted favorite story by readers in our 1st Annual ILOD Story Contest

I have a small business as a clown for parties. I'm also an EMT on the East Brunswick New Jersey Rescue Squad. One afternoon I was in my "Tickles the Clown" persona, complete with makeup, flaming red hair, shiny red nose and big shoes, driving to my performance at a company picnic. Suddenly I witnessed a two-car accident. I contemplated my predicament: in spite of my EMS training I knew that I didn't exactly command professional respect in my current physical form. But what could I do? So I threw off my wig to provide myself with at least a little dignity, attached my blue light to the roof of my car and got out. Approaching the dazed 18-year-old front seat passenger with the most serious injuries, I assured her that she had not died and gone to the Big Top in the Sky, and that I was there to help her. An alarmed police officer rushed over and frantically told me not to move the victim, but I stated with authority that I was an emergency medical clown…er..technician and she allowed me to continue working. The injured and still rather panicky girl insisted she did not want stitches for the several lacerations, so I suggested that I would try waving my wand and making them disappear, though stitches would be more medically appropriate. She remained afraid and in pain (and to my dismay, not the least bit entertained). By the time the ambulance arrived I had completed the assessment and controlled the bleeding. I gave my report to the crew leader of the First Aid Squad who tried very hard to take me seriously, and I assisted in moving the young lady and her boyfriend from the crashed vehicle to an ambulance. (But not without giving them a stern lecture on wearing seat belts).

I returned to my car, and seeing the smirks on the faces of bystanders, I remembered my appearance. I smiled to them and professed with a shrug, that I am indeed a Clown-of-all-Trades. The next week there were stories with full color pictures of the incident in the papers. Then a friend called and said that I was "up in lights". I drove 20 minutes to the New Jersey Turnpike to see the news headlines on a huge billboard: "Mother Teresa's burial today … Yankees-13, Orioles-5 … Clown aids crash victim." My 20 minutes of fame.

Rachelle Burk
E.M.T./C.L.O.W.N.
East Brunswick Rescue Squad
East Brunswick, NJ
pictured: Tickles (Rachelle) & daughters Sweetheart (Cara), Dimples (Alana)