Unique. I used to love that word. I would say it to just about anyone who would listen. That was when I was a kid and learning new words.

I used to think that Clowns were unique. I still do now that I think about it. They are funny, playful, sad and in some cases, scary.

To be honest, I have never associated clowns being scary, but then I don’t really watch much tv when I was growing up, so never learned to be afraid of them.  Then when I did watch tv, I learned that they were supposed to be scary. However, I have always associated them being whimsical and in that regard, I  just look at how unique they must be.

Then I saw this Clown at a window at what used to be Busvan for Bargains, a old time furniture/antique shop that closed for over ten years. Or more? Because the shop sits empty, the shop owner either rents or allow some local artists to set up their work on display. What a great idea!

On this particular day months ago. The display was of a Clown with eyes that shifts from side to side as his frown deepen. Aside from being interesting and unique to look at, this Clown came from Playland at the Beach in San Francisco. This was  an institution that I have never seen but have heard much about.

Back in its heyday, Playland had a collection of amusement park rides and concessions that drew thousands of visitors. Began back in 1913 and closed around 1972.

There are a lot of remnants from those days left and scattered all over the City and the Bay Area. One of the more famous is the Carousel that now sits in Yerba Buena. Without knowing that, I have actually been on that ride. Next time you happen to go ice skating or bowling in Yerba Buena, you can pop in and marvel at it. 🙂

But this Clown, with his  sad eyes and frown, was something I did not expect to see. Even though I was not afraid of it, it was a bit disconcerting to look at it. For a few weeks there, he temporarily peered sadly through time from within another place that once was. I wonder if he missed his home by the beach…

Clown from Playland at the Beach

This post is in response to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Unique