Being the nice and accurate report of the somewhat failed world juggling day 2001 festivities in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

So here I am, ten o'clock on the morning of World Juggling Day, sitting in the emergency room of Kingston General Hospital wondering whether anyone made it to the children's festival parade. The parade I was supposed to be walking in on my stilts. The stilts that snapped under me the night before, causing a sudden fall to the pavement. The fall I broke with the arm that now seems to be broken itself. I'd sue someone except that (a) I'm Canadian and (b) I made the damned things myself.

At two-thirty I finally leave the hospital. It is a break, the doctor tells me, but not a bad one. Two weeks in a cast should sort it out. Two weeks? I was supposed to be juggling today! Well, she says, you're fortunate it's your left arm anyhow. Fortunate? I'm left handed. Oh.

Karen is shuttling kids to birthday parties so I can either wait half an hour for a taxi or walk home in about the same time. I elect to walk, which turns out to be a mistake --- the mild jarring translates into fairly intense pain after just a few minutes. Too late to stop now.

Almost home I meet up with Kim and Janis. Yes, they were in the parade and stayed at the children's festival to juggle for a few hours. Then they cycled home to ditch their costumes and get back downtown for the Gay Pride celebrations. What's up for our World Juggling Day meet in the park at five? Don't worry, I tell them, it's still on. I may not be able to juggle much but I'll be there.

At four-thirty I realize that the medication is helping but not enough. And it's making me drowsy. There's no way I'm leaving the house. I can't find Janis's cell phone number anywhere so I ask Karen to drive to the park and let them know.

At quarter past five no one else has shown up and Kim and Janis decide that they're too tired, it's too windy, they've already juggled enough for one day and besides, it's Janis's birthday. They head for the liquor store to pick up a little something so they can ride home and celebrate properly. On the way they meet Andrew, who's heading for the park with his props. What's up? he asks. Kim and Janis explain. They go their separate ways. Kim and Janis get home, collapse on the couch and fall asleep, their liquor unopened.

Well, it wasn't a total loss. At least I won five beanbags from that nice Todd Smith fellow in the official World Juggling Day prize draw. Maybe next year will work out a little better.

Greg