Frown Town was said to be the weirdest town in the land of Grimace. Romping rumors roved here, there,
everywhere. Chit-chat chattered that it rained all day everyday. Gossip prattled that everyone who lived
there had a face that was always wrinkled with a frown because it was against the rules to smile.
There was no laughter. There was no such thing as fun. So nobody ever had any. Having fun was against the rules. Playing games and toys was a no no. So there weren't any games to play, or toys for kids to play with.

And guess what. You haven't heard the bad part yet. Nobody had a friend because nobody was friendly. Nobody ever hugged anyone. There were no puppies or kittens. There weren't any pets at all. No one ever ate candy because there were no candy stores. So there was no candy. Not even a single piece. There were no pastry shops. So there were no cookies and cakes, or jelly donuts.

Nobody was kind or polite. Nope. You haven't heard the bad part yet. You must wonder...What unearthly thing could the bad part possibly be? Well...for starters...according to other jabber-jaw hearsay, there were no playgrounds. So kids had no place to run out and meet each other. It was against the rules.

Nobody ever got a gift because nobody ever gave a gift. So nobody ever jumped for joy.
And now...ready of not, here it comes...the bad part.

STOP. NO. DON'T BRACE YOURSELF. It's against the rules.

There was no circus in Frown Town. That meant that there were no clowns in Frown Town.
Clowns were not allowed in Frown Town. It was against the rules.

Clown Town was as different from Frown Town as black is from white, and day is from night.
Everything said about Clown Town was known to be the truth.

Smile was a circus clown who lived in Clown Town. He was a sad clown. Smile didn't like being a sad clown. He didn't want people to know that he was a sad clown. So he pretended to be happy, and painted on his face a happy smile. That's how he got his name, Smile.

Of all the clowns in the Clown Town the circus visitors and guests liked Smile the most. Kids liked him the most so grown ups liked him the most too. The other clowns didn't like that. So they didn't like Smile.
All clowns stayed together except Smile. He wasn't welcome. They made Smile an outcast. So they left Smile all alone.

The jealous other clowns plotted to get Smile kicked out of the circus. They played dirty tricks on people of the circus that made them angry. Then the clowns somehow managed to make it look like Smile was the trickster.

Everybody believed that he was. Nobody liked Smile. Finally everybody wanted him out. Smile felt deserted, and yes, he certainly was. All he knew all his life was the circus. He was born and raised in the circus. Now that he no longer had the circus, he had nothing. Save righteousness in spirit and confidence in himself that he had become a skilled clown.

One day Smile heard about Frown Town. Those poor people need help, he thought. Maybe I can help them. I'll pay them a visit and offer to make them smile, and be happy.

So Smile left the circus and went to visit the people in Frown Town. Word had it that in this town all visitors were as welcome as a hungry wild bunny in a farmer's carrot patch. So Smile was the only passenger on the bus that rarely stops in Frown Town, but passes speedily through.

When he arrived he stepped off the bus into rain. Dark clouds hung over his head. There was no shelter. The bus stop was but a single rain-soaked old wooden bench. The day was foggy and dim. Raindrops showered, pitter-pattered, splashed and splattered all about him, all upon him. Through leaking eyelids Smile peered here, there, and everywhere. There was no one in sight.

Smile walked. To where...he didn't have the foggiest clue. But he had the foggiest view. Still...He just walked in the rain. Smile got soaked. But he walked on.

Finally he ducked beneath the awning of a newspaper stand. It appeared to be deserted. Shaking rain water off his hands he called out. "Hello!" From behind a stack of newspapers a voice called back. "Who and what?" A scruffy haired head popped up. Leery looking eyes evaluated Smile.

Smile met a wrinkled faced paper boy in Frown Town. "Wait," cried the kid. "Ain't you a stupid clown?"
"If you're speaking to me...yes, I am a clown." Smile replied politely. "Smile is my name. I see that you are a frown. Let me turn your frown upside down. Smile, Child. Yuck yunk yunk," he laughed.

The wrinkled faced kid got angry. And at that, he got ugly. "Scram clown! Clowns ain't allowed in Frown Town. It's against the rules."

"Who made that rule?" Smile asked.
"Grimace did," replied the kid.
"Grimace?" said Smile, "I don't know that I've...."

"Grimace is the boss. He's got the meanest, ugliest, frown in the whole wide world," the kid informed. "And it's bigger than the sky. Everyone is afraid of him. So we all follow his rules. And you'd better follow Grimace's rules too. And scat, bat"

The kid kept taking quick glances up, as if he was afraid that something was about to fall from the sky and bump his head. "You're breaking the rules you stupid old clown. Nobody wants you here. Grimace is going to be angry. He'll be especially mad at you, Bozo. If you don't get lost you'll bring us all bad luck. When Grimace gets sore he's extra mean to everyone."

"Why doesn't somebody tell his mom on him?" Smile asked the kid.
"Grimace ain't got no mom to love him. That's why he cries so much.
That's why he's crying right now. Hey! Look at you! You're soaked with his tears.

You're leaking his tears all over my papers. Get out! Let Grimace cry on your shoulder
some more while you skip town, silly clown."

He turned his back on Smile and started fidgeting at his papers. He punctuated a remark from the back of his head. "And I WILL call the po-leese," he assured. He continued to bumble at his work. He mumbled and he grumbled. Then he stumbled into a stack of papers and knocked them over. "Your bad," he blamed. "Get out! You painted face buffoon."

Smile turned his eyes out into the rain. Now it was raining even harder. The sound of it's down pouring upon the awning and it's splashing on the sidewalk gave Smile the sensation that the newspaper stand was taking a shower. Surging water streamed through the gutter and gurgled down the sewer drain. Thunder faintly mumbled from afar. A dark sky blinked with dim light.

Suddenly there came a spark of magic in the rainy air. It seemed as if the earth was being drenched with an overflow of raining silence. Tension filled the air. But there wasn't an argumentative word heard. Smile shifted his stare from the outside darkness and focused it on the kid's back.

A cloud of gloom hovered over the child's head. This kid, Smile pondered, really believes that this rainstorm is something...somebody....some evil demon...crying because it's upset with him. And because of his anger he is going to harm him.

So much for romping rumors roving here. This child, Smile thought. God! We've got to help this child.
Please.Give me strength. He waited to hear from God before he said another word, or made another move. A small voice came to Smile in a whisper.

"Smile. Speak to the child as I speak to you. Repeat after me.
Poor Grimace. He has no mom to love him." Smile repeated.

"No. I told you that already." the kid replied.

"How about you? Where is your mother?"

"Ain't got none."

"Ooooo. I see," Smile said with a sigh.
"What happened to your mom?"

"Auntie Bertha said that God took Mom while she was birthing me."

"Oooo. Sorry to hear that. Who looks after you?"

"Auntie Bertha."

"Do you love her?"

"Lots."

"Do she love you?"

"Lots."

"How do you think Auntie Bertha would feel about me?"

The child paused. He seemed to deeply ponder.
Then he turned and faced Smile.

"She'd think that you're not mean." he said.
The wrinkles in his face had disappeared.

"What makes you say that?"

"You are like Auntie Bertha. She's not mean.
Her face is like yours. It's always smiley.
And she's always talking about people
loving people, and saying stuff like you say."

"Oooo. I see. Tell me more."

"Plus, you never say mean stuff, or act mean.
She's like that too. I say mean things to you.
But you never say mean things back to me."

"Have you ever said anything nice to Grimace?"

"No."

"If you and I are going to help Grimace,
we'll have to say nice things to each other,
and say nice things to Grimace as well."

The kid paused and seemed to ponder again.
An open minded air came about him.

"Help Grimace? I can't think of anything nice
that I can say to Grimace."

"Can you think of anything else nice to say to me?"

"That's easy. Because you're not mean like Grimace."

"What else nice have you to say to me?"

"Wait. I need a second to think."

"Second's up. Time's up."

"I'm glad."

"You're glad?"

"I'm glad that I met you. You're cool.
I sort of like you."

"That's nice.I like you too."

Now that you have the kid's attention.
Now is the perfect time. The soft voice whispered.

"Say something nice about Grimace," Smile said.
"First thing that comes to your head."

"Well...Grimace could be cool.
But I don't believe he really wants to."

"Why not?"

"He's got loose screws."

"Loose screws?"

"He got mental issues."

"Mental issues?"

"Grimace has mental issues.
He needs help. You're right."

"Then You and I need to help him.
With your help...I know we can."

The kid turned his back again,
and gave Smile a doubtful head shake.

"No way," he said, "Grimace is too mean to be helped.
He's a helpless wicked demon. So...you might as well forget it...
and get ghost."

"get ghost?"

"Get invisible. Go. Scram."

"Well," said Smile, "if you insist. I'll go.

He turned to step from under the awning,
and out into the rain.

He paused.

"But before I go...listen and know....
It will be better for him, and for you too...
if you love him. Bless those who mistreat you.
Do good things to and for them. Do things..."

Just then a bolt of lightning arched just above their heads.
The dark sky turned as bright as a sunny noon day.
The newspaper stand awning swayed in the wind.

A man's hat flew by carried by the windswept rain.