When I was a little kid, I always wanted to be a pro wrestler or something like that. Then when I was a freshman in high school and I was really thinking, "What do I want to do with my life? I'm going to run away and join the circus or be in the sideshow and travel and do weird things and meet weird people.” Since I was like 14 years old, this was all I ever really focused on.

I didn't run away. I didn't think that there were any sideshows still around. I would read about them in books and see documentaries and stuff, but I didn't think that it was still a thing. I started learning how to swallow swords and hammer a nail in my head. I figured I would do that at bars, like opening for bands or something. Then, this show put out a help wanted ad, and I couldn't believe that there was a carnival sideshow still around. I was already out of college, so I quit my job, I got rid of my apartment, and I joined the show. Been here for almost 20 years now.

Once I started working here and I kept coming back and decided this is really what I like and this is what I want to do forever, I became partners with the two guys that owned the show. I would take it on the road and they would stay in Florida and kind of book it. I was the road guy. Then, I just slowly bought the show from them, and over the course of a couple of years, I became the sole owner.

It was great because I had their guidance, like how to keep the show on the road. I was still learning at the time, so it was kind of like a school. They showed me what to do and then I graduated and bought the show from them.

I had to get a CDL to drive the truck to haul the show and had to learn everything. I didn't go to electrician school, but you got to learn how to keep everything lit up and everything standing in the air. It was a lot more than just swallowing a sword.

Sword swallowing is the first thing I focused on when I was, like, "I'm going to join the circus. What can I do? You know what? Sword swallowing — that seems pretty cool." I just focused on that. That's my favorite thing.

I found a book that had basically one sentence in the back of the book: "Here's how they do it." I just read that and then I just practiced. It took me three years before something would go all the way in.

It was scary. The first time the sword went all the way in, you could feel stuff moving around in your insides. I thought for sure I might die. I don't know if this is normal. I had no teacher. I was just in my room alone. I could feel my heart move and all kinds of stuff, but I survived.

It's usually about six months at a stretch. Sometimes it's eight months, sometimes it's four months, but usually a season is about six months on the road, beginning to end.

This is all I ever liked to do. I like to hang out with the other sideshow people, and even in my downtime, I'm looking on Facebook who's around and who's doing what, and what's the next thing. I have a personal life. I'm not a wild and crazy guy, I guess. I like to go to the movies or go see a band play.

I feel like it's fulfilling to me in an artistic way. I get to perform my act and come up with things and interact with people. Then historically, I'm keeping the show on the road. I have pride in that. Then also, I feel the people that come to the fair, they seem to really like the show. It's different. I feel like I'm bringing something. It's just a 30-minute show at a carnival. It's not a major thing in their lives, but to be able to bring wonder to people, it's fun and it's fulfilling.

Like I said, this was my dream and now I feel like my dream has come true, and every day I'm out here doing what I always imagined that I'd be doing. I love it. There's nothing that's crept into my head that says, maybe you should try this or maybe it's run its course. If I could do this forever, I'll be happy.