This question catches you off guard. Off course you're not. But... should you tell him that? You wonder. What would your ringmaster want you to do?
Then it occurs to you, that when you were in this guy's position 20 years ago, the voice on the intercom sounded a lot like a guy like you. The voice seemed just as hesitating and confused as you do now.
You're beginning to think that maybe there IS no ringmaster.