The story says: “Why aren’t people coming, Poppa?” I ask. “We always sell out.” “Not this year, Luke,” Poppa says with a sigh, “and maybe not for a long, long while. Times are tough—all these banks failing and nobody working. If anyone has even a few extra nickels, they’ll spend it at the movies or at a big circus like Ringling Brothers. We’re just small potatoes.” What does the phrase “just small potatoes” mean?
A. The McKinney Circus is not well known.
B. The Incredible Torinos are not very good.
C. The McKinney Circus costs little to go see.
D. The Incredible Torinos have little to eat.
The correct answer is A. The McKinney Circus is not well known.
The phrase “just small potatoes” means that something is considered to be insignificant or not important compared to something else. In this context, Poppa is saying that the McKinney Circus is not as attractive or well-known as larger entertainment options like movies or big circuses, which is why fewer people are coming to see them.