You're right.
In your grandmother's day that is exactly how it went.

I recall when i was very young hearing something, and
asking about it, and was told that 'Uncle Maxie wanted
to join the circus, and they had to talk him out of it."

For years I wondered what he was going to do in the
circus, and why they dug up every old relative from
every corner of the universe to talk uncle maxie out
of joining the circus.

(Laughing my head off as I type).

Of course now I appreciate that he had wanted to
leave his wife for another woman, and because it was
such a unbelievable occurrence, this was how they
translated it.

Uncle Maxie never did join the circus.