Part 2:
Our search for instruments at the State Fair continued.
One found, three to go.
Giddy and hopeful, triangle in hand, we scanned every patron for rogue contraband.
We listened for any offbeat bangs or boings.
All systems were on high alert.
But after two hours in the heat, we soon slumped upon a bench.
There’d been no new discoveries.
No more recoveries.
Nothing.
“Let’s face it, we got lucky with the triangle. I’m doomed.”
“It’s not the end of the world. Not your fault some jackals chose to steal from you.”
“I’m the equipment manager.”
“Let’s go cool down. And I want to see how Lou-Ball’s doing.”
“Can we get lemonades first?"
“We can get lemonades first."
One found, three to go.
Giddy and hopeful, triangle in hand, we scanned every patron for rogue contraband.
We listened for any offbeat bangs or boings.
All systems were on high alert.
But after two hours in the heat, we soon slumped upon a bench.
There’d been no new discoveries.
No more recoveries.
Nothing.
“Let’s face it, we got lucky with the triangle. I’m doomed.”
“It’s not the end of the world. Not your fault some jackals chose to steal from you.”
“I’m the equipment manager.”
“Let’s go cool down. And I want to see how Lou-Ball’s doing.”
“Can we get lemonades first?"
“We can get lemonades first."
We arrived to a much busier Merchants Building.
Our path slowed as we jockeyed toward the Hyung booth.
“Doing all right?” my brother asked.
“I’m surviving,” said salesman Louis Baleski, aka Lou-Ball.
Describing him? Imagine a dude who chooses to go by Lou-Ball.
That's exactly how he looks.
“I came to give you a break," Rick said, “then we're going back out. Can you cover a while longer?”
“You’re leaving me alone all day?”
“I’ll make it up to you. Work your Labor Day shift at the store?”
“Deal.”
We straightened up the display table and got out more fliers until Lou-Ball returned.
“By the way," he said, chowing down on Pizza Fritte, “stroll past the guy hawking cleaning polish.”
“You mean Goo-Be-Gone? Why?”
“Just take a look.”
The Goo-Be-Gone booth had a stage set up for demonstrations.
The faux-Western backdrop looked quite realistic.
A burly man with a white bushy beard addressed the crowd.
His cowboy hat rested close to magnetic yet almost scary eyes.
“Why should you buy Goo-Be-Gone?" he asked.
(A palpable hush awaited his answer.)
“I'll give you three reasons: Ease, Trees and Please.”
(He paused dramatically, adding mystery to his words.)
“Ease, Trees and Please:
Ease, as in very easy to use;
Trees, as in 100% safe for the environment;
Please, as in please buy this stuff! I’ve got kids in college! One’s an art major, for cryin’ out loud!”
Our path slowed as we jockeyed toward the Hyung booth.
“Doing all right?” my brother asked.
“I’m surviving,” said salesman Louis Baleski, aka Lou-Ball.
Describing him? Imagine a dude who chooses to go by Lou-Ball.
That's exactly how he looks.
“I came to give you a break," Rick said, “then we're going back out. Can you cover a while longer?”
“You’re leaving me alone all day?”
“I’ll make it up to you. Work your Labor Day shift at the store?”
“Deal.”
We straightened up the display table and got out more fliers until Lou-Ball returned.
“By the way," he said, chowing down on Pizza Fritte, “stroll past the guy hawking cleaning polish.”
“You mean Goo-Be-Gone? Why?”
“Just take a look.”
The Goo-Be-Gone booth had a stage set up for demonstrations.
The faux-Western backdrop looked quite realistic.
A burly man with a white bushy beard addressed the crowd.
His cowboy hat rested close to magnetic yet almost scary eyes.
“Why should you buy Goo-Be-Gone?" he asked.
(A palpable hush awaited his answer.)
“I'll give you three reasons: Ease, Trees and Please.”
(He paused dramatically, adding mystery to his words.)
“Ease, Trees and Please:
Ease, as in very easy to use;
Trees, as in 100% safe for the environment;
Please, as in please buy this stuff! I’ve got kids in college! One’s an art major, for cryin’ out loud!”
The crowd laughed at the barker’s pitch as his banter continued.
“Goo-Be-Gone will clean metal, stovetops, bathtubs, vinyl and leather.
No scrubbing needed; just apply, wait and wipe.
Who’d like a demonstration?”
(Some applause, plus a whistle or two.)
“I have here a pair of cymbals; where they came from I have no idea."
“What??!" I whispered.
“Look at this one, it’s practically brown. Discolored and dingy. The other one’s been soaking in Goo-Be-Gone for an hour.”
(Picks up a tub containing a cymbal submerged in green gel.)
“Now let me show you the magic of Goo-Be-Gone!”
(Lifts cymbal out with tongs, dries with a towel.)
“Is this the lefty or the righty? How do they tell? It’s like trying to guess the sex of a tufted titmouse. Ah, pardon my French.”
(Uncomfortable laughter.)
“And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for … ta-da!”
The cymbal beamed bright and majestic, ready for a grand gala.
“Excuse me, sir? Could you clean the other one, too? They’re mine, I play in the band.”
“Of course, dear, of course. I’m a music lover myself.”
With a wink (and a stone face) he sang: “Just nine-ninety-nine, with a year’s guarantee, every buyer today, gets shammies for freeee.”
“Goo-Be-Gone will clean metal, stovetops, bathtubs, vinyl and leather.
No scrubbing needed; just apply, wait and wipe.
Who’d like a demonstration?”
(Some applause, plus a whistle or two.)
“I have here a pair of cymbals; where they came from I have no idea."
“What??!" I whispered.
“Look at this one, it’s practically brown. Discolored and dingy. The other one’s been soaking in Goo-Be-Gone for an hour.”
(Picks up a tub containing a cymbal submerged in green gel.)
“Now let me show you the magic of Goo-Be-Gone!”
(Lifts cymbal out with tongs, dries with a towel.)
“Is this the lefty or the righty? How do they tell? It’s like trying to guess the sex of a tufted titmouse. Ah, pardon my French.”
(Uncomfortable laughter.)
“And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for … ta-da!”
The cymbal beamed bright and majestic, ready for a grand gala.
“Excuse me, sir? Could you clean the other one, too? They’re mine, I play in the band.”
“Of course, dear, of course. I’m a music lover myself.”
With a wink (and a stone face) he sang: “Just nine-ninety-nine, with a year’s guarantee, every buyer today, gets shammies for freeee.”
“We’ll take two,” Rick shouted, holding up a twenty. “That’s great stuff.”
The man smiled, bowed and took our money.
By the time the transaction was done, many hands had shot up.
The barker told us to come back in an hour.
When we returned, he clasped Rick warmly on the shoulder.
“I’ve had my best sales day all week! Here’s a refund, you get yours for free.”
We took the cymbals to the Hyung booth and headed back outside.
“Feeling better?” my brother asked.
“Yeah, that was pretty cool. But where to next?”
“Let’s go … up.”
“Up?”
“Way up.”
To the Skyride!
We bought our tickets and soon a yellow gondola was behind us.
An attendant locked the safety bar on our laps.
Our ascent hummed to faint motors as the ground fell away.
The kids ahead of us looked relaxed and happy.
The people coming toward us had not a care in the world.
Why should I?
I leaned back my head and imagined we were flying.
The man smiled, bowed and took our money.
By the time the transaction was done, many hands had shot up.
The barker told us to come back in an hour.
When we returned, he clasped Rick warmly on the shoulder.
“I’ve had my best sales day all week! Here’s a refund, you get yours for free.”
We took the cymbals to the Hyung booth and headed back outside.
“Feeling better?” my brother asked.
“Yeah, that was pretty cool. But where to next?”
“Let’s go … up.”
“Up?”
“Way up.”
To the Skyride!
We bought our tickets and soon a yellow gondola was behind us.
An attendant locked the safety bar on our laps.
Our ascent hummed to faint motors as the ground fell away.
The kids ahead of us looked relaxed and happy.
The people coming toward us had not a care in the world.
Why should I?
I leaned back my head and imagined we were flying.