Part 3:
Rick and I sat high above the Fair, riding the Skyride.
“The new school year starts next week, right?" he asked.
“We head back Wednesday. Junior year!"
Our feet dangled over the fairgoers far below.
“Have you spotted anything down there?"
“Thousands of people. But not a single instrument."
“Yeah, me neither. Is that ... music that I hear?"
“It's my stomach! I'm getting hungry."
The ride began its sluggish descent towards the ground.
We disembarked, turned a corner, and stood face to face with Zummilio's Sausage Stand.
Divine intervention!
Rick sprung for two sandwiches with peppers and onions.
Grease dripped as we strolled among performers and exhibits:
Artisans cut hunks of wood using only chainsaws;
A petite woman in a wetsuit swam in a tank of sharks;
The birds of prey exhibit held its last demonstration of the night.
“The new school year starts next week, right?" he asked.
“We head back Wednesday. Junior year!"
Our feet dangled over the fairgoers far below.
“Have you spotted anything down there?"
“Thousands of people. But not a single instrument."
“Yeah, me neither. Is that ... music that I hear?"
“It's my stomach! I'm getting hungry."
The ride began its sluggish descent towards the ground.
We disembarked, turned a corner, and stood face to face with Zummilio's Sausage Stand.
Divine intervention!
Rick sprung for two sandwiches with peppers and onions.
Grease dripped as we strolled among performers and exhibits:
Artisans cut hunks of wood using only chainsaws;
A petite woman in a wetsuit swam in a tank of sharks;
The birds of prey exhibit held its last demonstration of the night.
Darkness invaded the sky.
We walked over to help Lou-Ball close down the booth.
“Out of luck, huh? The music biz is a tough gig. Keep on rockin’.”
“It’s a marching band, actually,” I replied as Lou-Ball quickly finished up and headed to leave.
“Don’t forget my Labor Day shift,” he said over his shoulder.
We took the cymbals and triangle to Rick’s car before one more go at the missing items.
Most of the exhibits had closed; only the midway remained open.
Rides continued to thunder and whirl.
Wrappers blew away from trash cans to parts unknown.
Games of chance sought hopeful winners.
A bored carny tapped out notes on a glockenspiel …
“Hey! Where did you get that?” I called. “That’s mine!”
She had black hair and enough eye liner for a raccoon.
“Yours? I’ve been playing it for years,” she said. “I love the … uh, metal chime rack.”
“It’s a glockenspiel and I want it back.”
“Can we have that please?” Rick asked. “The marching band. They were robbed today.”
“Robbed? Who would do that? I didn’t steal a thing.”
“Of course not. But even so, we need it back.”
“You want it? Five dollars.” She offered me a basketball.
“OK, you’ve had your fun. Now hand it over.”
She snapped her gum and said, “Win a prize. Anything you want.”
“Just try it, Josie. Here’s five dollars.”
“Good luck, sugar.”
“Starting forward on the JV basketball team," Rick smiled.
I set my feet, elevated and launched the shot.
We walked over to help Lou-Ball close down the booth.
“Out of luck, huh? The music biz is a tough gig. Keep on rockin’.”
“It’s a marching band, actually,” I replied as Lou-Ball quickly finished up and headed to leave.
“Don’t forget my Labor Day shift,” he said over his shoulder.
We took the cymbals and triangle to Rick’s car before one more go at the missing items.
Most of the exhibits had closed; only the midway remained open.
Rides continued to thunder and whirl.
Wrappers blew away from trash cans to parts unknown.
Games of chance sought hopeful winners.
A bored carny tapped out notes on a glockenspiel …
“Hey! Where did you get that?” I called. “That’s mine!”
She had black hair and enough eye liner for a raccoon.
“Yours? I’ve been playing it for years,” she said. “I love the … uh, metal chime rack.”
“It’s a glockenspiel and I want it back.”
“Can we have that please?” Rick asked. “The marching band. They were robbed today.”
“Robbed? Who would do that? I didn’t steal a thing.”
“Of course not. But even so, we need it back.”
“You want it? Five dollars.” She offered me a basketball.
“OK, you’ve had your fun. Now hand it over.”
She snapped her gum and said, “Win a prize. Anything you want.”
“Just try it, Josie. Here’s five dollars.”
“Good luck, sugar.”
“Starting forward on the JV basketball team," Rick smiled.
I set my feet, elevated and launched the shot.
Mmmmmmm ... SWISH!!!
“Nice job, sweetie. Great. Whatever you want.”
“Uh, yeah, I’ll take the glockenspiel, thanks.”
“I meant choose a prize: teddy bear, penguin, maybe a t-shirt.
“What?"
“It’ll be fifty bucks for your glocken-thingie.”
“No way! You’re not gonna extort us like this. I’ll call security.”
“Allow me. Hey, Clem! Come over here, will ya?”
A meaty, unshaven face poked toward us.
“What’s the matter, cousin? These two botherin’ you?”
“I don’t know.” She batted her eyes at us. “Are you?”
“No,” my brother answered. “Just testing our luck.”
“Takes more than a basketball.”
Rick dug through his pockets as Clem wandered away.
“OK, I’ve got thirty-nine dollars. Good enough? What do you say?”
“I’d say there’s an ATM right by the bathrooms. See you soon.”
He fetched the money and, as promised, she handed it over.
“You haven’t seen a xylophone anywhere, have you?” I asked.
“Yeah, maybe a relative stashed it somewhere,” Rick muttered.
“Don’t be mad. It's just business. Nothing was at Lost and Found?”
Our heads swiveled.
“You didn’t start there first?” she laughed.
“That’s … next on our list. OK, thanks for your help, I guess.”
“Test your luck anytime.”
We ran to a small brick building on the outskirts of the grounds.
The Administration Office.
An older woman in glasses was just locking up.
“Excuse me! Excuse me!”
She eyed us with concern.
“This is kind of an emergency. Do you have a Lost and Found in there? With a xylophone?”
“Why yes, in fact, I do.”
“It belongs to the marching band. I lost it. I was supposed to keep an eye on it but it got lost.”
She put the key back in the door and unlocked it.
“I’ll just need a signature.”
The nightly fireworks exploded, as if right on cue, and burst triumphantly above our heads.
“Nice job, sweetie. Great. Whatever you want.”
“Uh, yeah, I’ll take the glockenspiel, thanks.”
“I meant choose a prize: teddy bear, penguin, maybe a t-shirt.
“What?"
“It’ll be fifty bucks for your glocken-thingie.”
“No way! You’re not gonna extort us like this. I’ll call security.”
“Allow me. Hey, Clem! Come over here, will ya?”
A meaty, unshaven face poked toward us.
“What’s the matter, cousin? These two botherin’ you?”
“I don’t know.” She batted her eyes at us. “Are you?”
“No,” my brother answered. “Just testing our luck.”
“Takes more than a basketball.”
Rick dug through his pockets as Clem wandered away.
“OK, I’ve got thirty-nine dollars. Good enough? What do you say?”
“I’d say there’s an ATM right by the bathrooms. See you soon.”
He fetched the money and, as promised, she handed it over.
“You haven’t seen a xylophone anywhere, have you?” I asked.
“Yeah, maybe a relative stashed it somewhere,” Rick muttered.
“Don’t be mad. It's just business. Nothing was at Lost and Found?”
Our heads swiveled.
“You didn’t start there first?” she laughed.
“That’s … next on our list. OK, thanks for your help, I guess.”
“Test your luck anytime.”
We ran to a small brick building on the outskirts of the grounds.
The Administration Office.
An older woman in glasses was just locking up.
“Excuse me! Excuse me!”
She eyed us with concern.
“This is kind of an emergency. Do you have a Lost and Found in there? With a xylophone?”
“Why yes, in fact, I do.”
“It belongs to the marching band. I lost it. I was supposed to keep an eye on it but it got lost.”
She put the key back in the door and unlocked it.
“I’ll just need a signature.”
The nightly fireworks exploded, as if right on cue, and burst triumphantly above our heads.
Labor Day arrived with record high temperatures, delivering a skyline of painted postcards.
A total of four customers entered the store from open to close.
Rick had time to finish the inventory projections, organize the catalogues, and restock the entire complimentary coffee area.
Lou-Ball spent his free time at Groff’s Beach.
He texted Rick updates of every volleyball game, including photos of his cute new friends.
The marching band, as was their custom, played the ceremonial closing march at the Fair.
It was a great success … even if it did start a little late.
One of the freshman, Tommy Karns, soaked his coronet overnight in Goo-Be-Gone!
To ‘bring out the shine.’
It also brought the gurgle of soggy notes.
After a scramble for a new horn, the show did at last commence.
And commence it did.
Hundreds of spectators lined the parade route, whooping and cheering every song.
The alchemy of aural texture worked its magic.
And thanks to my brother, our percussion section unleashed a smart and smashing backbeat.
A total of four customers entered the store from open to close.
Rick had time to finish the inventory projections, organize the catalogues, and restock the entire complimentary coffee area.
Lou-Ball spent his free time at Groff’s Beach.
He texted Rick updates of every volleyball game, including photos of his cute new friends.
The marching band, as was their custom, played the ceremonial closing march at the Fair.
It was a great success … even if it did start a little late.
One of the freshman, Tommy Karns, soaked his coronet overnight in Goo-Be-Gone!
To ‘bring out the shine.’
It also brought the gurgle of soggy notes.
After a scramble for a new horn, the show did at last commence.
And commence it did.
Hundreds of spectators lined the parade route, whooping and cheering every song.
The alchemy of aural texture worked its magic.
And thanks to my brother, our percussion section unleashed a smart and smashing backbeat.