My First Experience with a Carnival

Purportedly because I had good grades in school dad wanted to take me to the County Fair and experience the carnival rides and games. Looking back-and after talking with mom-I know that wasn't the full truth. In all actuality he wanted to go (that's the reason most parents have for doing fun things with their kids) and mom knew that if she went with him he'd want to ride the rides and terrify her. So, he took me, we rode the rides and he terrified me instead!

The Ferris wheel-looks innocent enough, but when we were at the top waiting for the Ferris wheel to finish loading dad started rocking it. I did what any normal human being would do-I screamed, grabbed the bar across the front, ducked my head to the back of my white-knuckled hands and held on for dear life. He was laughing so hard-I don't recall hearing him have such a good time before. Then there was the threats of I'd better look up and see the city. It took all the courage I could muster to do so. Yes, it was quite a site to see city lights and the big black ocean. Then he'd rock it again and I'd just close my eyes, duck my head to my white-knuckled hands and hang on tight again.

He didn't spend much money on the carnival games-it was a waste of money. I did win a little gold cut-glass dish from pitching dimes. It was enough.

Speaking of first time experiences. I had never had soda pop. Oh, I know I mentioned helping to carry home mom's 6-pack of Pepsi back in Kentucky but I don't recall ever getting any.

One day, while I was grade school age, and it may even have been when we went out picking Elderberries so mom could make jam (which turned out to be syrup). Any which way (that last memory was a freebie-we actually drove around and wherever we saw an Elderberry bush we stopped and picked them-there were plenty of places along side the roads; come to think of it that was the time when Chipper fell down the hillside into a patch of poison oak too-oh mom was in a tizzy over that one!) as a family we had been out doing something and dad stopped at a small store that sold soda pop, among other things. He knew if we drank our drinks there, he wouldn't be charged the one cent bottle deposit.

We each got to pick out our own bottle (but not the Coke or Pepsi-the only caffeinated drinks). I chose the red one (Jacob would be proud to know that!). I think it was a Nehi Wild Red. He popped that top off and he told us to chug a lug it-and then showed us how, and then I did. Boy it didn't take more than two seconds before I was coughing and spewing soda all over the place. There is nothing that could have prepared me for the fizziness of soda. Whew! I really couldn't see what all the fuss was and why so many people thought it was the only beverage to have!

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