Metal Rodeo

The Many Delights Of A Country Fair

If you grew up in a small town, you most likely have warm childhood memories of the annual country fair, probably held in mid summer. Long lazy days and being out of school for several months were already making life wonderful. When it was fair time again, life became even more delightful.

As soon as you got to the fairgrounds, the very first stop was always the cotton candy machine. You watched in fascination as the vendor swirled the paper cone around the machine, collecting a big pink ball of sugary fluff in no time. It was as much fun to eat as it was to turn yourself and everyone around you completely sticky.

The Ferris wheel was the next stop, and once the safety bar was in place you held on tightly with cotton candy-sticky hands. Round and round you went, and if you were lucky it would stop for more passengers while your car was at the top. The view from up there was as exhilarating as the slightly rocking car was scary.

Next, on to the fairway where everyone wanted to try his hand at games of skill. One booth featured throwing soft balls at weighted bowling pins, which was never as easy as it looked. At another, small metal rings about the size of large mens wedding bands were tossed onto pencil-thin posts revolving in a circle. This was also a lot harder than it appeared to be.

If you were skillful or lucky enough to win at one of the games, there were fantastic prizes to select from. Perhaps you would pick a big fuzzy pink teddy bear, or else a chunky plastic imitation crystal necklace. Then again, it might be funny glasses with spiral patterned lenses, or a magic decoder ring, that you would choose. There were just too many choices.

Now it was definitely time to refuel, after all that work, but more choices presented themselves. You had to decide between juicy hot dogs, or soft fresh-baked pretzels encrusted with salt. But then, there was the smell of hot buttered popcorn to tempt you as well, and make the choice that much more difficult.

Next on your tour there was the rodeo, where a brightly painted clown was entertaining the crowd with various antics and clumsy juggling. What a great job you thought it would be, to spend all your time working as a clown in country fairs in all the towns. But something puzzling, you suddenly noticed, was the scuffed brown boots worn by the clown, just like the pair your seventh grade teacher always had on.

Finally that evening you went home, a little too full of junk food and a bit sunburned, but very happy. It had been a tiring day but a wonderful one too, with pleasant memories of another summer’s fair. It was hard to stay awake long enough to get to bed, and as you went to sleep you wondered what your seventh grade teach actually did during his summer vacation.

RACING DEATH MC – HEAVY METAL RODEO