Fair Birthday

Nothing like a birthday to remind me how old I've become. It was OK as birthdays go - for some reason I seem to remember some real stinker birthdays instead of those that were probably pretty good. Must be a character flaw.

Anyway, Chris, being the good sport he always is, agreed to accompany me to the Barth. Co. Fair last night. I've always enjoyed the county fair, based on mostly happy memories of the Elkhart County Fair every year as a child.

Even getting stuck on the Ferris Wheel with my sister once when we were very young doesn't stick in my mind as a particularly bad memory. I just remember being a little scared but trying to comfort her when they tried to restart the ride and it went way too fast. And I remember being very cold as we stayed stuck at the top late into the night.

But for me, just knowing my parents were on the ground waiting for us was comfort enough, and somehow they did finally get the ride functioning well enough to bring us down at least close enough to earth so that someone tall could reach up and pull us down to earth that late summer night.

Fair food, the animals, the exhibits, the midway, the people. All combine to make the county fair fascinating and fun for me. I bought Chris a ticket for the bumper cars and waited while he worked his way through the long line to crash his little car into a bunch of strangers for 3 minutes. I didn't succeed at convincing him to join me on the Tilt-a-Whirl, that awesome ride that's been my favorite since I was about 5 years old. But that's OK.

There was a tractor pull in the grandstand, but Chris and I decided it wasn't worth the admission fee to just go in and watch the competition for a half hour. We probably would have bought tickets if it was Demolition Derby night, though.

I seem to remember that there were more musical performers in the grandstand back in Elkhart County. I know a Fair Board member here and asked him about that once, and he told me that there wasn't any money in bringing in musical acts. Their fees are so high that the fair loses money or barely breaks even on a performance, and the tractor pull and demolition derby are by far the most profitable. Too bad, I'd pay to see a singer or band I like.

A little county fair secret I suppose it's OK to divulge now that it's somthing like 35 years later: One summer at the fair, I think maybe between 7th and 8th grade or maybe between 8th and 9th, I was making my way around the midway with my sisters when I caught sight of an angel. Or at least a female someone approximately my age that just knocked me off my feet.

I did my best to keep her in sight, and even chose amusement rides based on those she boarded with someone I assumed was her sister. If my own sister noticed what I was up to, I can't recall whether she made any comments, but then I was probably so focused on that beautiful creature that I wouldn't have heard.

Of course, consistent with my socially inept character, I was unable to gin up the courage to try to meet this beautiful creature, and went home that night thinking about almost nothing else. I seem to recall finding a way to get to the fair every day that year, where I continued to seek out just one more glimpse of my secret crush, but alas, she was never seen again.

I hadn't thought about that girl in probably close to those 35 years, but whoever she is, she made my summer way back then. And it makes me laugh at myself now to think about that shy kid so many years ago who could find such perfect adoration in an unapproachable little girl.

You know, I always identified with Charlie Brown.