Have you ever noticed how those Carnivals can pop up overnight on
a vacant lot or parking lot? One day there is nothing, and then like magic there is music and crowds of people having
fun, and you can smell popcorn, corn dogs and candy apples, all those delicious smells that intoxicate and hypnotize you.
You don’t want to go there if your broke, it would just be torture. Well, that’s just what Skeeter
and I were..... broke.
We heard there was a Carnival
down by the lake, Lake Merritt. Where can we get some money? MOM! Yep, good old Mom. Well, it wasn’t
very much, but enough to have some fun, thanks Mom.
Just passed the Parkway Theatre and we caught sight of the temporary but exciting addition
to our town. The Ferris wheel and the merry-go-round sparkling in the afternoon sun, the sounds of laughter and music
and yells, rifle shots from the shooting gallery, bells dinging, and then, the wonderful smells of delicious treats as tempting
as Heaven itself. We had to be choosy with what little money we had, but the anticipation for the moment was overwhelming.
Oh it was good to be a boy of twelve!
We were drawn to the music of the merry-go-round, it sounded so loud and happy. Old looking drums and cymbals mechanically working to the rhythm of a pipe organ. Sitting on a chair in the center was a mean
looking man, an old damp cigar in his mouth, a derby kind of a hat on his head. He seemed so bored and unhappy while
all around him smiling laughing faces and painted ponies circled and circled. He stood up and checking his watch, pulled
a large lever slowly back and the circle of smiles began to slow down and everybody knew their ride was ending. They savored
it to the last second.
Skeeter said, do you want
to ride the merry-go-round? Let’s look around and see what else there is, and we went off on a tour of this island
of fun. Wandering around and before you could say Jack Robinson, our money was spent. But now I see that wasn’t
important. Although we were empty handed and broke, we would go home with something valuable. Lingering and broke. That’s what we are. Sitting on a
bench in the warm afternoon sun, feeling like we wanted more. We didn’t want to leave, but there was nothing we
could do except watch everybody else have fun. Right in front of us the merry-go-round music started playing, and the
painted ponies began their endless journey. I watched the boss with the derby hat collecting tickets, walking slowly
through his galloping herd and circling past us again and again. Then I noticed he was gone, oh yeah, he’s sitting
on that chair again on the other side, as he was when I first saw him. An idea formed in my little mind as I watched
the happy faces going around and I noticed there were a few empty saddles.
In my mind I visualized the two of us getting over the temporary aluminum fence and running
alongside the moving platform, grabbing one of those empty saddles and swinging up to be seated as we passed by the boss.
The ride was slowing down now, and I told Skeeter of the plan. New riders in place, we watched carefully, the
happy music began, inviting us to be daring. The boss finished his collection and was now on the other side, out of
sight. Our moment came, and now it was up to us to prove we were brave or not. I don’t remember how we cleared
that fence, but our timing and our plan worked beautifully. We swung up on the saddles like Roy Rogers and passed by the boss
as if we had been there from the start. We were delighted! We got away with it! Why is a stolen ride more
exciting than one you have to pay for? When the ride was over, we walked out into the Carnival feeling powerful for
getting away with our free ride.
Feeling
so clever, from the far end of the lot we heard the happy music start up again, and we looked at each other and smiled. Let’s
do it again! So with a new confidence we repeated the timing, the sprint, and mounted the empty saddles of the painted
ponies, laughing and having more fun on the merry-go-round than ever before. The music with its drums and cymbals seemed
not only happy, but triumphant!
Just as the ride was
slowing down and almost stopped, I felt a big hand grab my collar, and saw Skeeter’s eyes as big as saucers! I
turned my head to see the mean face of the boss! He looked even meaner now with his old hat and soggy cigar jammed in
the corner of his mouth, eyes glaring! Skeeter twisted out of the boss’s hand and scrambled away with the crowd
going out the gate. But I was caught! “I’ve had it with you kids!” He growled. I
saw you sneak a ride this time, and the time before! I’m gonna teach you a lesson! The boss dragged me back
to the center of the Carousel next to the levers and machinery, and sat me on the chair as he sent his helper to find the
policeman that was roaming through the crowd.
Of course
I wanted to escape, but the boss was watching all the time. New people were getting on the ride, all smiling, happy, I
sure didn’t feel that way now. Once again the tall lever was engaged, and with a shudder the Carousel started
to turn, the music began to play, the circle of smiles surrounding me became a blur.
How annoying the music had become by the time the ride was over. Funny how it changed from happy to mocking.
Nervously watching the crowd for a sign of the helper and a policeman, feeling at any minute I would be in the hands
of the law. While the ride was stopped, the boss watched me all the time. Then I saw Skeeter out in the crowd,
waving his hand for me to run for it. That gave me hope, Skeeter had not deserted me, now I felt determined to be brave
again. Out of the crowd the helpers face appeared at the fence, he was alone! No Cop! “I can’t
find him.” He was saying. The boss yelled back at him, “Go find him, and don’t come back until
you do!” My heart sunk, as he disappeared again, but I thought I saw a little bit of a smile on his face as our
eyes met.
There was no smile on the boss’s face as he
did his job and slowly moved the lever with the shiny steel handle. But this would be the last time I had to hear it,
I promised myself. The music seemed to be laughing at me now. No matter what, I was going to run. I sat there on the
chair, my head down, looking sad, but in my mind I thought about what I had to do, it was going to be this time, my moment
of truth.
The painted ponies were slowing down and almost stopped.
The boss was about six feet away from me when I exploded off the chair. Dodging through the people and ponies,
my feet reached the pavement and I went over the fence without even touching it. Running wildly through the crowd, and
as I slowed down, Skeeter was by my side. Nervously laughing, we ran all the way out of the park.
As we walked home, the energy drained and I thought how lucky we are. Then Skeeter made a shocking remark. He
said; I think he, (the boss) let us get away, to teach us a lesson, about stealing rides. At first I thought no, I was
still shaking, but then maybe, well, maybe. Now, as I write my story, so many years later, I think he was right. I
think that if I had looked over my shoulder as I ran away, I might have seen him standing by the chair with his hands on his
hips and a grin on his (now) not so mean face, confident that he had taught us a valuable lesson............. There is no
free ride.
Boy Adventures................ by Ron Francis.........(c).. 2010
 
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