Living on the midway

Jeremy was a big, strong idiot. I am of average size, if Jeremy had of been a little smarter he would have cleaned the floor with me. In the end, I had poor big Jeremy begging to be let go. After I made him cry Uncle, I let him up and we went and ate dinner together and got ready for the next day. That is life in Winter quarters. Things were getting done. We all got bonuses. Mine was 300.00 that year because I joined after the season started. So for a month we mostly sat around on our asses and collected 10 dollars a day. It is getting close to our first parking lot gig to get the season started.

The first spot was a Kmart parking lot. We all were told about the limits of our nighttime movements. There are always those people that just can't live within the rules of society. Terry and Jeff were our kids who when told not to touch a hot surface or you will get burned and they touch it anyway and cry because it burned. We all had to camp out on the lot and the only place that was off_ limits was the front doorway of the store. That was of course the place Jeff and Terry decided they were sleeping. That got the whole crew in trouble and they were docked a week's pay. After a good day of work setting up rides and inspecting ride setups, I was ready for a beer and food

I am beginning my first full season and I have just been made the supervisor of the Century Wheel. Now I just became the most respected and sought_ after Ride guy on the show, and I had no clue. I started feeling the change in my status almost immediately. It was a bit surreal feeling.

Operating the century wheel is actually pretty simple as far as the power box. But loading and unloading an excited and sometimes inebriated. Needless to say, my responsibility factor rose significantly. I have learned by this time some of the privileges that came with the promotion. I was now in charge of the biggest moneymaker on the midway. That made me the owner's pet. I was actually very surprised how much pull that gave me. Jimmy and Johnny reed. Owners of Reed Exposition Midways. 51 Rides normally split into two shows, coming together about nine times a season. I worked for Jimmy, a short kinda stocky little man. But don't be fooled Jimmy Reed was nobody you wanted to piss off, He was quick to squash anything that caused him distress. He could also be generous, especially when things went smoothly on a set or tear down.

Working on a traveling carnival is mostly a blast. Set up sucks. It is usually over 100 degrees and you have to get the show up on time, if not that is unforgivable. As we move from Kmart to Victoria Texas, the first big spot of the season I get my first test as the ride supervisor. We had a good set up. The weather was nice, The ride inspections all went good and a good opening night was expected. My crew and I thought we were going to have an easy night, then a BANG!!! went off. We had two lines leading to the ride. I stopped the ride and then I saw it. A rock about the size of a handball hit the ground right in front of a teenager standing in line. Someone was throwing rocks off my ride into the crowd, I found what tub they were in and sent my number 2 man to get the police as I brought them down took their wrist bands and turned them over to the police as I told them they were lucky they didn't hit and kill someone. Little bastards just laughed as the police escorted them off. During my time at the carnival that was the worst incident, I had to deal with. Victoria Texas was a nice town for me. But life on the midway is not a stable life and soon we would be jumping to Belton Texas, another decent size show. And here is where my life changes.

Belton Texas was a bittersweet place for me. The last time I was here Angel left to have her baby and I was not confident enough to tell her how I felt and before I could muster the courage she was gone. Now I thought I handled it well but Angel came back the next year and apparently my crew got her before I knew she returned. It was then that it was brought to my attention that I didn't hide my feelings very well. Back to the show. I was working, partying, and having a good time when life decided to give me a reason to think in different terms from the previous year. Ma and Lee had rejoined us at this spot, Carney's are a pretty tight nit community once you make it into the clique. One day I am working on the ride doing some pre_ open maintenance and I have to go to the store and I walk toward ma and a woman I have never seen before. I am on the bum, I need a cigarette and maw usually has some so I go ask and it is one time she said no but the cutie sitting with her offered me one I said your sweet and walked away. Later that night some of us were setting up to watch a movie and my job was the beer. I hurry and get to the store by a couple of thirty packs of beer and walking back I walk by that woman sitting in the back of a pickup and she said hello and I say hi as I quickly walk back to the movie. I don't remember much else of that night. The next day we open the show and that woman is working right next to my ride in the duck game. I was trying to stay working on the unloading side of the wheel so we could flirt without flirting. What I didn't know was she was watching me as much if not more than me.It seem ed that this spot was taking long time to pass the days. Finally it's slough day and I am biting at the bit to get busy and move to the next spot. As I wait I walk around the Midway. I am walking and I see ma, walk over where she watching the castle and I take a seat, bum a smoke and commence to talking to ma. And that is when ma asks me if knew that girl and I said no. Well she has a big crush on you James. I got this dumb look on my face. Ma just starts laughing and says I thought you knew James? No Ihad no clue up until then. But now I have inside information. Now yes I had great information but we went different ways on this jump, she went somewhere in Kansas And I went to Tulsa. We arrived and suddenly I had siblings coming out of the woodwork asking if I could get tickets to all the rides for them.I was asking ma about the girl and and she just stopped, smiled and said you have to do some of the work James. I looked at ma and just busted out laughing. I knew where I was going to see her next.

Stay tuned for the final eisode next week.