Fun for All Ages

The main artery roads are separated by bright orange barrels to direct traffic for the State Fair.  A brilliant colorful marquee announces it’s soon arrival.  While local residents sleep, trucks and trailers appear during the night in the designated acreage.  The Farris wheel, tea cup, and haunted house rides are almost covertly erected with skill and efficiency before day breaks.  The empty buildings will be filled with various animals, crafts, baked goods, agriculture, and vendors.  Delivery trucks supply the food merchants with beverages and high cholesterol goodies.

In my adolescent years, I went straight for the rides.  I would laugh with glee while spinning,  whipping around, and slamming into my friend sharing the seat.  The finale of the day would be a large cone spun with pink sugar — cotton candy.   In my later teens, I spent more time in the public restroom in front of the mirror preening in hopes of catching a cute boy’s eyes.   My girlfriends and I would walk through the fair in a large herd attempting to be cool.  Bypassing the rides and games, we were on a mission to satisfy our raging hormones with great flirtation.

I may not be as brave to ride on the rickety equipment or have my metabolism tolerate a sugar rush but I do still enjoy a good State Fair.  I peruse the shelves of floral arrangements and exquisite produce being awed by nature’s gift.   I smile while I hold my husband’s hand feeling his warmth and presence.   The sounds and calls of animals echo in the background.  As I take in my surroundings,  I wonder if the calories of a funnel cake count when at the fair?