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I drive by our town’s carnival and feel the tug. I smell the popcorn and hear the tinny music. I see families, teenagers, and the elderly making their annual pilgrimage. Memories take me back. And that’s when I realize this event has seen me through six major life stages…

The Small Child – At 5, I’m entranced by this world of sound and light. I sit on my father’s shoulders or hold hands with my mom. I have my first taste of cotton candy and sno-cones. I love the little rides with teacups and baby dinosaurs. I especially love the merry-go-round.

One time my father takes me on the Ferris wheel and I’m awed and terrified as that creaky seat sways at the tippy top. I see my little town from far, far up.

The Older Child – My parents are okay, but I’d rather hang with friends. I just turned 12. Changes are happening to my body. Big changes. I go on the scarier rides even though I secretly hate them.

I gaze longingly at the merry-go-round. I remember the feeling of going around while the music plays and the horses bob up and down. Of course, if I did that now, I’d never hear the end of it.  I get in line with my friends for the Zipper, the ride where the cars dangle upside down. The screams can be heard from here. My palms sweat and heart pounds.

The Teenager – I slouch around, too hip for this kid stuff. But I guess I had to come. You never know, that cute guy in Algebra II might be here. I meet up with girlfriends and stand in a circle, making fun of everyone. Once in a while, I look over my shoulder to see who might, maybe, hopefully, be looking back.

After all these years, I notice this odd tent next to the food stalls. What are all these old people doing sitting at long picnic tables with white cards and thick magic markers?  A man calls out numbers and someone yells, “Bingo!” Everyone gets excited. How sad.

Parents of Young Kids– Okay, I lost a little time in my twenties. I was too busy drinking wine with friends on weekends. And let’s face it, the carnival wasn’t exactly on my action list. But suddenly I’m in my thirties, married with two kids. My husband Randy and I navigate the grounds lugging strollers, diaper bags, bottles, and backpacks.

At least I get to ride on the merry-go-round again. And again. And again. In fact our two and five year olds want to go on each ride thousands of times and scarf endless ice cream and funnel cakes. They want to play every game. They cry when they don’t win the giant stuffed panda.

At one point, my five year old runs into the bingo tent. I go to retrieve him and come upon all these quiet old people, intent over white cards. A woman looks up and smiles.

Parents of High School kids – Now those boys avoid us like we have the plague. My husband and I walk the grounds, slightly befuddled. The rides aren’t the same without kids. We play a few games, but there’s no children wanting that giant stuffed panda. We see young families and feel that whiff of nostalgia.

We meet up with other older parents, happy to have human contact. We swap war stories. Besides eating, what is there to do, we ask each other?  “At least we’re not in the bingo tent,” someone says. Everyone laughs.

The Bingo Tent – More years pass and we finally take our places at that long table. We hold those fat magic markers and buy tickets from the guy making the rounds. We notice some of the parents from early years, the ones who swore they’d never end up here. We give each other happy shrugs. What can you do?  Here we are.

We play and it’s not so bad. Sometimes it’s downright exciting, especially after a dinner of hot dogs and French fries. We hear the music and smell the cotton candy. We listen to the happy shouts of children and see knots of teenagers standing outside.

A little child runs into the tent, followed by a tired-looking mother. We look at each other a moment. I smile as she scoops him up and hurries off.

I think of that time I sat way up high with my father on the Ferris wheel, our little town spread below. Not much changes and yet everything changes. Generations come and go. And it’s all seen here at the carnival.

The air-blower pops out another ball  “G-17!” a fireman shouts.

An excited rustle goes through the crowd. “Bingo!”

How do you feel about the carnival?  Comments are always welcome and if you like, please share.  Thank you!
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Comments(32)

  1. Right there with the befuddled H.S. parents:). And staving off the Bingo Tent! God forbid:). Lol.

  2. I've now officially entered the bingo tent! That's the only thing left after walking around and dinner.

  3. Oh, the teacup memories with my kids when they were little! This is great, Laurie! As my kids have gotten older, I've still tried to hang by going on all the scary rides (never could stand the zipper though!), but I realize my body just can't stomach it anymore. And I've always loved bingo! I guess I can admit that now. Hopefully no one will make fun of me now. 🙂

  4. Karen, I actually found bingo fun after all these years. After a brief stint of scary rides, I swore them off when I was a kid. The merry go round is still my speed. Sad but true.

  5. Laurie these blogs should be published in book form. People would love to read these poignant, funny and delightful musings. I have enjoyed every one of them.

  6. Ann, thanks so much. You're the best.

  7. It's reading a post like this that makes me wonder, for the briefest of moments, what fun it may have been to be a parent. I will just have to abscond with my nephew for just these sort of occasions. Or I'll go with my husband and people watch while devouring a funnel cake, and then I'll ride the merry-go-round. Love this piece of nostalgia!

  8. Thanks so much, Karen. Yes, its wonderful to share it with children but that time is brief. Before you know it you're back in the adult world!

  9. This is really beautiful, Laurie. Hits home so far. And, I loved playing Bingo with my grandma. I don't dread when I get to hang out in the tent.

  10. Your grandma sounds like a fun lady.

  11. Hi Laurie,
    I'm with Ann Donnelly – your next project can be bundling all this goodness into an ebook – clear your desk and set your sights on being published!
    Thanks,
    Bren

  12. Thank you, Bren. You never know!

  13. I could picture all of these in my head Laurie – it reminds me of the local show that we have down near us. I don’t have a childhood of attending it – but I have all the memories of our kids going through those stages – and then we went a few years ago as empty nesters – it was sadly lacking in all the fun I remember when we were seeing it through the eyes of our children.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 6 years ago

      Leanne, I think we realize these places are so much more fun with children. Oh well, still can enjoy them, but not quite the same.

  14. Such a well written post down memory lane. Thanks Laurie for the memories! One of my fondest memories is being on one of those swings that scoot out over the crowd and in this case water too and I was snuggled in between my older twin cousins. Looking down I could see my Mother and her Sister sitting on a bench laughing and eating and having the best time themselves!

      • Laurie Stone

      • 6 years ago

      Haralee, Such a beautiful memory. There’s nothing like cousins and summer! They seem to go together.

  15. wonderful post…made me tear up a bit…I now have grand kids to take to these carnivals…and its so much fun taking them…I don’t have to deal with the sweet high afterwords..I just take them home to their parents…

      • Laurie Stone

      • 6 years ago

      Renee, Laughing. Yes, that cotton candy high is something. It must be nice to just hand them back over!

  16. That is almost my exact experience, but I’ve never seen a bingo area at a carnival before. So that’s different!

      • Laurie Stone

      • 6 years ago

      Jennifer, We’re very cutting edge in Easton… not.

  17. You are like a Pixar movie, Laurie. The tears just flow from your opening line . . .
    I would agree with the one more timeline in your beautiful narrative. The grandkids. That buffer zone wherein you still get to enjoy the rides and the food, but get to turn them over to parents at the end of the day. Perfect!

      • Laurie Stone

      • 6 years ago

      Diane, Laughing. I’ll have to do a part-two when I have them! That sounds like the best of all worlds — have all the carnival fun with small children and then turn them in!

  18. This brought back childhood memories for me as we went to the State Fair in Detroit every summer. I could almost smell the popcorn and cotton candy! Thanks for the memories 🙂

      • Laurie Stone

      • 6 years ago

      Candi, You are so very welcome!

  19. Why is it looking more and more like the ‘good old days’?
    We lived for the yearly carnival! Our 4-H final show and sale and at least one of Daddy’s cattle shows happened during our Exhibition Days. Excitement piled onto excitement! Something for every age we happened to be in!

      • Laurie Stone

      • 4 years ago

      Diane, 4-H sounds fun and so do the Cattle shows! Don’t get that much in Connecticut, but would love that.

  20. What a lovely and resonating post. We all wind up in the Bingo tent!

      • Laurie Stone

      • 4 years ago

      Thanks so much, Lauren!

  21. I love it! Makes me want to run down to Coney Island and play a game and win a cheap stuffed animal and eat a corn dog right now.

    My high school in Hawai’i has a great carnival every year. Famous for food, the current classes and alumni would all have booths selling some sort of freshly food as a fundraiser. My class always has a smoothie booth and every year when they start looking for volunteers I wish I could – they have so much fun.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 4 years ago

      Bonnie, This is the first year in decades, our town won’t have a carnival. Very sad. Glad you also have happy memories.

  22. Ohmyword, Laurie, the memories are just SO thick about me today! The carnival was such a part of my life growing up.
    Here in the Edmonton area, going was a huge production. We tried to get there every year, but it was so prohibitively expensive our family didn’t always make it. Last year, it was canceled and it looks as though this year is as well.
    My teenagers talk about going with friends and the fun they had. In the past.
    It makes me rather weepy!

      • Laurie Stone

      • 3 years ago

      Diane, Our carnival was also cancelled last year — the first time in many decades. I think it’s going this year, but not sure.

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