Ohio summertime heat and sound.
The hum of hundreds of conversations that get louder as the rides grow near.
Humid, thick air carrying the scent of fryer oil, sausage and peppers, perfume, cigarettes and diesel exhaust.
A young man that looks like he’s living a hard life takes our tickets with head down, no thanks or eye contact.
He squeezes a hand clutch on a large lever, the diesel engine coughs and smokes, slowly bringing the next car down to the platform.
He releases the crazy haired riders from their seats, and they run down the ramp and around to the back of the line anxious to ride again.
Somewhere behind me I hear the impact of a softball hitting its target followed by a bell and the pop of the seat hinge sending the high school principal down into the tank of cloudy grey water.
A riot of cheers and laughter from the onlookers, no doubt as payback for giving out detentions over the years.
The car has a molded hard plastic seat with enough room for two and a single chrome tube that comes down from overhead and across the riders’ laps keeping them from flying out during the ride.
I’m not really 100% confident that this is safe but for sure I’m not leaving.
Me and my buddies figured out that getting in the car first was the best move as the rides G-force pushes hard to the right, and if your date gets in first, you could very well squish her against the side of the car
And it’s much more fun to have her G-forced against you.
Spider Man would approve, the Superhero Code and all that.
The Farmall Cub Engine chuffs again, this time louder, sending a thick cloud of blue smoke up to the riders at the top announcing that the ride is about to begin.
The hard man at the stick watches as the ride slowly starts moving and begins to build up speed.
As I rotate down and pass by the platform, I can see on his face that he is relishing this moment.
I can read the back story of his life in his expression.
A life where most have looked down on him, if they saw him at all.
But right now, as the old saying goes, he’s got us right where he wants us.
Heroes and villains, all of us playing our part.
Truth. I just want to feel her smashed up against me for as long as possible.
Our heads thrown back and laughing, the sound thrown out into the humid and darkening sky.
Her coal-black hair streaming recklessly behind her, looking like a murder of crows taking sudden flight.
Breaking the midway’s neon glow into shimmering fragments as the ride sweeps us past.
Holding on tight to the moment and each other.
It all goes by so fast.
