Carnival time! Pulaski was blocked off from North to Presbury St. When the sun went down and ‘Myrt and Marge’ was over, everybody, well almost everybody, headed for the Carnival. Daddy gave me a whole quarter and told me not to spend it all in one place. I didn’t. My first nickel went to the ferris wheel man. When an empty cage came around, he stopped the wheel, motioned for me to come up the ramp and held the seat steady for me to get on. ‘Are you all by yourself, little girl?’ he asked. ‘Sure, I’m by myself. I’m not a baby. I’m seven.’ He locked the pole across the carriage. I held on to it with all my might.
The grinding started. I moved one space skyward and stopped while somebody else got off. Somebody else got on. Higher and higher until all the seats were taken and I was at the very tip top of the wheel. Street lights sparkled, colors were everywhere. The moon was there to be touched and I was just a teeny bit scared. Passing the attendant the ride was smoother because all seats were full. I saw Mama and we waved to each other. Did she see how I was holding on like she told me? Did she see how high I went? I guess she did because mothers see a lot.
When my feet returned to the ground, I wasn’t sure what to do with the other twenty cents Daddy gave me. I walked past the penny pitchers whose pennies plopped in water. Nobody was winning anything. Spun sugar was bad for my teeth, Daddy said, but he didn’t mention chocolate apples on the stick with coconut. I bought one and oh was it good.
The merry music from the carousel beckoned but I was past that. It’s for babies. Mommies have to stand near their children, hold on to them, if their horses go up and down. Where should I go? What should I do with my money? I looked and looked for my mother to help me decide but couldn’t find her.
The clicking and clacking of wheels turning excited me. What is going on over there? People were crowding around a man wearing a big red and white hat. He was calling out, ‘Step right up folks! There’s a winner every time! Put your money down, we’re ready to roll.’ In front of him was a long table covered with black oil cloth. There were big white numbers on it from one to the end. I could only see 20. ‘How much does this cost, Mister? Can I put my penny on seven? I’m seven years old. ’ ‘Sure can, Missy. Hand it to me and I’ll do it for you.’ Whirr, whirr, the wheel went round, slowed down and stopped, right on seven. The nice man patted me on the head and gave me a choice of a box of Post Toasties (I hated them) or a yellow box of Domino sugar.
I still had money to spend but I wanted to give my Mama a present. I could already taste the cold lemonade she would make with it. I raced home and happily showed her the present. ‘ It only cost me one penny to win it for you, Mama and if you want, I can help you squeeze some lemons.
Mama hugged me, thanked me and told me her lucky number was thirty six so she couldn’t play that game. ‘What, oh, what can I do with this penny I found,’ she asked. Taking my little hand, she cupped it and gave me back the penny I spent and two lemons to squeeze.
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