"Frank, you gonna be on time tonight?” a voiced called out to a man who leaned against a railing leading to a Ferris wheel. "I hear some of the guys have a bet. Put some pretty good odds on it. Whatch’a think of that?"
Up the steps, to the controls Frank walked. He turned a key and listened to riders groan their disappointment as the neon-lit wheel eased to a gentle spin. "Sure hoss," Frank shrugged. He knew the boss liked this moniker and figured some patronizing might go a long way. The boss always drove in his own car anyway, and if it weren’t for his co-workers wagers, wouldn’t know if Frank was late. "I'm gonna make it hoss.”
Frank’s supervisor grinned. He walked up a couple stairs and looked up at Frank unbuckling riders from their seats. “Don’t get me wrong. I think you can make it,” he said rifling through a five-gallon bucket lightly sprinkled with ride tickets. “But the others don't, and they aren't gonna save a seat for you.”
The anxiety already overwhelmed Frank without the prompting from his boss to add to it. After the crowd cleared out a manic workload awaited. After maintenance checks and ride repairs, the Ferris wheel was disassembled and loaded, all with a goal of making it to the next by the following morning. All this only to set up all over again.
“Yes sir, I’ll be there.” Frank buckled in the last of the new riders and turned the key to start the Ferris wheel spinning. He leaned against the railing and watched the crowd file past.
Despite the windy and overcast weather on an early spring night, a sizable crowd filled the carnival. Past the everyman faces of the ride attendants and game supervisors, people trudged over the dirt surface of the midway. One-by-one, in pairs and in groups, their faces illuminated by strings of white lights, some wore light jackets and knit hats. Others, older men and women with children hanging on their arms, wore heavier jackets and thick mittens. Young boys raced from booth to booth, their minds forever twirling with indecision over which offered the best prizes. Girls, young and old wandered the grounds, determined to be noticed, keeping their eyes open for classmates or potential boyfriends.
Against the railing, Frank braced himself against a significant breeze and waited for the current ride to end. Long ago he became accustomed to the music and the screams and the din of carnival ride machinery. However, this wind was new. Tomorrow, it might be the moan of cattle, or airliners making their descent to a landing strip. Tonight though, through the casserole of carnival sounds entering Frank’s mind, the wind shook his thoughts.
“Dad, I want to join the carnival. Can I, can I?” said a boy in line, tugging at his father’s jacket. “Can I join the carnival?” Frank looked at the father and grinned. The man returned the same pained grin and as he approached the next available gondola with his son, Frank waved them through. “On me tonight gentleman.”
It seemed as the trees were beginning to grow covered with leaves, people became restless for the care-free days of summer. Frank pictured the neon lights shining on the outskirts of town could provide such a landmark. While the smell of salt-stained, butter-soaked popcorn could weave through every nook and cranny of the small town, and the pulsing music off in the distance could infected the psyche of someone walking miles away, it wasn’t enough. It was the Ferris wheel, rising high into the air that meant something more, its constant spinning signaling a distraction from the past week.
As the next ride started, Frank made eye-contact with Bernard, or Bernie as he wanted to be known. “Hey old man, how the odds, er, the sales tonight,” he shouted. This young kid ambled up to the Ferris wheel and stood grinning before Frank’s eyes. In Bernie, Frank saw a love for quick friendships and constant change. “I’m fixing to make a killing tonight. I’ll split it halfsies with you if you help me out.”
“Keep talking little man.” Still enamored with 'the life,’ these kids grated on Frank. They were so happy to never settle in one place, never know what it feels like to have a permanent address or a connection for more than three days. Bernie operated a game booth, the kind where kids and ex-jocks could guess how fast they throw. Frank had seen him work and had to admit the kid had some showmanship. “I was in your shoes once,” Frank said. “Someday, you’ll be standing in mine.”
“No way. I got plans. To attract people to his booth, Bernie would blast the latest music through a PA system. Once teenagers heard the familiar music, they flocked to the booth in droves and Bernie had his one little dance club. Sometimes he sang through the microphone, which brought even more people. As a result, Bernie became somewhat of a money-maker for the carnival company. “I’m going places,” he said and walked away.
Once, Frank had molded to the carnival life and that life molded to him. But only two weeks into the current season, he knew something important was missing. “So am I,” Frank said to no one. “So am I.”
He'd feel this way in a week, and in a week from then and so on. Franklin County gave way to Pierce County followed by Vernon County and Polk County after. Frank could recite the names of towns he passed through, and give random specifics about the taste of drinking water in which town the friendliest customers were found. He knew the best jukebox in Neillsville could be found at Trackside Bar. He knew the best lunch special in all of Vernon County was found at Melba's Family Inn, her mashed potatoes smothered by a rich gravy that needed to be washed down by homemade apple pie with a scoop of ice cream.
Even if Frank made it to the bus, which he hadn't done in more than two months, he'd have to sit up front with the younger workers.
If he was late for the employee bus, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. At worst, Frank could catch a ride with the food vendors in the morning. But they were always at least a day behind and Frank couldn’t count on anyone else to erect the Ferris wheel.
Usually, the parade of females was one of the perks of the job. But not tonight. He had trouble finding motivation on the carnival’s last night. Every flip of the Ferris wheel throttle, every torn ticket reinforced the struggle. After three days spent amongst the desperate shouts of his fellow carnival workers, Frank wanted this stay to end.
The man with an attractive young woman hooked around his arm standing in line didn't help Frank's mood. The man looked typical, his hair slicked back and dressed in pressed khaki pants and a white dress shirt covered by a navy blazer. But the woman, dressed in a long black dress with a white button-up sweater covering her shoulders, looked like a princess to Frank, a young maiden fresh from the lessons of society. They stood there giggling and pressing their fingers into each other, very much on a date. Frank guessed from their looks the couple wasn't older than 25. Frank watched her smile ease across the her face, the sunshine creeping out from a day of clouds, bringing warmth once again to a cold environment. He watched the smile give way to a frown as the woman looked in Frank's direction and noticed his captivation.
Why bring her here Frank thought, there must be better places to take a girl like this. Why not pack a basket with sandwiches and maybe a bottle of wine, or at least a couple of beers, and sit by the lake. Bring a blanket perhaps, and when it got colder, huddle beneath it to keep warm. Then take a stroll or take in a movie. Maybe just have a conversation. It was a feeling he longed to know firsthand.
Frank glanced at his watch and flipped a switch, then eased the throttle back, slowing the Ferris wheel. Letting each rider out, Frank thanked and wished them a good evening. After the final rider exited Frank turned to the entrance and let new riders on. The man passed Frank and held the gate open for the woman. As she bent to sit Frank glanced down at her chest and felt a small reward bubble up inside. The woman looked up at Frank and caught his expression and let a smirk cross her face.
"How long have you been doing this?" she asked.
"Bout 25 years," Frank said.
"Do you get lonely?"
He wanted to say yes, wanted to describe the feeling of watching each new today disappear and devour the notion of a tomorrow. He wanted to tell her to savor each moment she had. He wanted to say that despite these feelings he didn't regret his job, but didn't embrace it either.
"It's the life for me." Frank brushed away a swarm of gnats circling his head and moved closer to the carriage. "It allows me time to think. If you have time to think, you're never really lonely."
"That's sad," the woman replied.
"Quit bothering him," the man said. "Get in. I have to be up early." He turned and slid a grin towards Frank.
"Hey buddy, could you stop us at the very top, right before our time's up?" the man asked.
"Yeah, fine." Frank said. "I'll try."
"Well try hard okay. Maybe you could just let everyone off and then spin us to the top," the man said. It won't take long."
"I'm going to kiss you at the very top," the woman said.
"Could you hold on to my keys too, just in case?" the man asked. "I don't want them to fall out while I'm up there."
The man held out the keys for Frank, who obliged. Nestling the keys in a pocket, Frank continued to load passengers and then started the ride.
The massive wheel kept turning and turning through the air scented with sweet, deep-fried funnel cakes and the constant snapping of air-guns firing pellets at paper targets. Frank glanced around the midway and watched those who supervised the game tents. He listened intently to their pleas urging each passer-by to try their luck shooting basketballs or knocking over milk bottles.
George, who ran the game trailer was tying balloons up that would be popped. Someone would end up paying $20 for a stuffed lion the size of a small child, and argue about the prize selection, but would George would still tie balloons back up and wait for them to be popped again in a cycle halted only by the move to a new town, where come Thursday night, it would start anew.
Frank glanced at his watch and realized the ride had gone long. Reaching over he pulled the throttle towards him and eased the wheel to a halt. The first carriage came to a stop.
"Hey, buddy, I thought I asked you to stop the ride at the top for me," the man with slicked hair said. "What's wrong with you?"
"Jeff, leave him alone," the woman said. "It's all right. It's no big deal."
"No it's not all right. He said he would and didn't," the man said to the woman. He turned to Frank. "So what's the deal? You gonna put us at the top or what?"
"Is it that important?" Frank asked but the man didn't answer. He just stared at Frank with a film of disgust hanging from his face. "I'll put you on top." Frank said.
Frank pushed the throttle slowly and stopped at the next carriage. One-by-one he let the riders off. He glanced at the man and the woman; her face smiled while his wore the look of frustration. He eased the throttle again until the couple reached the top and stopped the Ferris wheel.
"You just let me know when you want to come down?" Frank hollered and turned off the key.
As he walked towards the parking lot, Frank didn't glance back at the Ferris wheel. Rather he repeatedly pressed a button on the man's key chain, watching for a sign from the vehicles lined throughout the parking lot. Seeing a beep and a flash of the headlights found his new set of wheels, a late model pick-up truck with a shimmering gray exterior. Frank looked the truck over and opened the door. As he climbed in and started the truck a chill descended through his body. Frank set the Ferris wheel key in the ashtray and looked around the parking lot at what everyone else drove to the fair.
The fuel tank read full and he could start a new life anywhere within driving distance. Maybe he'd get a job in a restaurant to start. After he earned enough money he could rent a small apartment and begin the road towards his future. Eventually he'd meet a woman and they'd get married and start a family. Frank was sure he wasn't too late for that possibility. The future looked wide-open, filled with opportunities, new beginnings and uncertainties.
He slid the truck into drive and pressed the accelerator. It lurched forward and Frank made his way towards the midway. People dodged out of the truck's path as he drove right up to the Ferris wheel. He jumped out and started the Ferris wheel again, bringing the couple down.
"I brought your truck up here for you," Frank said without hesitation. "I just figured you kids had stuff to do."
The man looked puzzled but thanked Frank anyway and took the woman's hand to lead her from the gondola. As they walked past Frank, the woman looked back and smiled.
"Are you all right?" she asked.
"Just fine," Frank said. "It's almost time to pack up and start over. I'll be just fine."