Love a fair...

Going to the State Fair tonight. Yep, gonna do bingo, Cary United Methodist Church ham biscuits, Al Beckwith fries and fresh lemonade. Maybe a bite of my son's turkey leg, too. And, for a sweet something after it will be a candy apple.

I am an aficionado of fairs. I've had more cotton candy, popcorn and candy apples than you'll EVER see. No need to argue with me about it. Trust me. How can this be true you ask? Am I pulling your leg? Exaggeration?

I grew up on a carnival. I am a Carnie. I have saw dust in my veins. Yep. A genuine, dyed in the wool, 100%, no doubt about it Carnie. And I am proud of it.

My Dad was general manager and booking agent for carnivals when I was growing up. We traveled to a new place each week. East coast...name the place and I've been there and done that, got the stuffed animal to prove it. Great memories! Great adventures. Great times.

Unlike a lot of Carnie kids, I was at home in NC during school. The day school was out Mom picked us up and we were gone till the day before school started.

Yeah, I know a little bit about "going to the fair". No brag but at one time I had a list of names of girls from all over the place from Indian to NJ and south to Virginia. I've spent more money on stamps than you can imagine a teenager should ever spend. My first true love was a girl from Vevay, Indiana. I remember her as if it was yesterday. Broke my heart to leave her that week. I called her and wrote her for a very long time. I think of her often when my kids are dating and talking about their "true loves". Don't get me wrong, I don't long for her, I am remembering first love feeling and experience. I think it was a big reason I knew what real love was when I met my wife. I'll always be grateful for that experience. The first time you connect with another person that breaks your heart...makes you feel like your world ends with them...and makes you want to be with them for ever.

Being a Carnie taught me about friendship, loyalty, hard work, being dependable, trust and family. It taught me self respect, self reliance, confidence and what inner strength was. I was visiting Evansville, IN with my Dad. He was trying to convince them to book with his fair. (Fair's compete for business just like other companies.) The committee told us it was up to Mr. Green. So we went looking for him at the fairgrounds. We saw a man on a tractor cutting grass and he stopped to ask if he could help. My Dad apologized for his needing to stop and before he could say anything else I spoke up and said in that simple youngster voice "Hello sir, how are you? You have a nice tractor." My Dad tussled my hair and grinned. He did not apologize for me speaking up, he thought it was great. My Dad and I were close and I went everywhere with him just to be around him. I knew it would be OK to speak. The gentleman grinned and he and I chatted for about 5 minutes. Dad had all day. Finally the man on the tractor asked what he could do for my Dad. Dad said we were looking for Mr. Green. The man on the tractor said he was Mr. Green. He and Dad hit it off and Dad go the business. Mr. Green became a friend of the family and every year stopped in to stay with us on his way to and from Florida. It was always one of my favorite times of the year.

Yeah, going to the fair brings back memories, lots of memories. Some better than others. Maybe I'll share some more tomorrow.

Take your kids to the fair. See all the shows, exhibits and ride some rides. Build those memories. They last a life time. Now, for some cotton candy!