Montana Fair

Tonight we celebrated my birthday.  It isn’t actually for another week, but we were together tonight and we celebrated.  At first I wanted to go out to a nice dinner.  Then, Karen mentioned that the fair was in town.  I haven’t been to the Montana Fair in years and Riley has never been.  So instead of dinner we went to the fair.  It was so fun.  We took Riley on all the little kid rides.  The first ride was the carousel and I stood beside her on her horse and the minute that horse started moving her eyes opened wide and a smile of sheer joy lit up her face.  We hopped from ride to ride for the rest of the evening.  There was the coolest petting zoo I’ve ever seen.  They had the traditional goats and sheep but also thrown in was a 4 horned sheep, a “hairy coo” calf (highland cow), zebra, emu, baby camel, and even a kangaroo.  Seriously, have you ever pet a kangaroo? 

 

All day long Karen had been talking to Riley about the ferris wheel and how it goes around and around.  She was so excited.  Karen graciously allowed me to take her on it.  We got on and Riley was so excited she could barely sit still.  The minute it started moving she started shouting, “I’m riding the ferris wheel, I’m riding the ferris wheel!!!”  We got to the top of the wheel and as we came over I suddenly remembered, “Oh yeah, I hate the feeling of falling and this pretty much scares me to death every time.”  So I clung to the bar and tried to smile.  After about 2 times around I decided I probably wasn’t going to plummet to my death on the ferris wheel and just enjoyed the ride. 

 

When I got off the ride I mentioned this irrational fear to Karen and she said, “I bet you hate the zipper.”  I then had to tell her I’d never ridden the zipper for just that reason.  I should have kept my mouth shut.  She decides it’s time that I ride the zipper.  She drags me to the line and tells me I have no choice.  I’m determined to prove that I am not a scardey-cat and I can do this.  It’s only a carnival ride.  It’s only a carnival ride.  Now the worst thing is that I don’t just walk over, get dragged on the ride and get it over with.  No, I have to stand there listening to the shrieks and watch the ride over and over and over.  The closer we get to the front, the worse I feel.  My mom finally took a picture because I looked like I might die.  The whole time I’m in line I’m pleading, “ Let Riley throw a fit and we have to leave, Let one of the cars come loose and go spinning off (safely so no one is hurt of course) and they have to close the ride, Let the earth open and swallow me whole.  Something!!!”  We’re about 4 people from the front of the line and my heart is in my throat and my hands are clammy.  I can hardly breathe.  When suddenly, as if by the hand of God himself, lightning streaks across the sky and the wind starts blowing flags and blow up hammers crazily around the carnival.  And the ride is shut down.  I almost fell on the gross disgusting fair ground.  SAVED!!! I’m SAVED!!!  Hallelujah. 

 

Maybe someday I’ll ride the zipper.  Maybe someday I won’t be terrified of falling.  That day is not today.  Today I'm glad I made it through the ferris wheel without Riley having to take care of me.  Today I’m glad my fair finished with a Norskie instead of a zipper ride.