One story in particular has been shared and shared and shared again, first with me and then with our children. You see, one day in the ever-so-distant past, Little Boy Jay spent a shiny quarter to purchase a peel-off ticket ... and he won $25! Although the money was quickly redeemed for rides and more peel-off tickets, the story of Jay's windfall lives on.
Imagine our joy when we realized that The Festival was scheduled for the exact weekend we were in Cincinnati! Finally, we would be able to join Jay as he returned to the site of his childhood victory!
These past 8 years spent in Texas have made the pleasures of Midwestern summer evenings just so much sweeter. The grass seems greener, the trees taller, and the clover sweeter.
Since Jay's dad was working at The Festival, we strolled up to the church with Jay's mom.
The excitement was palpable as the church came into view.
And then ... at long last ...
After all the years of stories, I immediately clamored to visit the peel-off booth. I smacked down my quarter, grabbed my ticket, and ...
... won! I WON!!! The prize* was so amazing that I remain caught up in the moment. The carney so generously offered to hold my prize-winning ticket so I could document (although I must confess I was concerned he would escape and claim my winnings as his own).
Meanwhile, Maya was busily ...
... winning her own prize!
I peeked over in the corner to see my sweet spouse, hands full of change and eyes full of determination, confidently working on his own tickets. Let me ask you: can you tell the difference between a man who wins a quarter:
... and a man who wins the big $25 prize?!?!
It's true! Jay was able to re-live his childhood conquest while in the company of his loving family! Oh glory, the jubilation that ensued will be passed down for years among festival-goers.
Lest you think Benja was absent during these adventures, I assure you that he was in fact an active participant. Notice, for example, his blur-of-a-hand as Maya posed for a funnel cake photo:
Under his Uncle Andy's expert tutelage, Benja learned the ways of the mighty roulette wheel.
In addition to his prowess with all things Vegas, Andy was kind enough to introduce the kids to his friend Jeff, otherwise known as The Candidate.
We plastered ourselves with stickers then engaged Andy for some more adventures.
He boldly went where Jay and I could not (for fear of embarrassing ourselves and sullying the ride). Despite some white-knuckled trepidation ...
... Benja joined Maya and Andy on the ride. Maya's pep talk certainly helped ...
... and by the end of the first ride, Benja was hooked.
Jay and I, along with Jay's mom, were content to enjoy the evening from a delightful earthbound spot, with the rides providing just enough breeze to keep us cool.
* The fact that I won completely overshadowed the fact that the prize was ... a quarter.
3 comments:
Doesn't matter what the prize. The fact is you won! So glad The Festival lived up to its memory. Such fun!
What a fun story! Congrats to all the winners. Looks like a fun way to spend the evening.
How fun! Kids living (and reliving) family stories.
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