“That’ll be 10 dollars, mister”, said the pimple-faced teenager behind the counter.
“Ten dollars for 2 adults and a three year old to ride a carousel?” I exclaimed, “That had better be one jewel of a ride.”
“All day,” I think to myself, “we have been walking in circles all day. In fact, it seemed like everything in that theme park had to do with a circle. Loop-de-loops on the roller coasters, spinning teacups, even the park was in the shape of a circle. A circle. Complete, intact, and never ending. Like this day. It seemed like it was never going to end.”
“Come on Rook,” said my wife Scarlett as she shifted Nikki, our little girl, from one hip to the other, “She’s getting heavier by the second. Just pay the man.” Grudgingly, I forked over the ten dollars. But I was not happy about it.
“Say here, um,” I look at his name tag, “Raymond. What is so special about this carousel that you have to sell a kidney to ride it more than once?” It’s a beautiful carousel. Hand painted horses, fancy saddle blankets and Germanic motifs on each horse, and maybe about 18 scenic paintings around the upper part of the carousel. Yes, it was a beauty, but 10 dollars? That was a bit steep.
“Well mister,” said Raymond in a Louisiana accent, “this here particular car-o-sel was built in 1914 by Adelburt Duffstien. Its survived 2 fires, and traveled all the way from Germany, the Netherlands, and France to find its home right here, in Hartford, Connecticut. ” So I was right about it originating in Germany. Art history came in handy after all.
“And,” he added, “it runs on special circuitry. That’s what caused so many fires in the past.” He must have saw my facial expression, because he finished with: “But don’t worry mister! Its perfectly safe for you and your family now.”
“You really know your stuff, Mr. Raymond,” said Scarlett, sweet as you please. She then spoke to me in a much more menacing whisper, “Get on the carousel, Rook. Now.” You have to understand, my wife is a very strong-willed woman. But after 9 hours in an amusement park the size of Disneyland with a three-year-old who was overly tired, and cried every time she saw something red (we have no idea why), Scarlett had reached the end of her rope. So I gently take Nikki from her, tell our new friend that it was nice talking to him, and board the German carousel.
~ ~ ~
Around, and around, and around. Not fast enough to cause panic, but enough to induce a light breeze. I hold the camcorder in my left hand, and focus it on Scarlett and Nikki, who is in her lap.
“Smile sweetie!” says Scarlett, “Smile for daddy!” Nikki breaks out into laughter. She’s perfect. Scarlett grins like the proud mother she is. They both are just so perfect. I can’t help but smile myself. How did I get so lucky? 28 years of my life went by, and I never even knew either of them. 6 years later, I would die without either of them. Although tiring, today was just what we needed. A day away from the city. I look out towards the crowd; no one has a distinct face, even at the low speed the carousel is going.
“Tomorrow,” I think to myself, “we go back to the city. The city that never sleeps. More circles and circuits everywhere. A bus. A subway. The train from Connecticut to the inner city. People rushing around and around, all in a daily pattern. Home, work, dinner with friends and colleagues, and back to square one. Home. The power source of The Big Apple. Not a big corporation, not the Statue of Liberty, but home. Day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, the Metropolitan transit system is full speed ahead. Momentary stops, let off a few hundred, load on a few hundred more, then its back in action. Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan. People from all walks of life, together and intertwining their lives with each other for however brief a station.” This last thought brought me back to reality, along with the slowly stopping ride and fading organ music. The 10 dollar carousel ride was coming to an end, as was this day. The setting sun was beautiful. Scarlett and Nikki were walking westward up ahead. When she noticed I had slowed, Scarlett turned, right in front of the sunset. She and Nikki were caught in the gold and orange light. The most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
“Are you coming, hon?” asked Scarlett as she again switched Nikki to her alternate hip.
“Yeah honey,” I said with a smile while I took Nikki from her and wrapped my other arm around her shoulders, “Lets go home.”
