The Curtis Brothers Hit the County Fair
"This is it!" the nearly 18 year old Soda shouted excitedly as 21 year old Darry drove. "We're finally off to the county fair!"
It was early October.
"Are we there yet?" asked 15 year old Ponyboy.
"We still have a ways to go-and you've asked that at least 10 times already" responded Darry.
Darry had saved up a certain amount of money for a day at the fair, and was wanting to set aside some for the following Christmas, Easter and early summer, as well as for the big goals-to try to get Ponyboy to college and the family into the middle class. Yet, for the time being, they all needed this diversion.
"I can't wait to see the ropers, the bull riders and the barrel racers!" Soda exclaimed.
"Are we there yet?" Ponyboy impatiently inquired again.
"Ponyboy, if you say that one more time.." Darry said, clearly annoyed.
"Look! There it is!" Soda called out. "The entrance to the fairgrounds!"
Indeed it was.
Ponyboy cheered and Darry breathed a huge sigh of relief.
As they pulled up to the fairgrounds, Darry made the payments for the parking and tickets.
Then, the 3 of them raced each other to arena. Ponyboy got there first, just by a little bit.
Suddenly, a cattle roper came thundering out on his horse, successfully lassoing a cow.
Ponyboy held his breath as the roper inadvertently dragged the cow in the dust, knowing the cow must have felt hurt, and was relieved when a second horse rider held up a flag for the first rider to dismount, untie and release, which he did.
The 3 brothers observed more calf and steer roping, sat up straight on the bleacher for the bull riders, who all got thrown off within seconds of climbing atop those wild animals, and then the threesome cheered on all the barrel racers.
Finally, they left the arena to look at the showcase animals and all the artwork, the latter activity being especially a treat for Ponyboy.
Then, Soda said, "Let's hit the rides!"
He knew that his family could not afford a horse, nor have a place in the city to keep one, but he could get his thrills from riding wild carnival rides.
They walked up to the carousel, and found that they were all over the height limit to ride on it-nobody 56 plus inches allowed.
Ponyboy and Darry were a trifle disappointed, but Soda scoffingly commented "We don't need such a sissy ride anyway!" "Let's go to the giant slide!"
The slide rose at least 10 feet straight up into the air.
They all sat on burlap bags as they went down it again and again, whooping and hollering.
"Now for the Tilt A Whirl!" Soda shouted excitedly.
Darry looked at it uncertainly.
"I don't know about that thing," he stated.
"Too bad for you! Come on Ponyboy!" Soda yelled.
Ponyboy was nervous, but he didn't want to look like a scaredy cat to Soda.
So he went after his brother, each sitting in their own "tilt cars."
When the ride began to spin around everyone on it, Soda threw up his arms and screamed with joy.
Ponyboy gradually began to grin too, at first.
As the ride progressed, however, he felt the ride begin to churn up the contents of his belly.
He had been careful not to eat too much before such a ride, only a small piece of strawberry cake.
Yet, the faster the ride twirled, the queasier he grew.
To his great chagrin, the strawberry cake he had tried to hold down came right back up, all over his shoes and the ride car.
Ponyboy stumbled out of the car at the end, staring at the ground.
"Wee! That was great!" Soda began, until he saw his smaller brother's accidental mess, his red ears and his blushing face.
"Hey Pony-are you okay?"
Ponyboy, thoroughly embarrassed, kept looking down.
He felt Darry put his arm around him.
"You still feel bad, little buddy?" Darry asked, with concern in his eyes and voice as he studied Ponyboy's sweaty brow and the pallor of his skin underneath the blush.
He nodded.
"Poor Pony" said Soda as Darry led Ponyboy to a place with a small hose where they could clean off his shoes.
The 3 brothers then sat down together while Darry handed Ponyboy some non-flavored crushed ice.
Not long after that, Darry got them back into their car and they headed toward home.
Ponyboy, still humiliated, said "I'm sorry I cut short your fun and regurgitated all over the place."
"Hey, no worries," Soda responded. "We'd seen and done most everything there by then anyway."
"We need for you to stay well," Darry stated.
To everyone's relief, Ponyboy was his normal self again by that night.
He had appetite for the apple butter and cookies that Darry had purchased at the fair, and these all stayed down.
"I'm glad that in spite of what happened earlier, we mostly had a great day," he stated, smiling.
"Me too," answered Soda with a grin of his own.
Darry was grateful as well.