Lessons learned the messy way, funnel cake AFTER the boardwalk rides, not before.
Johnny kindly led a wobbly and rather green faced Jinder to the nearest empty bench, sat him down and fanned him.
'This is my fault! Wait here, I'll run and get you some water. water's okay? You're thirsty, right?'
'Urgh, anything but food.' Jinder swayed but smiled, his skin color barely going back to normal.
'I'll rush.'
'Please do that.'
He DID rush, back in what seemed like less than a blink.
With plenty of cold bottled water, a roll of paper towels and a skateboard, the tackiest gaudiest one in the beach surf shop window, patterned with big neon colored squares, blue and pink and gold and silver glitter 'stars'.
'Skateboards come with first aid kits now?' Jinder joked.
'Actually I thought...I'd provide entertainment while you recover. If you don't mind.'
'Not at all, go ahead.'
The nausea faded to zero while he watched Curtis rolling around him, doing kicks and flips and amazing jumps, felt somewhat uncomfortable as he slowly realized this man was trying to impress him.
Jinder was impressed and charmed AND quite embarrassed he had these feelings.
'I think I can walk now.'
'You're absolutely sure?'
'A hundred percent.'
'Great!'
'But no more rides.'
'Ohhh no more, I wouldn't try to make you...'
'And let's bypass dessert.' Jinder said, shakily easing from the bench and was given a cheerful lovely smile of approval.
The boardwalk games had proved difficult, intense and fun.
'They rig these things to cheat people.' Johnny nodded, eyeing the back of his companion's shorts ( and the front) every sneaky chance he got.
'Probably.' jinder leaned back to sling the ball and it was plucked from his hand, JCurt knocked aside.
'Hey!'
'Skippy?' Jinder asked in surprise. 'What are you doing here?'
'Spending time with you.' Ryback answered triumphantly and heard Johnny snarl from the ground.
'That's...good, I guess. Free country and all.' Jinder shrugged.
'I used to be in the Nexus.'
'Hmmm, so were alot of guys.'
'I dressed as a cow for Halloween.'
'You wouldn't be the first to.'
'Which prize do you want?' Ryback gestured at the stuffed toys hanging behind the booth. 'I'll win you any you want.'
Johnny brushed sand from his clothes and scowled.
'I can win my own.'
'Of course, with those strong arms.' Ryback leaned in, smiling. 'All these toys and it's you that's the grand prize.'
Johnny made fake wretching sounds, rolling at his eyes at Skip's cornball pickup lines.
And the corn kept piling up for harvest.
Jinder laughed. 'Ask most WWE fans, I'm no prize at all, not even last place.'
'Those morons don't know what they're missing. Now you and me, we could-'
'GOLDBERG!'
The shrieks and stampede of a crowd of school children on a field trip engulfed the trio, Jinder chuckling and yanking johnny through the crowd, squirming through, claustrophobic almost.
He whistled and to Curtis surprise, a cow ran towards them.
Jinder grinned, threw his arms around the cow's big neck and waved at his jaw dropped friend.
'Hop on!'
'On...a cow?!'
'Sure, she doesn't mind, do you Party Cow?'
PC the sixth mooed. Johnny took it as a 'yes'.
'She's fast, so hold on.'
the cow WAS a fast runner but Curtis only noticed his arms around Jinder, the soft feel of his shirt, how his skin looked and smelled.
Struggled to keep himself flaccid.
Almost felt bad for Skip, who really had lost the grand prize after all.
But he didn't.
He smiled smug, inner gloating, warm heart.
