Madferit: The Novel

Chapter 136

            Every year, the Farm and Dairy shared a list of every county fair in Ohio. Month by month through the entire summer, starting at the beginning of June. Mom cut the list out and hung in on the fridge.

            Mam and Pap did the same thing along with keeping the paper's fair guide which listed off events at several fairs coming up. I took the liberty of skimming through it after dinner one day...but not before taking a gander at the Rural Marketplace first.

            My eyes lit up when I noticed one livestock ad in particular. "Look, Noel!" I exclaimed shoving the paper towards him so he could see. "They've got-"

            "No!" He grunted holding his hands up to keep it away.

            I lowered the paper in sadness. "But you didn't even-"

            "Don't need to!" He shook his head. "Whatever it is we're not buyin' it!" He lifted his section of the paper back up shielding his face.

            "Youns gonna go to the fair while you're here?" Pap asked.

            "Might." I replied with a shrug. "Are you guys?"

            "Yeah. Probably tonight to see the pulls."

            "Pulls?" Noel echoed curiously lowering his paper shield. "Football pools?"

            "Nope." I shook my head. "Not even close."

            We drove separate from Mam and Pap telling them we'd probably catch up with them later. Pap could stay all night at the pulls if given the opportunity but I wasn't that interested.

            It was late afternoon by the time we got there. I was glad we waited until then to go so we avoided most of the day's heat but not the crowds.

            To my shock, Noel didn't complain. In fact, he was in quite good spirits.

            "We're gonna ride that." He informed me pointing up at the ferris wheel. "And we're gonna have a snog at the top."

            "Okay." I snickered.

            "Addie, this ain't a joke. This is a very serious matter, this. And I reckon we should do it twice. Once while it's still light out and the other after it's dark."

            "Okay."

            "C'mon then!" He jerked my hand to follow him as he trotted off towards the ticket booth.

            We each got a wristband to make it easier for going on rides more than once. But Noel was only interested in the ferris wheel it seemed.

            "C'mon!" He tugged on my arm again when it was our turn to get on.

            The ferris wheel seats were bench style with a bar over your lap to hold you in.

            "'Please don't rock the seat.'" Noel read the sign on the seat in front of us aloud when we were about halfway up the side of the wheel. "Do they mean like this?" He grinned sitting back against our seat and tipping us slightly back with it.

            "Yes!" I gasped gripping the lap bar for dear life.

            He chuckled.

            I frowned. "Behave yourself!"

            "I am!" He assured me. "As good as I can anyway. You're the one who says I haven't any manners."