Puyallup, WA, a favorite of my kids
growing up. My oldest, a high functioning autistic man, lives in Seattle. “Doing
the Puyallup” is something he looks forward all year.
Two days ago he got
himself there on public transportation, once again.
When my two youngest were young teeners,
they treasured “wrist band” day when they could ride nearly all rides all
afternoon/evening as much as they wanted. I would take that day off. My one
rule was they had to meet me at a designated spot every hour. They would each
get $20 for snacks.
While they hit the rides, I would hit the
food stands and exhibits. A hamburger covered with Walla Walla sweet onions was
first on the list.
As a car salesman I loathed car shows and
fairs. Very hard to sell anything there and the dealership damn well wasn’t
paying for my time. The conversation with management usually went like this.
“Tank,
here is your floor times at the Puyallup”.
“Fuck
that, I’m not going. You want someone there to glad hand the
public?
Hire some hard bellied young women”.
After the ensuing shit storm ended, I
usually agreed to pull one, and only one, shift and not on the weekend.
One year there was a bungee jump from a
very tall crane. Some of the salesmen who truly disliked me (never understood
why – I’m such a nice guy) made the mistake of baiting me about going on the
bungee jump. Ah, a chance to make some money! After hustling them for awhile
and getting the cash into a reliable third party’s hand, I did it. No big deal
to me but I wouldn’t pay my own money to do it.
I usually try to take in one county fair
each year and prefer the smaller ones. The 4-H and FFA kids work so hard and I
can appreciate their efforts. Always in the back of my mind is my mother
getting a Union Pacific scholarship to attend the University of Wyoming from
sheep she raised. No snowflakes at these shows.
