“Em, you look fine, let’s go, they’re going to leave without us.”

“They won’t leave without us Sarah, that’s just a threat.”

“Well, I want to be on time. Kevin Hines, the preacher’s son, might be there and if he is, tonight I will at long last be able to speak to him. I am sixteen, I am a woman.” She moved her arms as if casting a spell. “Tonight, he will be mine!”

“Sarah we’re going to a carnival in River City that is hardly a comparison to Venice.”

“Well, it is the closest I’ve ever been anyway. Anyway, it’s nearly six, let’s go.”

Emily adjusted her hat. “Sarah, we’re both trolling for men we need to work out our signals.”

“Gotcha, if I need to talk I’ll say, ‘Hey, Emily, let’s talk.’”

Emily smirked. “Funny.” Emily puckered up and tilted her head to the right. “This means: I want to be alone with him.”

Sarah nodded.

Sarah tickled the air with her fingers. “This means: he’s a little too friendly.”

Emily winked. “I will never use that one.” Sarah laughed.

Sarah tapped her right eye with her left forefinger. “This means: I need to talk to you now!”

Emily tugged on Sarah’s hair. “Ow!”

“That means: don’t say it, Sarah.”

Emily checked her hat in the mirror once more. “Let’s roll.”

They rushed out the door and down the sidewalk to the park. Eagle Creek was as tranquil and mild as a town could possibly be; the place for excitement was an hour away on horseback, River City. River City had a population of twelve thousand. Its streets were lined with attractive shops displaying the latest finery and fashions. Spacious hotels welcomed travelers with lounges and libations. The magnificent music hall showcased talented troupes, two libraries offered culture and refinement. A rarity in its time, a roller skating rink became a refuge for young people anxious to try their wings. Folks in River City were dressed elegantly and always rushed. No time to talk, minimal pleasantries. “I’ve got to be there quick!” was the motto.

River City’s casinos were, naturally, off limits to children and decent citizens. These dens of iniquity and inequity had poker, cigars, whiskey and wily women, a one stop shop for sin. The debauched atmosphere was, at times, alluring, as is the case with all forbidden fruit. When someone walked in by the flapping barroom doors you could sneak a peek inside the Valhalla of vice. The women wore red velvet dresses with deep V necks. Boys were bewitched. Girls were aghast and secretly envious of women who wielded such power. Keenly aware of such temptations, each trip to River City included a well rehearsed homily from mother or father on the dangers of depravity and the principles of propriety and, for the most part, such admonitions worked, they remained mostly innocent even when they were within spitting distance of sin.

When the parents felt that a boy or girl was old enough, usually about fourteen-years-old, they’d be permitted to leave the nest. On Friday, after school and chores, a group of youngsters would hop in a hay wagon, driven by a couple of brave volunteers and hit the town. Along the road to River City, they would chat, sing, make silly noises, and anticipate hitting the town.

Upon arrival, the grown ups would find an elegant restaurant and appoint a time for the kids to return. If anyone was late they were left behind. At least, that’s what the adults claimed but that never actually happened. On the ride home, some would fall asleep using a pile of hay for a pillow, wrapping up their torso in a warm blanket. Others would stay awake intently gazing up at the star spangled sky hoping to spot a meteor.

The kids earned their freedom through appropriate behavior. The adults celebrated their offspring’s burgeoning maturity and, frankly, enjoyed the quiet while they were away. With this in mind, Paula and Michael Conrad looked forward to Friday night.

Emily and Sarah kept a steady pace as they excitedly headed towards the park. “Oh Em, I hope Kevin’s there. I have waited so long for him to be mine. Tonight is the night, Em.”

“What about Tommy Grossman?”

Sarah replied by mimicking her inquiry, “What about Tommy Grossman? Em, he has hardly said two words to me. We went out once and I bored him to tears. The S.S. Grossman has sailed and sunk.”

“Fine, just remember your promise to me: tonight you and Lynn will be friends.”

“Absolutely. I am mature enough to recognize that....” Sarah stopped cold.

Emily continued walking. “Recognize what? Sarah?”

Sarah pointed to the wagon. Emily turned around she examined the situation and then sprinted over to Sarah. Emily grabbed her arm and led her around the other side of the supply store.

“Sarah? Sarah? Calm down.”

“Calm down? Calm down? Did you see who Lynn was sitting next to? She is making moves on my man!”

Emily guffawed, "Tommy is not ‘your man.’ He is clearly not interested in you.”

Sarah teared up.

Emily rolled her eyes. “Ok, I did not mean that the way it sounded.”

Sarah was shaking; she squeaked, “Have fun in River City.” She turned around and walked the opposite direction.

Emily chased after her. “Sarah? Sarah?” She kept running. Emily’s hat fell off during the chase. “Sarah? Sarah?

Sarah was gaining some distance. Emily shrieked, “Sarah!”

Sarah briefly turned back; when she did she nearly collided with Crystal Hines who was coming out of the Dry Goods store.

Startled, Crystal put down her groceries and ran after her: “Sarah?” Sarah tripped on a crack and stumbled, Crystal caught her. Crystal led Sarah to the other side of the store.

“What is it Sarah?” She didn’t reply.

Crystal rolled her eyes. “You are wearing your Sunday best, Emily is chasing you, obviously, you are running away from someone.”

Sarah looked down. She muttered, “Nobody.”

Crystal shook her head.

Sarah shrugged. "I'm just a little confused."

Emily showed up. “Sarah calm down, she is... oh, hello Mrs. Hines!”

“Hello Emily. Why are you two girls running down the street?”

Emily feigned fear. “A cougar… a cougar is on the loose.”

Crystal laughed. “That is, by far, the worst lie I’ve ever heard.” She turned to Sarah. "Sweetheart? What is the problem?"

Sarah moaned, “You wouldn’t understand.”

Crystal asked, “Do this involve Lynn Watson and Tommy Grossman?”

Sarah’s tilted her head. “How’d you know?”

“Sarah, Preacher Sam is my husband, this is a small town. What do you think wives talk about outside the church building on Sunday?” Sarah was downcast.

“Tommy Grossman is not interested in you. Ok? Now then, this may come as a shock, but I, your mother and Jean Clementine, not so long ago, were sixteen-year-old girls. Sam and I didn’t even meet until I was nineteen. I had to wait two years for him to finish college so we could marry; therefore, I know a little something about romantic disappointments. When your mother was sixteen, she had to break an engagement and move to Billings with no job and no prospects. Emily, Jean was sixteen when she met Will. He was so oblivious that did not even talk to her until she spilled coffee on him. She had to sit on a bench, outside, in November and wait for him to come out of a barber shop.”

Crystal thought for a second and then chuckled to herself.

“Emily, don’t tell your mother I said this but, she told me, when she said, ‘Oh no, dear me, I’ve spilt hot coffee all over you....’”

“And the coffee had chunks of ice in it? Yup, my Dad told me that story once.”

The little quip temporarily lightened the mood.

“The point is Sarah… and Emily is that you are going to experience many more disappointments when it comes to men. Before you meet Mr. Right, you will meet a dozen Mr. Wrongs. You will also meet three more named Mr. Close-But-Not-Quite-There and probably one hundred Mr.-Sorry-Not-Interested.”

“Yeah, I know. Em, I talk about this kinda thing everyday. We've made an abstraction table on about every boy in Sheridan County.”

“Do you know why I am here tonight?”

Sarah shook her head, no. Emily did the same.

“I had to take Kevin down to the park so he could go to the carnival in River City.”

Sarah beamed and took off running.

Emily followed but she returned a moment later. “Mrs. Hines….”

“You're welcomed, now don’t miss the wagon.”

Emily disappeared around the corner. Crystal laughed as she saw them sprinting down the street and said a silent prayer, thankful that she was no longer their age.

Sarah turned around and waved. “Come on, come on, Em.”

Emily huffed and puffed. Sarah did not know what to make of her assessment. Lynn was sitting in between Tommy and Kevin. One-half of her brain was analyzing the significance of the seating arrangements. The other half was trying to think of the right voice inflection to say ‘hello’ to Kevin.

Lynn saw Sarah loping towards the wagon. From atop her perch, Lynn presented Sarah with a devilish grin. Lynn turned to Kevin and gave him two soft pats on his left arm.

Sarah pretended not to see her. Kevin raised an eyebrow. “Sarah? Hello.”

Sarah opened her mouth. Instead of, “Kevin, it is such a delight to see you again” she burped.

Everyone heartily laughed at her.

Sarah froze too embarrassed to say anything more. Emily finally made it. “What Sarah means to say is… let’s have fun tonight!”

Everyone cheered.

“Sarah! Let’s just go!”

Kevin reached out his hand; Sarah gave a radiant smile and he pulled her up. She sat down beside him.

Emily got on her other side. She noticed that Kevin was talking to Sarah, Lynn was talking to Tommy. She did a quick inventory of the rest of the passengers and collapsed her shoulders.

Mr. Watson turned around. “Are we ready?”

“Hold up.”

Pete Jackson ran and jumped on the back of the wagon. When Emily saw him she gave half a smile. Though Pete was not particularly appealing, she did not want to be a third wheel. If Pete and Tommy sat near each other they might discuss hunting all night which would be unfair to Lynn.

Emily scooted over next to him and said coyly, “Good evening, Pete.”

Tommy turned around. “Hey Pete.”

As the wagon pulled out of town Emily led the group in the traditional farewell: “1, 2, 3. So long Crummy Creek.” All the kids stuck out their tongues and made raspberries. George and Peggy Watson laughed between themselves.

Peggy examined the group. “We’ve got Emily, Pete Jackson, Mary Beth Lyndhurst, Kimberly Buchanan, Margaret Costello, Brian Anderson… Mary Beth, Kimberly, Margaret, Brian since you are all fourteen or thirteen, I want you to stay together tonight.”

They moaned.

“My wagon: my rules. Ok, Lynn and Tommy Grossman, Kevin and Sarah. That’s ten children all together.”

Kevin cleared his throat. “I’m eighteen.”

Mr. Watson nodded. “Yup, ten children.” He turned around, “Everyone’s been to River City before?”

They answered as one, “Yes, sir.”

“So everyone’s heard the lecture?”

They bemoaned, “Yes, sir.”

Peggy laughed. “Good.”

Lynn pulled out a newspaper clipping from her purse. “At this year’s carnival they have: a Ferris Wheel, Fun House, two carousels, Human Pool Table, The Steeplechase, oh, oh, oh, A Trip To The Moon, A Bell Tower which chimes the modern sounds of Tin Pan Alley, Colossus: The Man of Steel, a Human Roulette Wheel, Montana’s largest arcade, a roller coaster, an authentic Indian camp, a food festival, Splash Down- which has a Tunnel of love, a Barrel of Wonders. Oh, and on Friday, April 22nd, that’s today, the midway will feature Lynn: The Talking Mule.”

Emily gave a quick tug on Sarah’s hair. She kept her mouth shut.

Kevin said, “It all sounds so exciting.”

He leaned in to Sarah. “Do you want to ride the Steeplechase with me?”

She suppressed a squeak, “I guess.”

He replied with a smile. Sarah turned to Emily and gave a silent scream of “Yippee!”

The hour long wagon ride went by in a flash.

The parking lot at the carnival was packed. Mr. Watson put the brake on and asked, “Does everyone know where we parked?”

The kids responded, “Montana.”

“Good enough, let’s go.”

As soon as they paid the admission and bought their tickets, the group split up into threes. Mr. and Mrs. Watson headed to the Music Hall to see a touring company from Chicago perform Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The Junior High girls, Mary Beth, Kim, and Margaret locked arms and walked ahead of Brian, he didn’t seem to mind. Sarah and her dream beau, Kevin, Lynn and her newly acquired interest, Tommy Grossman, and Emily, with her default boyfriend du jour, Pete, steadfastly marched towards the midway.

Emily said, “Let’s go to the Splash Down.”

Lynn made a grunting noise and shook her head, their signal for too soon.

“Ok, fine, um, The Steeplechase.”

Sarah coughed twice and winked. “Way too soon.”

Emily rolled her eyes and announced to the group. “For crying out loud we want to spend time getting to know these guys, where can we start?”

Sarah and Lynn were mortified. Pete, Kevin and Tommy were laughing.

Kevin whispered in Emily’s ear, “The carousel is fairly tame.”

Emily replied, “Thanks… and, wow, you smell good.”

Sarah’s eyes bulged. “Emily!”

Kevin asked, “How about we ride the carousel?”

That appeared to please everyone.

Sarah tried to ride side-saddle on the horse next to Kevin. After she’d slipped a second time she said, “I can’t be lady-like all of the time.” She jumped on the horse and winked to him.

The carousel jerked to life. The organist played, “Lazy Lou’siana Moon” and “Is She My Girlfriend?”

Sarah liked the way the wind rumbled and riffled Kevin’s hair.

Lynn pretended to be terrified so she might be comforted by Tommy.

Emily mostly ignored Pete and focused on the unicorn she was riding.

When the ride was over and they left the carousel, a hand walking clown grabbed their attention.

Pete announced with much bravado, “I can do that!”

He swiftly planted his hands on the ground and effortlessly flung his feet into the air, the group cheered “Hurray for Pete he’s the hands down winner.”

Emily smiled and whispered to Lynn, “He’s crazy! I like that!”

The Bell Tower chimed a popular tune: “The Ideal of My Dreams.”

Lynn dreamily swayed. “I love this song!”

Sarah smiled. “Me too.”

Emily sang,

“At last I meet you face to face,
the Ideal of my dream,
I've waited to behold you dear,
For years and years 'twould seem;”


Lynn joined her,

“And now you come to live, to breathe,
From out the mystic night,
My burning heart, my very soul,
Cries out in all its might:”

Sarah’s voice complimented their duet,

“I love you, I love you, I love you,
You are the Ideal of my dreams,
I always knew, 'twould be someone like you,
I've loved you forever it seems
For years in my minds fondest fancy
A picture of your face I drew,
And I knew you some how,
when I met you just now,
You are the Ideal of my dreams.”

The men were enchanted by the sweet sirens. Other couples stopped to listen to the impromptu performance.

Sarah soloed.

"Some how I feel you can't be real,
you'll vanish like the mist,
Before I hold you in my arms,
Before your lips I've kissed,
But no, you speak, you really live,
Warm blood thro' your veins flows,
Come join me in the land of love,
I want the world to know:"

Lynn and Emily blended.

"I love you, I love you, I love you,
You are the Ideal of my dreams,
I always knew, 'twould be someone like you,
I've loved you forever it seems
For years in my minds fondest fancy
A picture of your face I drew,
And I knew you some how,
when I met you just now,
You are the Ideal of my dreams.

The small audience clapped, the girls curtseyed to their beaus. For the first time, Sarah and Lynn had worked together to make something beautiful. They smiled and briefly hugged. The magic show confirmed the set up that night between the genders; each appeared to be quite pleased with the arrangements.

Pete suggested, “Let’s go to the Fun House.”

The entrance to the Fun House had a long flight of silly stairs that slid back and forth.

The prospect terrified Sarah.

Emily locked with Sarah’s arms, “Come on.” They walked up the stairs and into a crooked room.

“Boo!” a skeleton dropped from the ceiling. The girls screamed.

Lynn latched on to Tommy’s arm; the scare was replaced with a more immediate curiosity about the size of his biceps.

Kevin put his arm around Sarah’s shoulder. “You’re safe with me.” Sarah smiled.

Pete Jackson said to Emily, “That skeleton reminds me of an antelope I found last week, it was dead too.”

Emily nodded. “Great; that’s good to know.”

The spinning room was next. They walked boy-girl style down the walkway. A spinning tube with bright colors and two speakers blaring out different songs made the experience confusing.

Lynn lost her balance and fell backwards; Tommy caught her before her head hit the floor. She liked the way he cradled her back. He lifted her up and they continued.

Emily whined, “I’m a hippo!”

When Pete stood beside her in the mirror, she noticed that he appeared to be only two feet tall while Kevin’s image zigzagged. Sarah was as thin as a pencil. Lynn and Tommy stood together.

“Lynn, I think we're a match.”

Sarah started to say something else to Emily but she had vanished. Sarah turned back to Kevin, he was also gone. No one else was in the room.

“Where’d everybody go?”

Kevin’s arm appeared out of nowhere. He motioned for her to come towards him.

“Oh, it’s a hall of mirrors.”

The group played a quick game of tag. Pete Jackson exited the room and stood on a balcony. “Emily, look at this view.”

Emily turned and stepped on the balcony, it collapsed and leaned forward. Emily closed her eyes, certain of her fate and screamed. She wondered why it was taking so long to hit the floor.

Pete was doubled over laughing.

Emily smirked. “Very funny.”

She then winked at him. “Sarah, come here; you won’t believe this view.”

The next room was upside down. The kitchen, dinning room and parlor were all on the ceiling. In the bedroom, a manikin snored as his bed-sheets hung near the floor. The shower water drained to the ceiling.

Next they slid down a long, covered slide which emptied into a Human Pool Table. The Human Pool Table was a large metal floor with sixteen spinning discs. As you landed on one disc you were speedily wildly shot to the next. Emily went in an S pattern to the far right of the floor where she tumbled into against a cushioned wall. She laughed hysterically. Pete soon rolled up next to her, he was also laughing. He turned rolled to the right to prop himself up. When he did he put his left palm on the floor over Emily’s right shoulder.

“That was the zaniest….”

He stopped talking when he realized he was mere inches above Emily’s lips. Time ceased. The five seconds they remained in that position lasted an eternity. Emily stroked his left cheek, hoping he would catch the cue. She arched her neck and closed her eyes. He slowly tilted his head.

"Comin’ through!”

Pete turned his head.

Sarah rolled into them, knocking Pete to the side. He stood up and helped the ladies to their feet.

Emily gritted her teeth and said, “Thank you, Pete.”

She whispered to Sarah a silent scream, “Why did you just ruin the single most romantic moment of my life?”

Sarah cringed. “Sorry.”

As soon as the girls recomposed themselves they headed for a gift shop. As they looked at the coffee mugs decorated with the state flag and nature scenes, Emily looked at Sarah and smiled.

Sarah made googly eyes.

Emily raised an eyebrow.

Sarah patted her heart and did a quick spin. When she got about two thirds of the way around, her shoes tapped Lynn's. Sarah slowly looked up.

Lynn smiled and made a funny face.

Sarah beamed a smile and whispered, "Me too."

Emily cleared her throat. "As long as where on the subject, where’d our dates go?” They scrambled out of the gift shop.

Sarah frantically asked, "Where could they be?" Her question was answered with a sharp gun shot.

The girls walked to a tent around the corner.

Emily rolled her eyes and muttered sarcastically, “Hurray! They’ve gone hunting.”

Pete turned around. “Emily, Sarah, Lynn: there you are. Tommy and I were just shooting tin ducks.” Pete smiled and tossed her something. “I won ya a rubber ducky.”

Emily squeaked the duck twice and chuckled, “My hero.”

Lynn said, “I wish Tommy would do that.”

Sarah nudged her. “Ask him to.”

Lynn made a funny face. She whispered, “I’m scared.”

Emily aped her, “I’m scared. Lynn, this rubber ducky is practically an engagement ring.” She squeaked it twice.

Sarah pouted and shook her head. “Emily, Lynn is perfectly suited to a lonely life. She could be a librarian, she could watch for forest fires, maybe even live in a cave.”

Lynn playfully hit Sarah’s shoulder. “Shut up!”

Lynn sighed. “Ok, here goes nothing.” She straightened out her dress and walked up to Tommy. He quickly turned around. “Hey Lynn!”

Lynn screamed, “Blaaah!” She put her hand on her heart and tried to keep from hyperventilating.

Sarah and Emily were falling over each other in laughter.

Lynn thought, “Ok, that was a close one.”

Tommy smiled. “Do you want to win a rubber ducky?”

Lynn spoke up so Sarah and Emily could hear her, “Oh, no, not me. I don’t participate in childish competitions.”

She looked to the left and right and whispered, “What’s the next prize up?”

He examined the wall. “A stuffed monkey.”

She smiled and spoke with a mischievous lilt, “I could be the gorilla your dreams.”

“So you want to be a gorilla?”

Lynn screamed into her hand, frustrated that he missed the pun. “Let’s try this again: Tommy, Pete got five ducks with five shots. You can shoot ten ducks with ten shots, can’t you?”

He shrugged. “I guess I could.”

Tommy placed his quarter on the table. “Ten shots this time please.”

The carnie handed him a rifle.

Lynn winked at him.

“1, 2, 3, 4, 5… come on Tommy, you can do it. 6, 7, 8, 9….” She leaned against him. “On the last shot, go for that Grizzly in the bottom row.”

He got it.

Lynn cheered.

Tommy smiled as he received his prize.

Lynn kissed him on the cheek. She held the toy to her chest, spun around and stuck her tongue out at Sarah and Emily.

Emily ran up to Pete. “Are you really an expert hunter?”

He shrugged. “That’s all I do beyond school.”

Emily looked at the wall. “Then you can win the… um… the… Cupie Doll. All you have to do is shoot the Grizzly five times in a row. It’s that simple.”

Emily smiled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

Bolstered by her confidence in him, he put down his dime. The carnie gave him a gun.

Pete shot the Grizzly five times.

Emily clapped and jumped and down when she received the otherwise ugly, misshaped doll with wild, frizzy purple hair.

Sarah turned to Kevin. “Um, um, Kevin, do you think…?”

He interrupted her, “Oh no, I’m a preacher’s son, this is too close to gambling.”

Sarah sighed. “Kevin, can you show me how to fire the rifle?”

Sarah put down her dime.

Kevin was hesitant. “I don’t know about that.”

“Kevin, it’s my dime, so, technically, you are not the one gambling.”

Sarah picked up the rifle and pointed at the faux menagerie.

Kevin smiled. “No, no. You don’t hold it that way.”

He stepped behind her, putting much weight on her back. He put his hands on her hips.

“Don’t slouch.”

She swallowed. “Ok.”

He took her left wrist and stretched it out so she could firmly grasp the barrel of the gun. He then got his other wrist and moved it up so his hand was atop hers holding the trigger.

“Now then, get the duck in your line of sight.”

He pushed his cheek against hers. His scent, the slight stubble of his beard and the thickness of his hands was exhilarating. Sarah practically melted.

She could feel the muscles in his throat moving.

"Now pick out your target. Focus on the pond and ask yourself… ‘Which one shall I choose to be my first?’”

Sarah shook. She stammered, “Um, um, um.” As she was lost in the moments she inadvertently squeezed the trigger.

Bang.

A bell rang.

“You got one good. Let’s get another.”

Sarah nodded. “2… 3… 4… 5! Sarah you did it!”

She put the gun down and hugged him. She rested her left check against his neck. She wanted to stay in that position awhile longer.

Squeak. Squeak.

“Here’s your duck.”

He handed it to her. “Always think of me when you use it.”

“I promise, Kevin, I will.” She winked and gave him an inviting smile.

The girls conferred yet again. They decided to go ahead and attempt to kick up the romantic mood by riding the Ferris Wheel. The Ferris Wheel had long tubular lights which made a rainbow pattern around the spokes.

The girls agreed that now was the proper time for some advancement in the potential affections.

To be sure about their standards Sarah whispered, “Holding hands nothing more.”

Emily rolled her eyes.

Lynn initiated the idea, “Let’s do the Ferris Wheel.”

Emily grabbed Sarah’s hand and they took off.

Lynn asked, “How did you do in our little competition?”

Sarah whispered, “I won.”

As the Ferris Wheel reached the summit, Sarah laughed and said, “Oh Kevin, you're sooooo funny!”

The Ferris Wheel jerked and then stopped.

The cabin swung back and forth, Sarah went over to Kevin’s side. “I’m frightened.”

He smiled and whispered, “Don’t be.”

He slipped his hand beneath hers. The simple maneuver, for which Sarah had yearned since she was twelve, officially indicated that he had more than friendship in mind.

She looked down at his fingers entwined with hers and smiled.

He was doing the same thing, checking on a reaction from her.

“The view is beautiful.”

Kevin smiled, “So are you.”

Sarah quivered; she prayed the Ferris Wheel would never move again. She looked over her shoulder to Emily in the cabin below.

“Pete, if I hold your hand, will you promise not to talk anymore about choking that rabbit?”

He swished his mouth and looked her over. He nodded.

Emily smiled. “Fine.”

She scooted over next to him and leaned her head on his shoulder.

When they left the Ferris Wheel, Lynn and Tommy got off first. Emily and Sarah smiled when they saw them holding hands.

Lynn shrugged and said coyly, “It just sort of… happened.”

Having made a successful romantic progression, hand holding, the girls consulted with each other and determined the Steeplechase should be their next stop.

The River City Steeplechase was the only one of its kind in Montana. Along with the roller coaster, the Splash Down, and a Trip to the Moon, it was a permanent attraction at the fairgrounds.

The ride consisted of three rail tracks that went in a figure eight pattern from north to south. Each horse carried two riders, typically a woman who was thrilled to be held, a man who was equally satisfied to hold her.

As the horses pulled up and the other riders dismounted, Lynn asked, “Who should go first?”

Emily took the initiative. She walked over to the coral colored horse, Pink Star, and straddled it. She winked at Pete and made the “come hither” motion with her fingers.

He smiled and sat down behind her.

Sarah chose the light green horse, Elwood, next to Emily and did the same with Kevin.

Lynn and Tommy got on the golden horse, named Donau.

“Are you ready to race? Grab your partner and get ready for some fast moving fun.”

The bell rang and the horses shot down the track.

As they went up the long lift hill Emily motioned to Sarah, she turned her focus to Lynn who had her hands in the air. They smiled; she needed the thrill and the inevitable victory.

As if they had rehearsed it, Sarah, Emily and Lynn screamed… like girls, when the horses began their sharp descent.

Emily’s head bent down and they leaned in for the first big slope.

“Yahoo!,” said Sarah. She enjoyed Kevin resting his chin on the back of her neck.

“Oh, whoa, whoa, aww, whoa, aww!,” screamed Lynn who was beginning to regret that her first ride was with a boy. A terrible vision consumed her; it involved Tommy wiping vomit off his shirt. But Lynn stayed on, her cotton candy stayed down and the race continued.

The horses made another sharp set of banked turns and Lynn’s Mustang slowly gained on the Appaloosa and the Arabian.

She squeaked, “Tommy, I think we’re going to win!”

He laughed. “Seriously?”

She nodded.

Emily and Sarah didn’t have the heart to tell her the competition was fixed.

“And our winner is going to be….” The announcer had the audience in the palm of his hand. Sarah and Emily appreciated his showmanship.

“Donau! Donau has won this running of the River City Steeplechase!”

Lynn threw her hands into the air: “Hallelujah!”

Tommy said, “Yahoo!”

She turned around and kissed his cheek.

He smiled and mouthed, “Wow.”

As they got off the ride and left the cue for the midway, Lynn became unsure of herself. She sidled next to Emily. “We need to talk.”

Emily grabbed Sarah’s hand. “We’re going to the ladies room. Why don’t you boys wait for us in the arcade?”

The group split up. The gentlemen gave each other subtle movements, asking, “What’s wrong?”

The bathroom was crowded. Emily, Sarah and Lynn grouped in a corner.

Lynn was nervous. “When I kissed him on the cheek just then, was I too forward?”

“No / Yes,” said Emily and Sarah in a flawless unison.

“Thanks for the clarity.”

Lynn sighed. “The thing is, up until a couple of hours ago, Tommy had scarcely said two sentences to me. But there’s something in the air tonight. I don’t know what it is exactly, but, for the first time in my life I actually like a boy and he likes me back.”

Sarah bobbed her head. “Same here. This whole evening is loony, Lynn, you and I are… are….”

“My point exactly! Are we supposed to be friends now? If I can’t figure out where I’m going in my relationship with a girl how I supposed to determine where I am headed with a guy?”

Sarah shrugged. “I see your point. Maybe we should slow things down a little.”

“What? Lynn, Sarah this is absurd! All of us have found our true loves!”

“Emily, what are you talking about? Lynn, we’ve had fun tonight, that’s all.”

Lynn looked downcast. “Are you saying that Tommy doesn’t love me?”

Sarah rolled her eyes.

Emily put a hand on Lynn’s shoulder. “Lynn, men are like spice gardens.”

She looked to Sarah.

Sarah shook her head and motioned with her hands. “What are you talking about?”

Lynn asked, “Yeah. What does ‘Men are like spice gardens mean?’”

Emily kept making hand motions to Sarah. In frustration she said, “Ok, I confess, I didn’t actually read that article in Vogue, I thought if I pretended to read the article… it would make me look smart.”

Sarah smirked. “You are a cornucopia of wisdom. Lynn, if my mother were here right now she’d say….”

Emily interrupted her, “Your mother would say, ‘Sarah check the middle button on your blouse.’”

She looked down. “Ahhh! Ok, that partially explains the male attention I’ve received so far.”

“Sarah, Lynn, love does not have a guide map. It is scary… like the Steeplechase but you just have to hold on to the reins and trust in the strong arms of the man behind you.”

Lynn smiled.

Sarah was amazed.

Emily continued, “Trust yourself; don’t worry so much. You look fine; red is a great color on you. Let’s go Vanessa.”

“Huh?”

Two women walked out of the stalls behind them.

Sarah asked, “Let me guess; the one putting on lipstick is named Vanessa?”

Emily shrugged. “I suppose. They were older, their advice is probably valid.”

Lynn sighed. “I need some time to myself.”

Sarah shook her head. “No! Right now, you need your friends.”

Lynn smiled. “I drank a lot of water tonight.”

Sarah’s eyes bulged. “Oh, oh, oh, of course, we’re in a bathroom.”

Emily and I will be outside. Lynn went into a stall.

Emily and Sarah checked their make-up in the scratched, cloudy mirror.

“Sarah, do you think the guys are as unsure about us as we are about them?”

Sarah wrinkled her nose. “Probably so. No doubt they’re having a conference, discussing their feelings about us. Men and women are basically the same in that department.”

After they left the ladies lavatory, they met up with the boys in front of a popcorn stand. They were listening intently to Pete.

"And then I grabbed him by the ears and twisted his neck in one smooth move."

"Pete no!"

Lynn walked up behind them and said, “Let’s go to the Food Festival, I’m hungry.”

Everyone agreed on that notion.

At the Food Festival, Emily tried the Kung Pao chicken. Sarah ate pickled vegetables and Jiaozi. Pete and Tommy got bison burgers and baked potatoes. Lynn and Kevin waited in line at a tent selling Mexican cuisine.

As the group of four sat down, Pete noticed that Lynn was missing.

Sarah said, “Yeah, where’d she… oh, no. Emily!”

Emily looked up from her dish. “What?”

Sarah pointed to the line.

“Sarah… what?”

Sarah leaned over and spoke so Pete and Tommy couldn’t hear. “What? What? You don’t see them?”

“Who?”

“Kevin and Lynn! She’s talking to him!”

Emily made a funny face. “And?”

“And, earlier she was talking to Tommy and now….” Sarah became more animated. “And now they’re practically planning a honeymoon!”

Tommy dropped his fork. “Huh?”

Sarah looked his way.

Tommy had a befuddled expression on his face. Pete was trying not to laugh at him.

Sarah nervously smiled. “Um, um, so Pete, you killed a rabbit with your bare hands?”

Emily closed her eyes and prayed. “Dear Merciful Lord in Heaven, please don’t make him tell me that story again!”

Pete shrugged. “I’ve killed lots of animals.”

Sarah gave half of a smile. “You know the way to a girl’s heart.”

Emily tugged on her hair. “Sarah? Sarah? Relax. Turn off the fire alarm in your head. You are going to scare him off if you get clingy within the first few hours of a pseudo-relationship.”

Sarah sighed and sat back down. “You maybe right.”

Emily nodded. “I am always right, Vanessa.”

Sarah took a second to rethink her position and drank a Coca-Cola.

Kevin and Lynn soon found the table. When they sat down, Kevin was finishing up a story.

Lynn laughed. “No wonder, if the shoe fits.”

Sarah aped her.

Emily slowly shook her head towards Sarah. She closed her eyes and tried to finish her meal.

Sarah overheard Lynn. “My birthday’s in August. Wow! We do have a lot in common!”

Sarah gave a silent scream and then a look towards Lynn that would, hopefully, cause her to spontaneously combust.

Lynn laughed and then turned to Sarah. It was not the first time Lynn had received such a venomous stare. Lynn mouthed, “What’d I do?”

Emily dropped her fork on Sarah’s plate.

“Settle down.”

Sarah remained tense.

Emily purposefully dropped her knife on the floor. She motioned to Lynn and Sarah; they bent down under the table with her.

“Sarah, what is your problem?”

Sarah growled, “Lynn, you’re making moves on Kevin!”

“I laughed at his joke because it was funny. And, if we were both born in August that indicates absolutely nothing! You’re just looking for another pathetic excuse to hate me!”

Emily reached across and pulled on Sarah’s hair.

“Ouch!” She yelled and pulled up, bumping her head in the process.

Tommy, Kevin and Pete all looked at each other and laughed, they were fully aware of every detail of their conversation.

“Lynn, if you know what’s good for you then you will keep your fiendish talons off of him.”

Lynn was defensive. “Sarah, you have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Lynn, I'm not blind!”

“Lynn, Sarah, both of you are driving me bonkers and I am missing out on some quality flirting time.”

“Emily, we can hear every word.”

“Lynn, please listen to reason.” Emily looked up and laughed at Pete who also had his head under the table.

He waved.

Emily waved back.

“You can hear every word?”

Pete nodded. "Yup."

All four got up from underneath the table.

Kevin advised, “Before Lynn’s enchilada goes sailing in Sarah’s direction, let’s take a moment to relax and remember that we're all friends here."

Sarah smiled at him. “You're right. Lynn, I’m sorry.”

“Me too, Sarah, me too.”

Emily spoke up, “You know what we need?”

Kevin replied, “Prayer?”

“Chocolate.”

Emily asked with much fanfare, “Who wants dessert?”

Everyone raised their hands. “Me!”

"Pete and I will be back in a flash."

As they walked to the ice cream stand, Emily asked, "Pete, do you ever think about… us?"

Pete raised an eyebrow. "Us?"

"Yeah, you know me and you. What are you… looking for in a girl?"

Pete popped his lips. "Actually, tonight is… really the first time I ever saw you as… as a…."

"As a what?"

"Two chocolate. Two vanillas. One strawberry. One peach."

The man behind the ice cream counter replied, "Sixty cents" and got his bowls and scoops ready.

Emily was insistant while she smiled. "So, you want to be my boyfriend?"

Pete looked past her. "I just don't know what I want right now."

"Ok, ok, ok, that's a start. You've expressed a feeling about us which means…."

"Can you make it one vanilla and one orange?"

Emily winced. "Pete? Please."

He looked back down to her.

"Let's start again. Do you think there is a possibility…?"

"No." Pete shouted.

"So, kid, you don't want the two other chocolates and the strawberry and the peach?"

"Yes. I do want the two other chocolates and the strawberry and the peach."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Are you even capable of…?"

He kissed her.

"I am capable."

She gave him a slight smile as she touched his cheek. "That's all I wanted to know."

"Hey Romeo, your order's ready."

Pete paid the ice cream vendor. Emily carried one of the trays.

As they finished up the ice cream, they discussed the strong man showed they'd seen earlier.

Tommy said, "Well, I don't know about 400 pounds, but, I could probably bench press 250 or so. I mean, I'm probably the strongest one here."

Pete began unbuttoning his right sleeve. "Prove it."

Tommy smiled. "You're on." He unbuttoned his right sleeve as well.

They joined hands to arm wrestle.

Emily put her hand atop their hands. "On three. Ready?"

Tommy nodded. "Ready."

Pete replied in kind.

Lynn and Sarah both said, "Ready."

Emily slowly traced the outline of Tommy's knuckles.

"Um… one… two."

She watched as Tommy's muscles tightened.

"Um… two and a half. Two and three quarters. Do you boys want to make this a count to… forty or so?"

Sarah cleared her throat.

Emily sighed. "Fine. Three."

She let go. They match was on.

The mighty men gave a Herculean, if not mildly exaggerated, performance. Tommy’s biceps were practically leaping out of his forearm. The jugular veins in Pete’s neck coursed and expanded with great fury. As the barbaric battle of testosterone continued, Emily held her breath. Lynn came close to having a heart attack and Sarah's teeth chattered.

Emily signaled Lynn- she did not understand, she was too drawn into the gladiatorial match.

Emily stretched her neck back and moved her head towards Tommy.

Lynn was still confused.

Emily rolled her eyes and pointed to her face.

Lynn shrugged.

Emily closed her eyes, puckered up and slowly moved towards Tommy’s face.

Sarah slowly became aware of the situation. “Emily… don't do it!”

Tommy turned towards her. “Huh?”

They kissed on the lips!

Pete won the match; Tommy didn’t care.

Lynn gasped. “Emily?”

Emily sat down and motioned with her hands like she was attempting to figure out an Algebraic equation.

Tommy smiled and said, “Um… thanks.”

Pete and Kevin were laughing hysterically.

Lynn clawed at Emily; Sarah stopped her.

Sarah got both of them by the arms and jerked them out of their seats.

“Ok…ok… before blood is spilled, permit me to make some deductions about the events which just transpired. Emily, I saw you arching your neck backwards. Lynn, that is Em’s signal for: lean in closer to him, possibly even a kiss for luck.”

Emily guffawed, “Yeah! Like this!”

She kissed him again! Lynn screamed, “No!”

Sarah chuckled, “Lynn, trust me, you will look back on this and laugh.”

Lynn stomped her feet. “This is a monumental injustice!”

Lynn paced back and forth. “She, she, she kissed my date first!” She threw her hands up and screamed, “I need a new man to kiss me now!”

When she said that, for whatever reason, the Food Festival, which was packed with patrons, became as quiet as a church.

One by one, strange men began to raise their hands and say, “How about me darling? I’ll volunteer!”

Lynn slowly returned to her seat and shrunk.

Tommy picked her back up. “Lynn, it’s not the end of the world. I still want to spend time with you.”

She smiled, stretched up and kissed him.

Tommy beamed and mouthed, “Wow!”

Kevin said, “Tommy, you are having a very good night.”

Pete cleared his throat, Sarah looked his way.

Pete blew Sarah a kiss and beamed a longing look.

Sarah laughed and shook her head, no. She pointed at Kevin who whispered to Pete, “Let’s try for a smidgen of decorum here.”

Tommy asked, "What do we do next?"

Lynn said to Emily, “Let’s go to the Tunnel of Love.”

Emily replied, “I’m there already.”

Sarah giggled, “She meant the Splash Down ride.”

Emily nodded. “As did I.”

The Splash Down ride was a perennial favorite of the younger set. The hormonally charged atmosphere of the carnival, combined with the massive crowds created a strict dichotomy to the romantically inclined. They wanted to be alone, but there was no place to do so. The wooden triangular boats, built for two, provided the perfect vehicle for young lovers. They would sit beside each other and for the next couple of minutes they were unencumbered by all forces except that which they possessed in their libidos.

Kevin sat in the boat first; he reached out his right hand to Sarah. She gracefully stepped in and sat beside him. With a gentle nudge from water pressure they disappeared into the misty unknown.

The intrusive cackling of the calliope soon surrendered to Aquarium from Carnival of the Animals by Camile Saint-Saëns. Black lights highlighted the shape of hearts, dancing muses and fanciful flowers. Speckles of light created the illusion of swirling constellations and shooting stars.

Sarah felt three strong fingers moving up her left arm. They circled her neck and came to rest on her right jaw. She effortlessly turned to the left. After countless days and endless wishes, her lips finally met his. It was all that she could have imagined and more.

Harp strings and heart strings composed a symphony of such a rich texture that even the very word love seemed at that moment to be utterly vapid and incapable of relating via spoken communication. An opulent tsunami of sensations drowned the two mortals. Incapable of breathing, she yearned for even a wisp of his hot breath on more confidential crevasses and had the boat not been unceremoniously hauled uphill, she would have surely considered giving in to him. With one passionate smooch she was plummeted into a basin of sensuality. Although he was clearly aware of her willingness to complete such intentions, he remained a gentleman and for that, he earned not only more affections but a deep abiding respect.

As their vessel gave way to gravity, the newly conjoined inamoratos turned to one another lost in love; and yet Sarah was reminded that in literature such scenes of unbridled, rapturous affections are often followed by moments of sheer terror as the heroine seemingly loses control and crashes into the water below. As the wind blew through her hair and the sharp veil of water pounced into the night sky Sarah considered, for an instant, that a star so fragile, so soliciting for soft recognition, could, without warning collapse in upon itself. Cravings, while necessary, could roll upon the surf a tear asunder her castle made of hopes and sand.

When the twinkling of insight abated, and her moist hair was moved from her face by Kevin, she found herself thoroughly in love with him, happily convinced that they would never part. She became more and more, quietly, ambiguously, abandoned by her own reason. He leaned in and kissed her neck; an emotive move which she thought both pleasing and suspicious. She examined her motives, her veneration of him, her choices. This was everything she had ever dreamed. She had everything she could ever possibly want and that notion paralyzed her with a nameless dread. She did not know how it was possible, but she felt like she’d lived a lifetime in a single night.

As Kevin helped her out of the boat, she happened to notice a tiny brochure on the ground behind him. It was caked in mud as if it had been there for hours. Its simple missive was both innocent and utterly innocuous, “River City Carnival, April 16 to May 1st.”

In her heart she implored the Creator of Time and Space: “No,” she cried, “No, it can’t possibly end! It can’t end ever!”

Kevin lifted her up the rest of the way just as Lynn and Tommy left the boat. “Wheee! That was the greatest thrill of my life.”

Tommy winked at her. “Mine too.”

Sarah continued to drift in and out of the dimension at hand. “What?”

“We saw you two!” said Emily in her familiar, boisterous way.

“Not too shabby, Lynn.”

Emily stepped out. “Sarah, we had the best seat in the house! I had the world in my hands and it blew away like dust.”

Sarah nodded but she did not fully understand.

Emily caught herself. “What does that mean? Did I say that?”

Lynn shouted, “Let’s ride the roller coaster.”

Kevin grabbed Sarah’s hand and she flopped back into the experience like a goose landing on a lake.

As the train of boyfriends and girlfriends oscillated through the crowd, Emily stopped for a second. “Are you ok?”

Sarah gave a half grin. “Why shouldn’t I be?”

The next hour happened in a series of brief flashes. Sarah did not live the moments as much as she saw them flip by in a picture book. She screamed at the summit of the roller coaster. She delighted in the aroma of honey-roasted cashews.

Lynn and Emily’s visage intermittently flashed before her eyes like streaks of lightning. Their voices echoed like the noise of the swelling amalgamation of humanity.

“Isn’t this great?”

“Did he kiss you?”

“Run faster.”

“I’ve got to borrow your pink dress next week.”

“Hurry up Sarah.”

She helplessly plopped on the back of the wagon and leaned against Kevin. She kept expecting to wake up but every time she saw the moon glow on Kevin’s face she was more and more unsure about the definition of the words “awake” and “asleep.” She continued to skip across the minutes and hours of the evening like a stone.

Her heart sang and he walked her home: for a second or two she could not decipher in which direction her house lay. It was as though it had moved, every tree, every building, every pebble was right where it was the day before but somehow, it had been moved a million miles away as if someone were playing upon her quilted conscience a dandy parlor trick. Kevin relieved her lips of their most base yearning and he whispered “Abiento.”

As he stepped out on to the lawn and moved to the street, his admirable form faded into the night. Sarah stood there politely waving. She dubiously reasoned that he was merely a specter; a fleshy draped phantom of all she could ever hope for in a boy. Her voice fragmented the stillness of the night as she breathed, “Goodnight Kevin Hines. Sweet dreams.”