It stands there tall- in front of you- a skeleton ferris wheel. Remnants of it’s former majesty on display in the flecked gold peeling from the weathered wood. Broken bulbs that used to adorn the side have long since turned to dust and the seats rock in the breeze- squeaking to one another tales of glory and tales of sadness. The iron has long rusted and the planks are missing nails and warped. In the parking lot old advertisements are caught in the chain link. A pack of cigarettes for 2.36. It is hard to remember a time when you could buy a box of cigarettes for only 2.36- longer even then when gas was that cheap. The ferris wheel looks like a clock, the seats the five minute marks, the heavy still base the minute and hour hands locked at 5:30- maybe in the morning maybe in the evening. It seems frozen but it’s not it shows the passing of time just like a clock, just like a faded advertisement for a price that hasn’t seen recent times.
In it’s fading and torn plastic seats, the ghosts of memories past remain. Billy Smith stole his first kiss from Katie Myers while pausing at the top, his hands wet with nerves and heart racing. The breeze was gentle but with a hint of approaching thunderstorms and the electricity in the air made his blood boil harder. Katie grew up and left town long ago but Billy- Bill- remains and sometimes parks his car in the abandoned amusement park lot drinking beer and thinking about that night. About the taste of cotton candy on her lips and how blue her eyes were.
In the wood of the back rest on one of the seats Tad Braun had carved T heart A one spring night while Alison Loh kept watch giggling as they approached the ride operator on every down turn. Tad would hide the knife and throw his arm easily around Alison’s shoulders while winking merrily at the carnie with a shit eating grin. Then quick as a flash he’d be back at it. Two babies and a few years later Tad was still throwing his arm around Alison’s shoulders and she was still giggling like a girl his co-conspirator in all things.
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