New Amusement at the State Fair

“Did you hear that there is a new amusement show at the state fair?”

“A brand new attraction at the state fair!”

“What is it?”

“It’s a new attraction!”

“At the state fair?”

“The state fair has a new sideshow.”

“What is it?”

“It was commissioned by the mayor himself!”

“Our mayor?”

“Sponsored by the senator!”

“Our senator?”

“Funded by the president of the greater three nations!”

“All three nations?!”

"What does it cost?"

“Nothing, it’s free. The mayor wants all the people to see.”

“What will we see?”

“No one knows. It’s a mystery.”

“It opens tonight.”

“You know I’ll be there.”

“I heard it is the most interesting show.”

“I’ve heard that it is groundbreaking new category of show.”

“I’ve heard that witnessing it will change the foundation of the fabric of the universe.”

“Eight.”

“AM?”

“PM.”

“Don’t be late.”

“Anyone who misses this who will take their regrets to the grave.”

The talk continued through the entire day and into the evening. All the townspeople arrived at 7:55pm outside the brand new, barely dusty, red and white striped circus tent number five. They filtered to their benches and bounced on the thick wooden planks.

At the center of the floor was a circular stage surrounded by a thin red veil of a curtain. As hard as the townspeople tried, they couldn’t quite see what the shadows were behind the curtain.

“It’s a rocket to the moon.”

“It’s a supermodel.”

“That’s the shadow of the gods themselves.”

All of the seats were filled and then some as the town settled themselves into place and let a silence spread across the crowd. You could hear Mr. Johnson, the barber, clear his throat. Little Ethel Ruth glanced at Bishop Soren Ruhm who glanced to housewife Beatrice Good. Dame Edita Geld shrugged so hard that the fur on her shoulders nearly fell off.

Spotlights turned on and circled around the stage. Speakers buzzed through the audience as the recorded voice of the mayor blasted pigeons from the rafters and said: “Ladies and gentleman! Boooooys annnnnd giiiiirls. Lay yours eyes upon the stage and prepare to use all your senses as you gaze upon the most sensational, the most mind-blowing, the most life-changing experience of all time. Here is the thing you’ve been waiting for. It’s… it’s… IT’S A NEW AMUSEMENT!”

The curtains were whipped to the ceiling and there it was. The new amusement.

There was a brief moment of silence. The sound of crickets. Chirp chirp. Chirp chirp. No one knew how to react at first. There were gasps from the audience and one person fainted flat to the floor.

Then someone spoke up.

“I can’t believe it. It was the last thing I expected to see.”

Then someone else.

“It will change society as we know it.”

People nodded. “Mmmhmmm,” they said. More and more people began to give their opinions and more and more people spoke over each other.

“Don't you see it?"

"I see it. Right there!"

"It’s a UFO from Uranus.”

“Tiffany Darwish is the ringmaster!”

“I saw this same show in Vietnam.”

“This speech is going to bring me to tears.”

“The lights.”

“The scents.”

“I hope I can try one.”

“The sounds of songs.”

“I can feel my heart beating.”

“My mind is blow.”

“I’ll never have to worry about money again.”

“This will solve hunger.”

“You could win a ride on a dirigible after.”

They talked and they talked and they made the sight bigger. It was the talk of the town for days, weeks, years and would become that of legends. The New Amusement at the State Fair.

“It changed my life.”

Three miles down in the city building hall the Mayor was waiting patiently in his office for one last phone call. It barely gave a ring when he picked it right up, “Is it done? Did it work?”

“Like a doll, Mayor Small.”

“Thank you, Jeeves.”

“No problem mayor, but I’m curious why the whole town is here to watch the stage rehearsal. Doesn’t the attraction arrive tomorrow night?”

“Yes, I got an update on the arrival a few moments ago and it should be arriving at 8am tomorrow morning. I don’t always understand some of the bizarre traditions of the townfolk,” said the mayor.

“Can I ask what the new amusement is?”

“Oh, yes, Jeeves. It’s a morbidly obese man in a recliner who can belch America the Beautiful with perfect pitch.”

“Sweet. I’ll have to check that out.”

THE END