Eleanor, Lucy, and Their New Friend Will at the Fair

There was a new ride this year, the Whip. The three of us watched it for a while before deciding whether to ride. It looked quite tame at first, like a merry-go-round but without the horses or the brass ring. You sit in a car that goes around and around on a long oval track. What I didn’t see at first was that the car makes a sudden jerk every time it goes around a curve. For me, that jerking motion was what made it interesting. I was ready to try it! Not Lucy, who has always shied away from things that are too fast or too unpredictable. But gallant Will was happy to go, and the ride was thrilling. What I enjoyed most about the Whip was being thrown so close against Will on those vigorous turns. I would have taken that ride with him again and again, but alas, Will was ready to try something else instead.

We moved on to the Ferris wheel, another ride Lucy had always stayed away from. This time, she was prepared to go—but only if she got to sit in the middle, away from the great abyss on either side. I was happy with that since the abyss is what appeals to me. But then, she got to sit next to Will—and cling to him, I noticed.

The view from the Ferris wheel was lovely, with the river, the farms on the far side, and Yankee Hill rising above them. On the near side was the village and the lovely, tall steeple of our church. There was a haze of green from all the elm trees, maples, and chestnuts throughout the village and on the hills. There was a puff of smoke from an approaching train down the valley. Why would anyone want to leave this beautiful place? I wondered each time we reached the top of the wheel.

I pointed out all my favorite local sights as the wheel carried us up and down. Will enjoyed the scenery with me, but Lucy cowered between us, unwilling to open her eyes. I think she is something of a sissy, unlike the two of us.