Fairground Freedom

Her friends had advised her that staying in was doing Alice an injustice. The fair was an ideal place

to brush off her laconic feelings but she still clung to the familiarity of solitude insisting she was

alright. Eventually, after much bullying, Alice relented to her friend’s demands and followed with

little positive expectation.

   Only two miles and the walk would do her good, they said. But the night air was enhanced by a

chilly fog that caressed her exposed skin and sent icy messages to the pain receptors in her gloveless

finger tips. She rubbed them with vigour but her vain attempt left only a tingly sensation. As they

drew closer she saw children, with half-filled helium balloons tied to their wrists, clinging to

pushchairs, sobbing at their departure. Half eaten candy apples and discarded fast food wrappers

littered their path. The smell of diesel and hotdogs clogged the air and gave a sense of warmth that

did not exist.

   The otherwise dark clouds ahead were illuminated by the laser lights advertising the nauseous

rides. For a moment, Alice saw the clouds as white fluffy enticements and she grew hungry. The

twinned noises of voice and music  rudely punctuated the stillness of the night and as Alice turned

the corner she could see the stalls and the delights they offered.

   I’m hankering for something, she thought, but what is it? Slowly, she made her way through the

medley of stalls and onlookers until they were at the entrance and there it was. A small candy-floss

hand cart with a kaleidoscope parasol which match the hues of the selection of aired sugar

confectionary.

‘Help you love, what you after’ chirped the owner.

‘Umm, I would like blueberry, no strawberry, sorry no, I umm, don’t know’.

‘What about a bit of each? Two quid, yeah?’

‘Yes. Yes please!’.

   The weathered and weary  face of the punter smiled and brown teeth warned Alice of the candy

floss’ long term effects. She began the burring noise of the metal bowls, took a stick and traced it

round each, picking up the webbed sugar strands of pink and blue. Alice licked her dry lips with

desire. As she devoured the candy she sensed her mood changing and welcomed its arrival. She

became enlightened and realised life was good, she had just had to empower herself, break out from

the four walls of that melancholic prison and engage with life. Her friends were right.

   Next a fairground ride, she told herself. She began looking up at the attractions. One rider caught

her attention, his behaviour reflected what she wanted. The ride spun him high into the air on its

mechanical arm and he embraced each twist and turn as if he were a bird manoeuvring on the air

currents. His face was absent from care or worry and his hair curled carefree about him. He looked

free.  He was free.