County Fair

I would never want to be a carney.  And, far be it from me to criticize their practices.  They are, after all, rational profit maximizing creatures.  But, what they can get for ninety seconds of vomit inducing disorientation in a clattering human centrifuge defies belief.  I'm talking, of course, about the midway at the county fair.  They can ask a dollar a minute for their services—which is probably plumber pricing—but they can service twenty people at a pop—which is more like brain surgeon pricing.  You would think that the average joe would look at the asking price and simply walk away, . . . but you would be wrong.  The midway is packed with people carrying stacks of "tickets" worth hundreds of dollars.  When you wait in line at the ticket window, it gives you time to read about their policies:  They accept cash, Visa, and Mastercard.  They also accept auto titles and home equity loans.  Well, OK, not the last two, but I wouldn't be surprised.  It takes a good chunk of the weekly paycheck to run your three kids through the twister, the ear-bleeder, and the wall of death.  Which is why we prefer the free petting zoo.