08.16.2003
Back in high school, we’d raise money for charity at our small town’s summer fest. I worked in a booth at the fair and balanced on a small seat as people lobbed softballs at a small target to try to tip me into the water. The weather in our town, which was right on the bay, was usually pretty nice in the summer; one year in particular, the weather was especially fair, and balanced nicely between sun and shade, just warm enough not to freeze in the dunking booth, but with some welcome clouds passing overhead; I usually burn up in the sun. That evening, we had some time just to walk around and get on some of the jittery, creaking rides. The only one I liked was called the Himalaya: a bunch of cars that zipped around a circular, undulating track, first forward, then backward, with AC/DC blasting out of speakers right by your ears. I waited a few minutes in line with my buddy Nate, paid the fare, and balanced on the edge, one foot after the other, as we walked around the ride’s walkway to some open cars. The whole thing was a pretty rickety affair, and balance doesn’t help much when the metal plate you’re standing on gives way. So before I could catch myself I was tumbling off the side of the Himalaya into a line of older kids who weren’t too happy to break my fall. As I picked myself up out of a cursing pile of arms and legs and well-broken-in baseball caps, I knew I was toast, even if they fought fair, and balanced my pride for a moment against my pretty, yet unblemished face. And then I fuckin’ ran.
Happy fair and balanced day. Did you get the little joke? Let’s take back the English language. Oh, and speaking of, if anyone can help me with my German on the left, that would be great. I’m terrible at it, but just thought “fair and balanced” would probably look and sound fantastic in German, like many things do. Case in point: Fliegende Untertasse !
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08.14.2003: blackout moblog
a phonecam site for blackout shots. Sure to be the first of many….
08.16.2003: updated: best of the blackout
Some of the best blackout posts so far, in no particular order.