An Empty Ride

The merry-go-round drifted to a stop. Thankfully he dismounted before his stomach rebelled. When had the merry-go-round become a nauseating adventure? Getting old sucked. He stumbled to the metal bench inside the metal fence usually reserved for the mother whose child had insisted on the opportunity to ride alone for the first time. Head between his knees, he was behind the rest of the crowd in noticing the extended stall of the carnival ride. Angry mumbling finally caused him to look up. The last riders were long gone but the horses remained empty.

Rising from the bench, he called out "What happened to the attendant?"

A bald headed girl with blonde eyebrows and pouting lips tugged on his coat sleeve. "Sometimes the man who runs the merry-go-round takes people on a search for things.  You should be glad he didn't take you."

Toxic Diapers

Tomorrow would bring more of the stifling summer weather. It was August after all, and it was West Virginia after all, and once the muggy heat settled in it was never in a hurry to leave. The river might have been an option had the disposable diaper plant upstream not reported a toxic spill last week.

You had to wonder what went into disposable diapers that was toxic. It probably had something to do with why so many kids had ADHD these days. Spending the first two years of life with toxic material strapped to your butt had to have some kind of longer term effect. Next toddlers would be glowing in the dark. Not necessarily a bad thing in Ralph's opinion; the rascals were always popping up when least expected.