Today is kinda like Christmas for me.
The Stste Fair Tickets for my guests arrived today.
This makes it official for Klecko.....
It is State Fair season.
The thing that is a little bit unusual about my experience is......
The crescendo of my 12 day experience takes place the first hour of the Fair.
The is no fore play, no build up.......
I get my biggest jolt from the get go.
This is because I am in the "Creative Activities" building.
The place that houses all the baking entries.
I think the main gate of the Fair opens at 7, and when that happens, all the Aunt Bea's just come over to my building and camp out.
Everybody want's to know who won the Blue Ribbons.
Usually most of the bantering is friendly throughout this waiting period, but sometimes things have been known to get a little hostile LOL.
When the doors are finally open, it's as if God has given consent, and a plague full of locusts storms into the building.
While this takes place, Poor ole Klecko just sits in his demo kitchen like a goldfish in a Woolworth's fish bowl.
If you just stand still for a second, you'll hear whooping and srcreams of happiness.
On the other hand, you'll often see nice looking people harboring looks of dissapointment.
I remember one year, there was this girlio who came to check out the results of her cake.
I actually watched her approach the display case, survey the inventory.....and then this woman began, well I guess she was hyperventilating.
I went over to ask her if she was OK, but she appeared to have composed herself.
But at that moment, I had nothing else to do....so I just continued to watch her.
She cupped her hands around her eyes, and pressed her face up against the display case, and it seemed as if she were trying to push through...like a ghost, as if touching her cake might even make this experience more magical.
Then some bystander would brush up against her and the woman would blurt out......
"That cake there, the blue ribbon cake, that's mine."
Then the passer by would smile and offer congratulations.
Each time this happened, the woman who won would puff up.
More and more, and more.
It was as if she was the balloon of victory.
However........
About 45 minutes later, the crowd thinned out and there was nobody left to brag to.
This not only befuddled the Blue Ribbon woman, but it kinda hacked her off.
She didn't want this moment to end.
I get it, I have experienced this myself.
The couple of times I have been lucky enough to coach my Little League team to victory, during the season ending tournament, it was the same way......we all just sat around the diamond, and nobody would budge because we knew......
Once we went home, once the kids placed their trophey on their dressers, the experience would be a memory and no longer a dream.
So the Blue ribbon chick thinks for a bit, and then she pulls a cell phone out of her purse.
And anytime somebody approached with 50 feet of her, she would begin imaginary conversations and say in her outside voice.......
"Oh My God, I can't believe I won the blue ribbon. I can't believe I won the blue ribbon."
Some people might think that woman was kinda whacked.......
But Klecko just sat in his fish bowl and smiled.
He was feeling her, and sometimes in life......even warped joy is better than boredom.
The Stste Fair Tickets for my guests arrived today.
This makes it official for Klecko.....
It is State Fair season.
The thing that is a little bit unusual about my experience is......
The crescendo of my 12 day experience takes place the first hour of the Fair.
The is no fore play, no build up.......
I get my biggest jolt from the get go.
This is because I am in the "Creative Activities" building.
The place that houses all the baking entries.
I think the main gate of the Fair opens at 7, and when that happens, all the Aunt Bea's just come over to my building and camp out.
Everybody want's to know who won the Blue Ribbons.
Usually most of the bantering is friendly throughout this waiting period, but sometimes things have been known to get a little hostile LOL.
When the doors are finally open, it's as if God has given consent, and a plague full of locusts storms into the building.
While this takes place, Poor ole Klecko just sits in his demo kitchen like a goldfish in a Woolworth's fish bowl.
If you just stand still for a second, you'll hear whooping and srcreams of happiness.
On the other hand, you'll often see nice looking people harboring looks of dissapointment.
I remember one year, there was this girlio who came to check out the results of her cake.
I actually watched her approach the display case, survey the inventory.....and then this woman began, well I guess she was hyperventilating.
I went over to ask her if she was OK, but she appeared to have composed herself.
But at that moment, I had nothing else to do....so I just continued to watch her.
She cupped her hands around her eyes, and pressed her face up against the display case, and it seemed as if she were trying to push through...like a ghost, as if touching her cake might even make this experience more magical.
Then some bystander would brush up against her and the woman would blurt out......
"That cake there, the blue ribbon cake, that's mine."
Then the passer by would smile and offer congratulations.
Each time this happened, the woman who won would puff up.
More and more, and more.
It was as if she was the balloon of victory.
However........
About 45 minutes later, the crowd thinned out and there was nobody left to brag to.
This not only befuddled the Blue Ribbon woman, but it kinda hacked her off.
She didn't want this moment to end.
I get it, I have experienced this myself.
The couple of times I have been lucky enough to coach my Little League team to victory, during the season ending tournament, it was the same way......we all just sat around the diamond, and nobody would budge because we knew......
Once we went home, once the kids placed their trophey on their dressers, the experience would be a memory and no longer a dream.
So the Blue ribbon chick thinks for a bit, and then she pulls a cell phone out of her purse.
And anytime somebody approached with 50 feet of her, she would begin imaginary conversations and say in her outside voice.......
"Oh My God, I can't believe I won the blue ribbon. I can't believe I won the blue ribbon."
Some people might think that woman was kinda whacked.......
But Klecko just sat in his fish bowl and smiled.
He was feeling her, and sometimes in life......even warped joy is better than boredom.
I won a gears of war (yes video game) tournament years ago. I was so excitced to see my name on the trophy I was smiling and petting the glass with my face pressed right up against it. Totally get the feeling.
ReplyDeleteThis is why Lia is so cool...LOL, I should have guessed.
ReplyDeleteSo consistently entertaining, it's just not right :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks MxcnMrcnZrr, some days are better than others though....LOL, I'm glad somebody keeps coming back!
ReplyDeleteMy friends have had that experience......I placed several times in the last few years, and when my friends and clients saw the results, they felt the overwhelming need to share with passersby that 'My friend/hairdresser made that cake/cookie/pie and won the blue/red/white ribbon !' The only ribbon I don't need is the 'Thanks for playing ribbon' you know, the dreaded participation ribbon. I have had a good run the last few years......lots of practice, friends who LOVE to taste-test every bite possible, and my personal food trainer who checks my entries and gives me honest feedback (frosting is NOT your thing !) .....so as I get ready for another County Fair and State Fair, watch out for my friends in front of those cases !!!!!
ReplyDeleteMelissa, you sound like a pro, I hope you stop by my kitchen when it isn't showtime (if you get a chance) and then you can show me your entries. Best of luck...and thanks for sharing.
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