There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.
~Elizabeth Lawrence
Growing up around carnivals was my childhood dream,
eating hot dogs, cotton candy, and chocolate ice cream.
My dad owned a stage show so we traveled around,
setting up colorful scenery on the outskirts of towns.
He had a magician who pulled a skunk from his hat.
There were dogs in pink tutus and limber acrobats.
There was Tarzan the chimp, who performed on high wires.
Blue overalls and suspenders were Tarzan’s attire.
Tarzan rode a red bike, which he taught me to ride,
as I rode through the fairgrounds with him by my side.
I have a small mole on my neck that he was fascinated by.
We would cling to the bars of the Ferris wheel as it touched the sky.
Soon my carnival days as a child would end,
but not the fond memories of Tarzan my friend.
Years later, a small trailer pulled into our driveway.
It was Tarzan and his owners who came for a visit that day.
Tarzan looked at my family and then looked back at me.
He pulled back my collar to touch that mole gently.
That was a time in my life that I will always remember,
those carnival summers with my dad from June through September.
~Nora Beason
