circular staircase

Every night there had to be one cowboy, Ember thought. He tossed another handful of sawdust over the sick on the carnival ride’s floor. Days like this made Ember wish he was on one of the classier rides like Pegasus’ Flight. Ember remembered a guy even proposed to his high school sweetheart on Pegasus’s Flight. Gilded winged animals and crying babies, nothing gross ever happens on a carousel.

No tonight Ember got stuck with the King’s Crown, a whirling disk where the locals are strapped in. Basically a Crazy Teacups ride for stupid adults and somebody always has to puke. Ember lit a Black and Mild while sweeping. Marlo had Covid and Gene showed up drunk so the Crown went to him.

The amusement side of the carnival was going to bed. Butchers were still selling bags of popcorn and franks. Clerks were wiping down counters while jointies were trying to separate the last night dollars from the mooches on shady games of chance. A girlish cheer sounded. Ember watched some doofus win a big pink teddy bear for his lady.

Carnival nights were for young love and kids who still got a kick out of staying out late. Ember collected trash. There were two good things about the King’s Crown. The fan worked in its doghouse so when Ember was operating the ride he wasn’t melting his balls off. And the dust was off the chain.

Locals lost stuff. Maybe because they have too much. Maybe the glamour of carnival carries them away. Each night treasure falls from the locals’ pockets. But on spin rides the dust, the things the carnival visitors lose, added up to a sweet roll for the workers. Between half-hearted sweeps on the Crown’s red and gold floor, Ember picked up lots of coins. An unopened pack of gum, sunglasses, a couple of vapes, crumpled bills including a Jackson, these were all the things Ember had collected tonight, a decent haul for a ride jockey.

Hollow gold earrings, a packet of condoms, and a pearl pen knife that read Big Daddy in cursive, each slipped into Ember’s pockets. In the sawdust, a Photo Booth photo of two girls and a guy peeped up at him. Ember could tell one girl liked the guy but the guy was more interested in the other. He swept the photo into the dustpan. The next push of the broom uncovered a pink bandanna that smelled bubblegum sweet. Ember imagined the pretty girl who must’ve worn it smiling at him. He tucked the bandanna into his back pocket. That’s when he saw it. Jackpot!

The silvery glimmer sparkled from aged wooded floor. It was a heart pendant, swirly, on a chain. Ember hoped it was platinum. But his pawn store dreams evaporated when he held it closer. The necklace glimmered in the carny lights. It was sterling silver. Ember could tell it was the kind of gift you get for your first girlfriend, when you are unsure and romantic. Or maybe a kid gets for mommy when you save up your allowance.

Ember held the necklace up to the night. He saw a Mother’s Day with burnt toast, supermarket flowers, and lunch at Olive Garden. The chain’s clasp was broken.

“Oh my God you found it.”

Dropping his hand, Ember looked over his shoulder. Woman, in her forties, maybe fifties, dressed date cute looked up at Ember. Her eyes glistened with tears. A palooka, probably her hope to be boyfriend, was nearby giving Ember the hard stare with Showman Jim.

“Yeah, Em, this lady here lost her necklace. Gift from her kid. Real sentimental like,” Showman said. “I said things like that I dunno. I mean we can look but you never know. Right you never know. All lost stuff goes to lost and found.”

Ember waved the necklace at Showman to shut him up. He walked towards the mommy. Her eyes were happy tear shiny. Thanking Ember over and over, she held her hands up like a child. Gently, the carny dropped the treasure into her up stretched palm. Necklace in hand, the lady put her necklace over her chest. She started to cry. Ember watched her story cross her face.

“You’ll need to repair the chain, ma’am.”

The palooka with her shook Ember’s hand, slipping cash against Ember’s palm.

“Thanks,” the palooka said before heading off with his old lady.

Showman Jim escorted them away. Ember listened to his boss’ prattle fade off. Slipping the money into his always empty pocket, he was ready to call it a night.