A fair way to spend a day

The Minnesota State Fair is one of the most unique events in the entire country. Just about every state has a fair of some way, shape or form. But people come from all over to this extravaganza. What makes this fun is not just the carnies ... who are basically no different than anywhere else in the country.

It's the odd combo of foods (even beer on a stick) and people-watching, a sport that is still very strong in our little part of the world.

Yesterday, I did an eight-hour shift in a small tent selling beer, pop, burgers, etc. It was for a group that uses the proceeds to benefit playgrounds in St. Paul. And, like a lot of volunteer experiences, I got more out of it than the people I served.

When you stand on the same corner for nearly eight hours and watch the world go by, you tend to see things in a different light. You see the same people pass by two or three times with their kids. When they go by the first time, the adults seem full of energy. By the third pass, most of them are dragging a bit while the kids continue to skip at a merry pace.

Business was steady at our little tent. We had folks who said they had been coming to this spot for 30 years, young couples on first or second dates and people who were just hungry and knew a good deal when they saw one (2 bucks a hamburger, a quarter more for cheese.)

One of my favorites was a big guy who wanted a Triple Hamburger. "A triple?", I asked. (We had Doubles on the boatrd but no Triples listed.)

"They did it for me here yesterday," he said by way of explanation. "They just charged me 50 more cents."

"Who am I to argue with history?", I replied. "A triple it is."

The woman cooking gave me a funny look as I wrote this order down but merely smiled.
So did the gentleman as he ate it deliberately with great enjoyment.

There were a surprising amount of moms who stopped for ... er ... refreshment while pushing baby carts. My favorite was a young woman about age 30 who had a baby in a stroller and another young 'un clinging to her leg.

"What's your largest size beer?" she asked. When informed it was 20 ounces, she asked "Is that it?" But she gladly bought two of them and said she would be back later when she found "him."

Apparently, she did find "him" because she returned alone an hour later for a refill. This beer was drank slowly and seem to be cherished with the fervor of a jeweler looking at the Hope Diamond. "Is it okay if I just sit here for a while?" she asked. "Take all the time you need," I responded. I think she was stationary for 15 minutes.

There was another couple who looked to be in their early 60s who wandered by.

"What can I do for you?", I asked.

Before the male half of this happy pair could utter a sound, the female half jumped in. "We'll have a large Pepsi," she said. This option seemed to disappoint the male half of the party considerably. But he merely sighed and, upon a non-verbal command, handed over the dollar and a half as they went on their merry way.

And so it went nearly all day. Only one person got upset at how a beer was poured and insisted on a do-over. Women who were 30 years old and were asked for their ID anyway did so with a grateful smile. Young guys who recently entered the legal age (one of them was only a month past his 21st birthday) didn't object to being carded. A couple of folks had Passports instead of Driver Licenses for ID. I was a bit quizzical the first time I saw this. "I left it at his house," the young woman said, nodding to her escort. He grinned knowingly.

After watching weeks of allegedly angry people on TV yelling about health care, the damn Democrats, the damn Republicans, the damn Yankees, etc., it was refreshing to see happy (or at least not unhappy) faces again.

I love going to the fair, strolling the Midway, seeing some new exhibits and eating anything from Tom Thumb Donuts to Sweet Martha's Cookies along the way. After spending a day somewhat on the inside, I have a new and healthy respect for the folks who work it for 10 days. I am not sure I am made of strong enough stuff to do that. But an eight-hour shift there does wonders for the soul. It was nice to see people smiling again.