Midway Memories: The Decision

Early in 1977 we had the opportunity to purchase the two digger joints and the motor home from Far Guy’s parents.  We thought about it long and hard.  It was not an easy decision.  Trica was five years old and Jennifer was not yet two years old.   Far Guy had a good job with good insurance.  What would we do during the winter months?  We had a family to support…could we do it?  Could we successfully raise our two daughters out on the road?

It finally came down to a vote.  We let Trica vote, you can guess what her vote was she loved riding the rides all day long when she visited her grandparents.

Trica playing the diggers.  We would hold her up so she could turn the crank until she got tired and we did too then we would put her on the babysitter (Merry Go Round).

So the vote was 2 to 1.  Far Guy voted against.  I said “Your vote counts triple.”  So we declined. 

It was one of those great big huge crossroads that comes along in your life…we often wonder what if? 

So we go back from time to time just to walk a Midway and take in the sights and sounds, after all it was my home for 6 years and Far Guys home away from home for 23 years.

Our oldest daughter Trica spent her first summer being a carnie kid.  During that summer there were some problems in Iowa…her photo was featured in a newspaper.  (Mason City Iowa) The Attorney General for the State of Iowa didn’t like the way the law on gambling was written, games of chance were gambling. Entering a cow in the fair and getting a blue ribbon was against Iowa law.   The Sheriff came out to the Midway and as he set foot on the Midway…the boss gave the signal and we were all shut down within 20 seconds. Jodi was working at the Ball Joint the Sheriff asked to see her ball and she replied “Let’s see yours first.” The Sheriff left and we suppose he just reported that no games were running out on the Midway…because they were not operating when he was there.

1991 Fergus Falls Minnesota Trica and “her” babysitter.

We have many long time friends that are now dead, the rest are getting old just like us.

Bruce, Far Guy and Dale

Far Guy, Margaret and Freddie

We are left with many wonderful memories.

Midway Memories: Bruce

Bruce was from Ogden Iowa, he came out on the road after he graduated from High School.  Fresh faced hardly a whisker to be found, longish curly brown hair, he was lean and spry…and was always smiling.  He also had a bit of a sparkle in his eyes.   It was his dream to go out on the road…The Boss told him when he was old enough he could.

In 1970 we (Far Guy, Paul and I) took him under our wing.  He wasn’t old enough to drink although I think he may have enjoyed a beer or two.  None of us were habitual drinkers…we would occasionally have something.  No drugs.  So we were probably a good influence on Bruce.  He started out as the second man on the Scrambler.  He worked hard…we all did.

He watched and learned everything he could about every ride there was.  He sometimes strung wire for Kenny (the show electrician). He lived and breathed the Carnival Business.

The Carnival was his life, it seemed for a long time that he was married to it.  In later years he met Kathy and got married and they had two children, born and raised out on the road during the summer.  Kathy had a couple of joints…a Shoot the Star Out, Cork Guns and Speed Ball.   Bruce was the Ride Superintendent he was busy in Winter Quarters in the early spring, worked all Summer and Fall and come home a few months in the Winter.

Kathy, Bruce with Makayla, Far Guy with Savannah  1997 in Barnesville Minnesota.

Front and center is the brand new Carousel, a million dollar ride made by the Chance Ride Company.  Barnesville Minnesota 1997.

Far Guy says:  Pocahontas Iowa tearing down the Scrambler, and a cop came by and told me to call my Mother In Law.  I found out that my good friend Danny Hawks had died in a car accident.  I was upset, started grabbing the pig iron by myself and tossing it into the truck… Bruce and Paul were having a hard time keeping up with me.  We got the Scrambler tore down in record time that night.  Bruce told Paul “I don’t think I am going to like that guy.”

Bruce worked for Merriam’s Midway Shows until a couple of years ago.  He and his wife are now with a different show.   So we have not seen them in two years.

Far Guy and Bruce in August 2006 Owatonna Minnesota.

Midway Memories: Arbuckle

Have you ever met a guy that was a chick magnet?  I did, however I couldn’t quite understand it,  he was engaged and married to many women.  He seemed to marry one after another, I wondered sometimes if he bothered to divorce any of them.

He was the Foreman on the Merry Go Round.  Sometimes called a Jinny/Jenny but we never called it that.  When Paul came out he was Arbuckles second man.   Arbuckle needed all the help he could get as he had a drinking problem.  I am not quite sure why the boss kept him around.

Bobby Arbuckle and Paul, Paul is stretching no doubt he just woke up, he has an ever present Billboard in his back pocket.

This photo was probably taken about 1967.

Bean pole skinny ladies man.

One of his “wives” in Southern Minnesota got mad at him and stabbed him.  The ambulance was called, she refused to get him from the hospital, so he hitchhiked to another of his former “wives” about 30 miles away.  She gave him a ride part way to meet up with the show, he didn’t have enough money for a motel room but he had enough to get drunk and knew he would get put in jail. ( This town had a real decent jail with good food.) Sure enough he got drunk and ended up in jail until the show made it into town and the boss bailed him out.

I met many of his “wives” and a few of his fiancees…he would bring them around to show off the ring he just bought for them…we used to say they were five and dime rings but it didn’t make a difference to the girls.  I just shook my head. The one “wife” I got to know seemed pretty normal to me…her name might have been Elaine..she was blonde and very pretty.

He used to let our oldest daughter ride the Merry Go Round all afternoon.  She and Bobby were good friends.

Here is Bobby helping get our granddaughter Savannah on a horse in Barnesville Minnesota in 1997.

In later years Bobby would be known as “Rodeo Bob” I am not sure how he got that name.  When he died they put one of the horses backwards on the Merry Go Round. We used to have a photo of it…but it was on Far Guy’s computer that crashed and was lost.

In Memory of Rodeo Bob

Robert Romaine Arbuckle

Oct 1 1933

May 22 2001

From the people of Merriam’s Midway Shows

Bobby died of some kind of cancer he was 67 years old.

If there was an obit, I wonder how many wives were listed?

Prairie Rose Carousel

One of the reasons we went to the Chahinkapa Zoo in Wahpeton North Dakota was to see the Prairie Rose Carousel.

We always enjoy seeing these old works of art restored and working.

The scenery features South Dakota and North Dakota Towns.

The Chariots were quite detailed.

Adam is enjoying his ride.  Here you can see how the top supports have been painted with Prairie Roses. Every bit of this carousel was clean and painted perfectly.

The horses were beautifully done but they lacked reins.  Far Guy asked why they had been removed…and the fellow said he had no idea.

 

All the horses were named this one is Pat.

This is the home of the Prairie Rose Carousel.  It is nicely protected from the weather inside.  Park benches line the walls so old people can sit and let memories of other Carousels/Merry Go Rounds wander around in their brains.