I love the fair! The mix of people, the thrilling rides, the fun and games, the comfort food, the prizes, the shows, and the exhibits—they all beckon and glow in my memory. Oh, and the smells! Breathe deeply; rarely does one get to experience such a vast range of olfactory stimulation as at a fair!
In my youth, though, the very best part was traveling to the state fair in Shreveport, and living in a trailer on the fairgrounds for a week with my cousins. Our job was to take care of the pigs and cows while our parents continued with their workaday lives back home. Imagine if you will…adolescent boys being excused from school for a whole week, subjected to very little grown-up supervision, and let loose in the carnival atmosphere that was the Louisiana State Fair. The days and nights were filled with sloppin' the hogs, cruisin' the...