Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

103.               Aug 26 - Wed

     Evening - all of us except Bertha to Hamburg Fair.

     First a stroll up and down the "midway" - The vulgarity of the barkers and performers so blatant and bizarre, that it was impossible not to be momentarily fascinated and amazed by it. The western sky was still brilliant with the afterglow of the sunset, and against it the brilliant lights of the carnival street, with all the cheap gaudy colors of the (CD) covered tents, and the sharply defined tall trees, held a strange sort of beauty.

     Giving the youngsters each a dollar to spend on amusements, I wandered off alone. As I did so, I reflected that, since the very thought of indulging in such amusements bored me greatly, I was definitely middle-aged, and that I ought to feel some regret over it. But I did not; - on the contrary I felt a sort of relief and pleasure in the thought that I could wander thru the fair, a detached observer. My one regret was that Bertha was not along to stroll with me.

     Never much interested in country fairs, it took but a short time to grow bored with this one. I tried to get interested in the poultry buildings, and the grange exhibits, but failed. I then fell back on the last resort of boredom - nibbling at things to eat. I bought some popcorn, and then some peanuts, and strolled along eating them furiously, looking at things without seeing them.

     The sight of a telephone sign gave me the notion of calling Bertha up, and did so, having a pleasant little chat with her. Then I came out, and headed for the midway, to see what the youngster