Local Fete
ok, our village has had its annual scarecrow festival this week, and to finish it off, my wife organise an old fashioned fete; tombola, candy floss, bobbing for apples etc.

I went for a wander with the boys and there is a family there. Mum and the kids are loving it, dad looks like he'd rather be anywhere else. One of the kids, a boy of about 6 asks dad for a pound to go on the Show your Strength machine; use a hammer, hit a target, make the bell at the top ring.

Dad moans about it being a complete waste of money but this lad keeps on. Eventually dad gives him the money but says "you'll never do it, all these shitty fair things are rigged so you can't win".

He picks up the sledgehammer, somehow gets it in the air and swings it down. It's awkward, all over the place but he hits the target.

"Ding".

I didn't look at the marker thing as it went up but he wins the top prize (a giant spongebob) and Dad looks mightly subdued.

As he walks of, the stall owner sees me watching and lifts a second bell, hidden under his chair. "I hate it when parents do that. You have to give kids a chance! He only got it about 75% there so I helped a bit".

Thing of absolute beauty.
(Strump striving for imperfection since, Sun 8 Aug 2010, 16:51, 1 reply)

What a nice man!
I wanted to have a go on one of those when I was about 5 months pregnant, showing off to my kids. The bloke winked and lowered the bell so I barely had to swing the hammer!
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Sun 8 Aug 2010, 18:01, closed)