drag lines

[david(tx)]

in the late 70's i lived in some brand new apartments just off the part of the north loop that goes around dallas(LBJ freeway),not to far from the city limits from one of it's suburbs.there was a warehouse district close by that i worked at.between the warehouse and my apartments there was an open field and i walked across it when i felt like walking to work,i wouldn't venture to guess how many acres it was but big enough for a large carnival,really almost fair sized.

i volunteered to work nights for the shift premium loading trucks for city deliveries the next day almost all cigarettes but some gum and candy,40 foot trailers were the norm then but 45's were taking over.it was just me and an older black guy working,freddie west,it was when you could get bunches of DWI'S and not go to jail or prison,i think freddy had about 6,well before MADD.

anyhow they set up a carnival in this field,today the galleria is there,a shopping,hotel,high rise apartment development there,heck it's been there 25 years as well as the tollway being close by.a friend and his girlfriend and i decided to go to the carnival,we had been drinking,i must have been about 22 or so,we weren't feeling any pain and started playing the drag lines.

i was getting frustrated,i kept dropping this pocket knife i wanted but i kept feeding the machine.finally i thought i was just about to wheel the crane around and have my knife but the bucket opened and i lost it.well i punched the glass and it shattered,i thought the glass was thicker than that!!!the drag line carny hollered something at me and i said something about it being a piece of crap,i turned around and about three other carnies were behind me,soon 2 dallas cops working security show up,better them than the carnies.

soon i was in the head carnies trailer,it must have been a pretty good sized carnival outfit because it had a nice office,but i ended up shelling out 60 bucks for a two dollar piece of glass.luckily i didn't get arrested,and went back for the rides a couple of nights later.every now and then i see dinky carnivals at small festivals in small towns and wonder what they would do if one the size of this one came to town.

i remember one that would show up in the parking lot of a shopping center in my home town, it it was pretty big too.i always remember the smells,the popcorn and snack kiosks,one of those things that get you excited as a kid and leave an impression on you.


gregs carny story brought the memory,motordrome anyone?

 

[Wayne in BC]

i got skinned at a few of them also! Thanks for the memories

 

[SurfCutter]

Yup , learned almost the same lesson that the carnies are out for your money and even after I was told again and again as a kid it still too that hard lesson of money spent and little or no return from it that carries through to this day .... it is a shame my son has not figured it out just yet and spends his money like water .... my daughter on the other hand can fold money with the best of them ..... sigh ..
bill g,

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

They always had freak shows...two headed snakes, bearded woman, six leg cow and many other strange creatures. At one of the carnivals, I lost almost all of my money trying to win a beautiful hunting knife...I really wanted that knife, but it was not to be. Your story brought back some good memories, thank you. Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)

 

[Royal]

lots of good memories but we rarely had money for many rides. That was ok. The ones we did get to ride were really appreciated.

I went to one in Morehead City when I was in the Crotch. I will never forget it. There was this one booth where the guy would guess your weight or your NAME. Now I knew this sucker was not gonna guess MY name. I paid my buck or fifty cents, what ever it was and he looked at me. Sorta studying me a bit and guessed, "ROY" I liked to have crapped. He did not win and I got the piece of junk he was selling for the buck I paid him but i never forgot how close he was.

Amazing places

 

[david(tx)]

my mothers great granddad did something similiar,he came over from ireland and fought in the civil war,afterwards he traveled with traveling minstral shows out west and mining camps i think.

 

[david(tx)]

but they always had them at the state fair.i always enjoyed the mazes and the mirrored rooms.

 

[david(tx)]

i remember my dad saying the same thing.when it came to money i learned lessons slow too.he hated it when he saw me play a pinball machine,he thought they were a waste of money,but shootin' pool was okay.actually the games at carnivals and fairs teach young people a good lesson about money and how nothings free.

 

[david(tx)]

n/t

 

[VT Dave]

I can almost smell the paint and grease...... er... fried dough!

 

[Micheal_R]

I well remember those crane things..... They had packages of nickles, or dimes.... maybe 10 to 15... and you tried to grab them. Somehow, they always got left behind when the crane tried to lift them.

fair winds

mikie

 

[Sunny]

me nto death, but I have gotteen lost on that LBJ freewaay, and that was pretty scarey in itself. After Im finallyy figured outt I was driving in a big circle after about five laaps I learned better!

Good Story David!

 

[david(tx)]

n/t

 

[George-CT]

lot not far from my home and they held them there about 3 times a year. Most of us kids would try and get jobs there. I did manage many years later to go back there metal detecting and did pretty good on old silver in the spots where I remembered the stands and rides to be. Even cleaned up at a few old drive inns from the 50's. Like you I can still remember the sounds and smells of the carnivals. Back then I think it was Coldman Brothers Carnivals that make the summer circuit here. Ringling came thru once a year by train then. I used to be amazed at how fast it all went up with the elephants and people on the big tops, and the last day, the next morning it would be all gone like it was never there. I did make it to their winter camp in Florida once about 30 years ago. Pretty sure it was Sarasota, Florida.

Geo

 

[david(tx)]

been built on i know a few places that would have been good places to detect.

 

[Rob/Windsor Ont.]

Hooks, anchors, diamonds, spades, hearts and clubs. I don't think we were even teenagers yet. No rules or regulations. As long as you were willing to part with your two-bits. Boy o boy......times sure have changed.

 

[david(tx)]

when i was a kid you could by cigarettes no problem.i'm kind of glad things changed in that respect.