This year I decided to cut the big kids loose. Christopher will be 13 and Lydia will be 11 in September. Lydia, I could have allowed to go it alone about five years ago, and I’m almost serious: she has incredible boundaries, good intuition and a willingness to ask for assistance. Christopher, on the other hand, has been willing to go off with any stranger since he could walk, but I decided if he doesn’t have the smarts to make it at this small fair populated almost entirely by young suburban mothers and their progeny, then he’s not going to make it any where.
I am pleased to tell you that he and Lydia had a wonderful time buzzing around the different tents each at his or her pace, following their separate whims.
The Legumes, with me as their escort and wrangler, had to rely on negotiations. With my help, these went fairly well. There was that dark moment when only Ren won a cupcake in the Cake Walk, though she quickly offered to share. And then there was that even darker moment when Ren was given a balloon after having her hair painted, but Eden wasn’t. That Ren almost immediately let go it, was no comfort. When we tracked down a girl with a huge bunch of balloons, there was only one pink one! Of course both wanted it and I encouraged Eden to let her cousin have it, which she did and then, miracles of miracles, we spied another girl with a bunch of balloons and Eden was given a pink one from her. Minutes later, Ren let go of her second balloon, but Eden held onto hers until we made it home.
It was a hot day and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. We were all sweating profusely and I made it my mission to find a square of shade to stand in at each tent we visited and occasionally I was even able to score a chair and gratefully sat. At the especially interminable coloring tent, there were no chairs and I had to lean forward awkwardly to keep my head in the shade. I mentioned to the volunteers the idea that had occurred to me early and, as the day wore on, was fast becoming an obsession.
“What this thing really needs is a wine bar.”
It was not quite noon, but each volunteer nodded excitedly. Since the fair was sponsored by the area business owners, I suggested a fancy, local grocery, which has an extensive wine selection. Every other person I mentioned it to agreed that a wine bar would be a brilliant and NECESSARY addition to the day.
Later, at the grocery in question, I informed the staff that I had been conducting an informal survey on their behalf and reported the entirely enthusiastic response. The owner and several of her employees who heard all laughed.
“That is a great idea,” she said.
“Listen,” I said, “On average, I have less than two ounces of wine a week. Now and then, a glass sounds really good. Today I was positively salivating at the thought of a chilled Chardonnay. If I was panting for a glass…” I just let them think about that. They were all laughing as I drifted off to shop.
When I returned to the register to pay I approached the owner, “Look, don’t play with me. I have to know if this is a possibility.” She went on about a lot of boring things like licensing laws and the very real difference between selling a bottle of wine and serving one.
“We could always sell an individual a bottle of wine,” she looked at me meaningfully.
“I don’t think I’m ready to be the mother standing at the edge of a children’s fair with a thermos of wine,” I thought for a moment, “but I might be.”
We all agreed it would certainly be a service and maybe even a ministry.
I wonder if I could get 501(c)(3) status?
the thing i really love about this photo- all of the hands.
i love how the 3 girl’s hands come together on the left, and ren’s little hand on the right….and christopher’s hands…they are all so beautiful.
I cut both of mine loose at the county fair last year, each with a group of good friends which included some older kids. They did very well and I will probably join the same families to do it again for this year’s fair, in two weeks.
Our fair has a beer garden, but a wine booth, now there’s something that might just go over very well.
wine? why not skip right to the thermos full of martinis. self-service. also i was stunned when i read 13. i’ve got those two locked in much younger. the days run away like wild horses over the hills.