No, I am not kidding… I once met a man named Spider; he proved it by showing me his business card. I remember it distinctly because the business card was all black, except for the name “Spider” spelled out in the very middle of the card in silver lettering. Then, when you flipped the card over it read “Let me entertain you.”
Classy Spider… very classy.
Although I highly doubt Spider was the moniker given to him by his mother, it fit him for sure. Spider had a shaved head, half covered by a monstrous tattoo of a spider web that spread down his neck. He wore all black clothing with chains hanging out of every pocket. He even had a mini-chain stretching from one of his ear piercings to the piercing in his nose. He was quite a sight.
My cousins actually introduced me to Spider. They have a gift for meeting up with the most interesting people. How they met Spider- I am not sure, but I think that there was probably some flirting going on. It was a beneficial relationship because flirting with Spider allowed them to ride the Pharaoh’s Fury as many times as they could handle... for free. (Pharaoh’s Fury is the ride at the Sandwich Fair that swings back and forth making all the riders lose their stomachs repeatedly for two to three minutes at a time.) Because I was their cousin, I got free rides too.
My interaction with Spider lasted only two days during the Sandwich Fair and that was probably fourteen years ago. Now, whenever I walk through the midway at the fair, I wonder where he is now and what he is doing. I can’t help but think that the life of a carnival worker would get tiring very fast. They are always moving, always dealing with the constant lights, the noise and the smell of carnival food. By the end of the Sandwich Fair (Wednesday through Sunday) - I am glad for a year-long break.
Spider… wherever you are… thank you for the free rides all those years ago. I hope you are well.
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