The Color of Eleanor

IV. To Feel a Color

The next morning, after Eleanor and Josh had just finished a breakfast of cereal and toast at the dining table, Eleanor gave the news that they were going to the carnival. Josh gasped. He threw his hands into the air, cheering with a bright smile, even if his cheer was relatively quiet. Eleanor told him that he would have to be patient as Eleanor finished up her chores. Josh didn't seem to process her words, and began to scurry around the dining room to release his building energy.

As Eleanor rushed to get her sweeping and dishes done, the minutes dragged on like hours for Josh. He waited in excruciation, lying on the couch and stuffing his face into the cushions, trying to search for some fleeting sense of satisfaction while he waited for the carnival trip. Eleanor, too, couldn't help but let her anticipation overcome her. She found herself hurrying through dishes and vigorously sweeping the floor.

At last when her chores were done, she strode around the house to make sure all the lights were off and double-checked her purse to make sure she was carrying everything she needed. Once she came back to the main room, she saw that Josh was already waiting by the door, fiddling with his sleeves. With that, the two of them strode out the door, Josh springing into a bouncing jog as they made their way towards the car. Eleanor found her pace slightly accelerating as well. This trip was for Josh. But it had also been her own childhood dream.

Eleanor waited in the driver's seat, looking through the overhead mirror to make sure Josh was buckled in. She repositioned her hands on the wheel. They were starting to become a bit clammy. She turned the key and drove off. Eleanor took glances at Josh through the mirror as they went. He was kicking his legs and glancing around, as if he was waiting for the carnival to pop into view from the window.

"Are we there yet?" he asked.

"Not yet," Eleanor replied. Josh pressed his nose against the window, tapping on the glass. He peered ahead, searching for any sign of what he had seen on the television. Josh continued to search, but was only met with buildings, sidewalks, and lampposts.

"Where is it?" Josh asked.

"It should be nearby," Eleanor replied, peering through the windshield. Josh pressed his hands against the window.

Sure enough, there it was. In a vastly large parking lot was a city of tents and stands, with signs advertising cotton candy and popcorn. Massive mechanical rides carried carts of people on tracks and swivels, their metal wheels and arms lined with sparkling lights that flashed a rainbow of morphing colors. The asphalt was crowded with a sea of people, adults and kids and even infants in strollers, holding bags of food and stuffed prizes. Some children pranced through the crowd with painted faces as parents gripped their hands tightly to keep them from slipping from sight. Eleanor almost couldn't pull her eyes away from the sight. She quickly jerked the steering wheel as she realized that she had been looking away from the road.

She slowed in front of an officer that stood in the road to direct traffic. She pulled to the left, entering the parking area beside the carnival. She inched the car across the parking lot, repeatedly stopping for passing families. She peered through the windshield to search for an open space among the dozens of parked cars. She finally found a free space near the back corner. She pulled in and parked, hearing a click as Josh was already unbuckling his seatbelt. The two climbed out of the car and were met with the sounds of chaotic chatter, footsteps, laughter, and screams. The two made their way across the parking lot towards the entrance to the carnival, gazing up at the gargantuan rides before them. They weren't even the scale of some rides in major parks, but to little Josh and even to the secluded Eleanor, they were larger than life. Eleanor's breathing was starting to deepen. Josh's eyes widened in wonder. They tagged onto the end of the long line that waited to pay into the carnival. Josh was trying his best to crane his neck to peek past the others in line to see more of the whimsical sights inside. The line moved at a tedious pace. Eleanor and Josh inched their way towards the entrance. The flashing lights, the sweet scents; they were all gradually getting closer. Finally they had reached the front stand. Eleanor reached into her purse and pulled out some bills. She held it out to the man behind the stand, her hand shivering slightly. He took it and handed tickets to her and Josh.