Ross closed his exercise book and sighed, another evening of homework completed. The end was in sight, his exams were only a month away. The stirring ripple of the distant fairground organ through the warm night air reminded him that the fair was in town. It was a major event in the small country community deep in the Australian bush, but he did not have any money to enjoy it.
He strolled into the night. Cicadas hissed as if in competition with the fairground organ whose sound grew louder as he approached the showground. There was laughter and screaming from the rides. He watched the happy people riding on the brightly painted horses on the huge merry go round, and felt the heat of the steam traction engine which powered the organ. At close quarters its sound was thunderous and its excited, relentless and restless tunes stirred his very soul. Life was pretty boring in Gladesville and he craved the brash, colourful life of the fairground where people were happy and noisy, enjoying the thrills of the rides and freak shows.
With no money for rides, candy floss or a hot dog, he wandered restlessly to the edge of the fair where the brightly painted and chromed caravans of the fairground workers rested gently under the causarinas. An owl called close by. He wondered what life would be like working on a fair, packing up the equipment and moving on to a new town every few days. The roving life seemed a world away from the predictable existence of a humdrum small town where not much happened.
'What are you snooping around at?'
Ross jumped at the sound of a fierce voice behind him, and looked around.
'I don't mean any harm β I was just looking at the caravans and wondering what life would be like working on a fair.'
A small figure emerged from the darkness and he saw the owner of the fierce voice. It was a young woman, a few years older than Ross. She smiled.
'It's not all that it seems, wandering from one boring small town to another, back breaking work packing up and unpacking, living in a confined space in a tight-knit community.'
'Sounds quite appealing compared to life in a small town' said Ross, 'but I can see that after a while it might not be as exciting as I thought. I do like your caravans though β and the organ music.'
'Would you like to look inside?'
'Wow, would I!'
She led him to a small caravan painted with brightly coloured flowers.
'This is where I live with my sister. My Mum and Dad live in that big one over there. Dad runs the big merry go round with the thundering organ, Mum is the fortune teller. My sister helps Dad and I help Mum, but it's my night off tonight.'
'You mean you're a fortune teller?' he gasped.
'Well, not exactly, but I am learning. It's more complicated than people think and you have to have the gift.'
She led him up the steps and into the small candle lit space.