Changing Times

I was just getting her set up when Crabs come around to tell me I was wanted in the office.

There was a new fella behind the desk, a kid. He told me Butler Amusements was taking me off the wheel and putting me on the kiddie-boats.  There had been complaints, he said. I should consider myself on probation, he said.

I been with this outfit on and off for twenty-three years, summer and winter. Hell, I was here before Butler was Butler, just a tin-horn operation of three or four carneys.

Back then, everybody drank on the job some.

Friday Fictioneers

21 comments

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  1. pennygadd51

    As everyone else has said, the voice is excellent; I can clearly hear the man’s whining tone. Going back to the seventies, all sorts of people drank when working. In fact, on business it was often difficult to avoid drinking at least a pint of beer at lunchtime. Thank goodness things have changed!

  2. gahlearner

    Yeah, the drinking… Peer pressure can be partly to blame, especially in these cases. Would have been nice if someone had offered help. But would he have accepted it, accepted change? A great voice, as others have said, and so much revealed about a life.

    • J Hardy Carroll

      Alcoholism was always alcoholism, but I think people were more apt to cover it up. The chances are that the old boss was also a drunk. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

  3. Jelli

    That has a very distinctive voice to it. I can almost picture him in carny garb, maybe a flask tucked in his back pocket. Great job.

  4. theministryofshrawleywalks

    Cider was the drink of choice for the farm workers in the 18th century because the water was so crap, which come to think of it is irrelevant to this story, but was a great take, its political correctness gone mad!!

  5. Lynn Love

    Always a great voice in your wrting and this is no exception. I always worry about ebing strapped into a ride by a bored looking ten year old. That’s happened a few times over the years. Great story

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