Carnival: A Message from a Memory

Reading Time: 3 minutes

By Michael Avery

A memory often returns this time of year to remind me how one kind thought can change a life. Remarkably, the universe put me in a position where I was able to pay it forward many times over.

I remember standing in front of a carnival tent where rows of stuffed teddy bears were hanging from a wire above me. I was five years old at the time. In the center area of the square carnival tent, pop bottles were positioned side by side in wooden boxes. 

To win the prize, it was necessary to toss a small wooden ring and somehow manage to have it encircle the neck of a bottle. My mom and I watched several people pay the twelve-rings-for-a-dollar fee and toss their rings expectantly. Each one walked away empty handed. I desperately wanted a teddy bear and asked my mom if I could try.

One dollar quickly turned into five. My mom had run out of patience, and dollars were scarce in our family. The carnival worker suggested purchasing twelve more rings. He was certain my aim was improving. Reluctantly, my mom parted with one more dollar.

My heart sank as I stood holding the final wooden ring in my hand. Disappointment was etched upon my face as I held back tears. I tossed the ring but didn’t see where it landed. The carnival worker had turned his back to us and was blocking my view.

“Look, you won!” he shouted. “Which prize would you like?”

My disappointment turned to joy as he handed me a blue and white teddy bear, the most beautiful stuffed animal I had ever seen. I remember how soft the material felt as I caressed it as I carried it proudly to our car. I had done it; I had won the game. My mom was smiling broadly, as if she was privy to a wonderful secret.

On the drive home, she asked me if I had seen what the carnival worker had done. His back had been blocking my view, but I assumed my ring had bounced off one bottle and miraculously found its way onto the neck of one nearby.

“That game is nearly impossible to win,” she declared. “When the man’s back was turned to us, he placed a ring over the neck of a bottle.” 

“So, I didn’t win the teddy bear after all?” I questioned. Again, my mom smiled broadly.

I was shocked at this revelation. Why would the carnival man do such a thing? I wondered. I thought about it for a long time. Finally, I understood that helping a child realize his dream gave this man joy, at least on that particular night. I experienced the joy of receiving while he found joy in the giving.

The story could have ended here. However, coincidentally, when I was in high school, I discovered a talent that very few possessed. Teddy bears were also involved.

I learned how to toss a dime at just the right angle, height, and placement to land in a plate and not bounce off. I even taught my best friend how to win at this carnival game. For ten consecutive years, we drove to the fair specifically to toss dimes and win stuffed animals.

Every year, I would give my mom three or four to pass along to the kids of her coworkers at the grocery store where she worked. Others, I would give to friends. On several occasions, I gave my prize to a young boy or girl who was standing by the carnival tent gazing wistfully at the colorful teddy bears hanging from the wire overhead.

I remember fondly those memories of the fair and especially the joy shining from the eyes of those whom I gifted. I am thankful that I was shown the impact of such a simple gesture of love and goodwill when I was young. I call upon this memory when I need a refresher on giving, receiving, and how wonderful it feels to pay it forward.