There is just so much I love about this headline. I don’t even care what the story is. The headline alone SELLS it. I love that these things exist: Chicken Charlie. Fried Kool-Aid.
I really want to know more about Chicken Charlie. Why is he called that? How did he get into the fair biz? What kind of name is Boghosian? If he could fry anything in the world, what would it be? I’m glad Chicken Charlie stayed true to his roots and is still selling the fried Klondike Bar. Don’t be a slave to the fads, Chicken Charlie.
I haven’t been to one in ages, but I have a lot of fond memories of state fairs. OK, state fair singular. But the one I’m thinking of is the granddaddy – the Texas State Fair, which takes place in the fall. My family lived in Dallas off-and-on when I was growing up and we went to the TSF a few times. On one particular visit, my mom’s boyfriend at the time bought me the most rocking winged-unicorn fake-gold charm necklace ever created.
Even better, you could get your name engraved on it! Since I have an oddly spelled name, and could never, ever buy any personalized key chains or pens or friendship bracelets at any gas station, amusement park, or truck stop that might be selling that crap, getting something with my name on it was a HUGE deal for me. It even made an appearance in my school picture that year. (OK, seriously? I just tore apart my whole house looking for that picture. No luck. I’m so pissed I want to kick the cat. Not really. Sorry, Toonces.)
Anyway, I lost the necklace a few months later playing basketball at school. It got lodged under the roll-back bleachers and I never saw it again. I’m pretty sure I cried. There’s definitely a lesson in there about how team sports are stupid. I can just imagine some janitor’s daughter out there still rocking my unicorn/pegasus necklace 30 years later. Hope she treasures it as much as I did.
Anyone else been to a state fair? What’s your favorite fair food? I can hurt a funnel cake real, real bad.