Cerridwen in the Dunking Booth

Part 3: A Forty Five Minute Shift

She was afraid to come out in the open (bop-op-op-op)
And so a blanket around her she wore (bop-op-op-op)
She was afraid to come out in the open (bop-op-op-op)
And so she said, bundled upon the shore (bop-op-op-op)

Sitting in a dunking booth is an embarrassing and awkward experience for sure. You have to sit there, with your legs curved under the seat and your hands firmly placed upon your lap. Your back straight up and your chest poked out. The most mortifying thing about it? You have to heckle the crowd. After Daisy dunked me, people seemed to just walk right on by. Nobody seemed to be paying me much attention and I was fine with that.

And much to my amazement ten solid minutes passed without anybody stepping up to throw at the target. But then again the fair was just starting and from the seat of the dunking booth, I could see a steady stream of people filtering in through the front gate. Most of the patrons seemed drawn toward the many side games that had sprung up like toadstools after spring showers on the right side of the field.

Classic games of skill and luck, you know games where you pay three dollars for three balls and then use those three balls to knock down a pyramid of plastic milk bottles. Shatter the pyramid you win a prize, what prize? By the looks of it a stuffed animal. I kind of wanted Daisy to win me a stuffed animal. Maybe I should win him one?

I heaved a sigh and started to think, what had I gotten myself into now? My life it seemed was one big misadventure, a fun misadventure, but a misadventure all the same. Had I really come out of the egg for this? I could have stayed hidden till I was in college, or till I'd gotten a degree, and my life was half settled. Maybe I should have? Maybe coming out of the egg was a big mistake?

“A penny for your thoughts?” Jamie said

“Thinking how in the world you talked me into volunteering for this crazy thing.” I said, taking a deep breath as I peered toward Jamie.

Jamie cocked her head to the side, folded her arms across her chest and then smiled a little smile.

“First off, you did not 'volunteer' for this thing. The word you're looking for is 'conscripted'. Second, as a member of the 'B' squad you are expected to do these kinds of things to help out the squad. It's kind of a rite of passage. When I first joined the squad I was on the 'B' squad and it seemed every time I turned around my older sister Lily was volunteering me to either get a pie shoved in my face, kiss a pig, or sit in a dunking booth. Trust me, once you get promoted to 'A' squad life will get better.” Jamie said smiling.

“Kiss a pig?”

“Yes, when I was in eighth grade, and Lily was a Freshman, she had to kiss a pig as part of a fund-raiser. She was also on the 'B' Squad.” Jamie said, taking a deep breath.
At that moment I would have gladly given a good chunk of the two thousand dollars I had stashed away in my savings account at Bank Plus, to see Jamie kiss a pig. Okay, but not a good chunk of it. But maybe a hundred dollars of it. And that would have to be one hell of the kiss. Like full on mouth to snout.

“I see. So once I get promoted to the 'A' squad, I won't have to sit in a dunking booth anymore or stand behind a plywood cutout target and have whipped cream and pudding pies tossed at me? Or I won't have to kiss a pig to raise money for the squad?” I asked.

“Correct, you're a Sophomore right now? So next year when you become a Junior, and you've had one more summer of training behind you, you will get moved to the 'A' squad and will select another Freshman or Sophomore to replace you. Then you'll be the 'A' Squad for your Junior and Senior year, then you'll walk across the stage, get your diploma and leave Benton Academy behind you.” Jamie said grinning.

I was about to say something when I once more felt the seat I was seating over give way. I looked to the side and noticed that some little kid had walked up behind the counter and had pushed the button. Unlike before I did not piddle in the water. In fact I jumped out as quick as possible. The kid caught sight of me giving him a crossed eye look and rushed off.

Another ten minutes passed.

“I guess people are afraid of you.” Jamie said, sighing. “I thought well, seeing how adorable you look in your new bikini and seeing how popular you were with the local business. People would be lining up for miles to throw. But then again you are a witch, so I guess people are afraid you're going to put a hex or a jinx on them if they dunk you.”

“You know, we don't really do that anymore. It's not like I'm a Harry Potter witch, I'm just a Wicca Witch who believes in a moon Goddess instead of a trinity of beings.” I said, shrugging my shoulders.

“But you attend church with Daisy? I've seen you at Mass down at St. Mary's Episcopal Church.” Jamie said, also shrugging her shoulders.

At that moment my best friend Taylor showed up. Taylor was around my height and had long, coppery hair that reached down to her shoulders and a milky face that splashed with freckles. She was super popular with the boys and was the next one on the list. She, like me, was a fellow member of the 'B' squad who, as Jamie had put it, had been 'Conscripted' to staff the dunking booth for the duration of the summer carnival.

“Hey Cerridwen!” She called out as she placed a five dollar bill down on the table. “How is it going!” She asked as she watched Jamie place three yellow and white tennis balls down upon the table.

“It's going.” I said, taking a deep breath. “Soaking wet though! Some little kid just pushed the button, without even paying!” I said, sighing. “Daisy soaked me once though and Jamie had to push the button to see if the thing was working correctly!” I tossed Jamie an accusing look toward Jamie who only whistled a little tune as she shuffled her feet around.

“So you've been dunked three times, pretty good. Here to make it four times!” Taylor said as she reached down and picked up the first ball. She drew her arm back and let the ball fly through the air. The ball sailed through the air and before I could blink the ball struck the metal ringer.
“Oh you little bi..” But the seat giving way underneath me cut my sentence off. I felt myself dropping like a stone and soon once more I felt my bottom landing upon the plastic floor of the dunking booth. Peering through the viewing window I could see Taylor standing in front of the booth, holding up her hands in the classic 'V' for Victory pose. Or was that the Peace sign. I'm not sure. Anyway it reminded me of an anime girl posing for a picture.

Slowly I started to swim toward the surface, as soon as I surfaced I moved toward the side of the tank and took a deep breath as I pushed the seat back up into position and swam toward the side. A few seconds later I was back into position.

“I still have two more balls!” Taylor cried out.

“Oh you little bit..” Again it happened, the sound of the ball smashing into the metal target filled the air as once more I felt the seat giving way out from underneath me. And once more I felt myself dropping through the air. A few seconds later I was splashing down in the dunking booth. I was now soaked to the bone.

“Can't a girl catch a break!” I yelled as I climbed up and once more took my seat down upon the drop seat. Taylor to her credit just smiled and shook her head. “Nah.” She added. “You don't get a break!”

And with that she threw her last ball, and thankfully that ball sailed right over the target. As I watched the ball sail over the target I breathed a sigh of relief. At least I was spared that humiliation.

“Well, two out three is a passing score I guess.” Taylor said as she shrugged her shoulders. And with that she walked away before I could come back with a witty remark.

A dozen or so people lined up to throw after Taylor left. None of them came close to hitting the target. For that I was thankful, it gave me a chance to catch my breath and dry off. I had about five more minutes left in my shift when guess who happened to show up? That's right my own mother happened to show up.

My mom and I are about the same height, and we kind of look alike, moms hair is a shade darker than mine though. Though people often mistake us for sisters, that is younger sister and older sister, instead of daughter and mother. Anyway right off the bat I noticed mom was holding in her left hand a small travel along bag. A

“Guess what somebody forgot to bring with them this morning?” My mother said as she held up the bag. She was looking dead ahead at me as she asked this question. So I knew right off the bat it was directed at me.

I blinked and blinked again.

“Somebody forgot to bring a towel this morning, and a change of clothes.” My mom said, “But being the good, kind, caring mother that I am. I decided to go ahead and pop down and bring you some. After all, I doubt you would want to run around the fairground all afternoon soaking wet and wearing nothing more than a bathing suit. Then again, you might.. you're at that age after all.”

I felt a blush starting to rise in my high cheekbones.

Mom smiled and then turned toward Jamie.

“How much for six throws?” She asked as she sat the traveling bag down upon the ground and brought her purse around, she then opened her purse and pulled out her wallet.

Jamie shrugged and pushed six, yellow and white tennis balls toward my mom and with a wink she said.

“According to the time honored traditions of the Benton Academy Cheerleaders, whenever a Cheerleader has volunteered to staff the dunking booth or sit behind the pie wall at the annual pie toss. And a member of her family, be it father, mother, brother or sister wants to dunk them or pie them. The cost for the balls or pie is waived.”

“MOM!” I yelled as I peered toward my mother. “You're not going to DUNK ME! Are YOU?” Sitting in the dunking booth was embarrassing enough But getting dunked on by your mother? That was just.. that was just really embarrassing!

“Of course I am. I'm your mother, that's what mothers are supposed to do.” She said as she picked up the first ball and tossed it toward the metal target. The ball sailed over the ringer and was caught by the net hung up behind it. I heaved a sigh of relief. Without only a handful of minutes left in my shift, I was hoping to avoid being dunked again.

Well I spoke too soon. For a few seconds later, I heard the sound of the tennis ball smashing into the ringer and a split second later I felt the seat giving way and once more I felt myself dropping like a stone into the freezing water below! I felt my teeth starting to chatter together, it seemed the water was getting colder and colder after each dunk, instead of warmer and warmer.

“MOMMY!” I said giving my mom my best pout.

“I still have four throws left sweetheart!” My mom said as she watched me climb back up the ladder. She was giggling like a schoolgirl, clearly she was enjoying herself. Which I'm glad to see, mom needed some time off, to you know kick back and have a little fun. Even if her idea of fun was dunking her daughter in the school's dunking booth.

“I'll chalk the first dunking up to beginner's luck!” I said as I seated myself once more on the seat. “You gotta dunk me at least two more times to change my mind!”

I will forever live to eat those words for a split second later, on her third toss. Mom struck the iron target again, once more sending me down into the icy cold water below. A girlish yell escaped my lips as I felt the seat give way and my bottom touched the surface of the water. This time I went all the way down and my bottom bounced off the bottom of the tank!

“OKAY!” I said as I broke the surface of the water as I resurfaced. “Okay! I learned my lesson!” I said blushing. “Really mom! I think the water is losing the strings of my bathing suit!” I said blushing.

My mom blinked, and blinked again. Then in a very mom tone of voice. She shouted, and I mean she shouted, as the whole fairgrounds must have heard her.

“CERRIDWEN CIRCLE WHITETHORN!”

Those were the first three words that came out of her mouth. Those three words made me flinch a little.

“You get out of that tank at this very moment. You and I are going to have a mother and daughter talk. And I'm going to show you how to tie your bikini in a way that will not have that knot coming loose. I will not have my daughter flash the whole damn school!” She bellowed as she peered toward me.

I blushed as I started to climb out. I knew Jamie wanted to say something because she was holding up her fingers. But one look from my mom cut her off. Now my mom is the sweetest, most understanding woman you would ever meet. But when she was in mom mode. You better just go with the flow, because she was not above snapping on my friends. And well, Jamie might be the head cheerleader, and she might be head girl, and she might be the belle of Benton High Society. But all of that added up to nothing more than a hill of beans with my mom.

And so when she caught one glance of the glare she was giving me, she shut up, turned her head around and started to whistle a little tune. And so that is how my first shift in the dunking booth came to an end. With one shift down, and one to go and a good hour and half to spare between the two. I started to wonder what the rest of the day would hold.