A Long Summer Day Of Slip-Sliding Away

By Nancy K. Crevier

Tell a kid they can go on a carnival ride as many times as they want — for free — and how many times will they go? Dozens, if the Newtown kids lined up at the inflatables Saturday, August 6, for Newtown’s Birthday Bash at Fairfield Hills are any indication.

As a volunteer staffing the inflatable slides, not only did I become very adept at saying, “You’re next!” and “Feet first, please!” but I became very familiar with several children who, along with their extremely patient parents, reappeared in line again and again over each two-hour shift I worked.

“Snow White,” an exuberant little blonde dressed in her Disney costume, clambered up and tumbled down the big slide more than two dozen times before I quit counting. Nate, who could not have been more than 2 years old, clapped his hands gleefully, a huge smile pasted on his face, as he bounced his way down. Two, four, six turns weren’t quite enough, and he would be there still, I’m sure, if his parents hadn’t enticed him away to another event. Then there was the teeny toddler in the pink dress with the quaint white bonnet. She didn’t need her daddy to help her up or down any of the many times she conquered the course, but a spritz of Pledge on her Pampers might have made for smoother sailing.

Some of the tinier tots did need mom or dad to coax them up the steps, and more than a few parents ended up taking a trek to the top to take the plunge, the little one wrapped securely in their arms.

As the day wore on, even the blazing sun didn’t stop the lines of children. “Oohh! It’s hot!” exclaimed one little girl as she plummeted down the slide. Little bare feet quickly leaped off of the hot landing pad, but she scurried back into line for another run.

Most remarkable was the courtesy of each and every child in line for the slides. Never pushing or shoving, never shouting, poking, or prodding, the children I saw may have wriggled with anticipation, but all were the epitome of good manners as they waited in the wilting heat for their several seconds of glory sliding down the giant slides.

Nicer in Newtown? It certainly was at the bouncers.