SummerFest soundchecks

By Marc Calhoun

I always like wandering the West Seattle street fair; watching people as I try to resist the street vendors offering their wares. It is also interesting to see all the booths that offer drawings for free vacations, free windows, free body fat tests, and so on. But I always walk fast by them, for to get any of this free stuff you usually have to sign a contract full of fine print and, if you're not careful, you'll end up owning timeshare property in Pahrump, Nevada.

I then passed the Boeing Employees Credit Union booth. Unfortunately, they weren't offering any free money, just information on how to join. I learned that to be a member you don't have to be a Boeing employee, or even related to one. The only requirement is that you've either once slept with a Boeing employee, or have flown in an airplane (if you've done both at the same time you get free checking).

As I walked south I was offered a free spinal exam. My spine isn't in great shape, but I had enough of one to say no, and as I walked on other temptations called. I didn't need vinyl siding, aikido lessons, triple-polarized sunglasses, or a giant birdhouse. But there was one thing I desperately needed, something to eat. So I headed to the food court. The lines for elephant ears and giant corn on the cobs were enormous, so I grabbed a teriyaki skewer instead.

It was 82 degrees, there was no shade in sight, and the south beer garden was calling. But to get in I had to dig out my driver's license, for they were carding everyone. Even those with gray hair - I have just a touch mind you - had to show their ID. As I savored my suds and skewer a band on the stage was doing a sound check. It was a long one and, after 15 minutes of "check-check, can I have more monitor please," with no sign of any forthcoming music, I guzzled down the beer (and the skewer) and started walking back north.

The Herald's booth offered a free trip to Oregon if you passed a West Seattle history test. (If you failed the test, you still got the trip, but it was one-way.) I was tempted to test them. My question: "What was the worst thing ever to happen to West Seattle?" My answer (it might not be yours) is 'progress.' And speaking of progress, I next passed a booth hawking some of the several gazzilion new condos going up in the area. And, above all the hubbub of the street fair, I could hear construction sounds at the building sites across from Jefferson Square.

As I walked on north in the sweltering heat, dodging kids, strollers, and pushy petition gatherers, the smell of pizza became overpowering. By now my beer and skewer were just a fond memory, and another beer and some pizza sounded good. So I forked over $2 for a slice at the Pagliacci stand and headed for the north beer garden.

To gain admittance to this inner sanctum of suds I had to show my driver's license again and, slice in hand, lightened my wallet by another $5 for an ice cold plastic glass of Manny's. As I savored my beer and slice there was a band on stage doing a sound check. This one was mercifully short and, after listening to a few songs, I started for home.

So thus ends another street fair. This one was a scorcher; the sun blazing down on California Avenue pushed the mercury well into the eighties. It was a bit too hot for me, and there wasn't much shade to be found. But never fear, with all the high-rises going up in the Junction, there will be plenty of shade next year.

Marc Calhoun may be reached via wseditor@robinsonnews.com