The Fairgrounds PDF Download

The story takes place in two worlds: the real and the surreal. Set in Boston and New York City, the story follows the life of a young man who does not learn and grow wise from life’s experiences. Instead, he grasps at the price of everything, oblivious to their spiritual value, including love and friendship. On a job search in New York City, he rests on a bench in Central Park, where a scene is played out that portends the future. A clown comes down a path with puppet clowns in a red canvas bag. When balloons, carried by the clown, burst near a little girl, a puppet clown jumps out of the bag and does a dance with the girl. Clowns are to have an important role in the young man’s future, as well as a person with a bow tie who constantly stalks him. Another important image is that of the dancing couple in the Renoir painting Bal a Bougival, which exemplifies the magical essence and beauty of real love. He learns of the power-hungry leadership at a voluntary health agency, and he is repelled by it. He leaves to seek employment at an art gallery. The owner is an attractive older woman who he tries to seduce him, even though she encourages his dreams of himself as a writer. An inner voice urges him downward. He also sees a young man with a bow tie and a shopping bag, looking much like himself, who appears whenever his thoughts wander toward the darker side. The surreal figure appears throughout the story, inducing wrongful behavior and actions, such as deceiving the owner of the art gallery. She despises a movie comedian who tries to buy an oil painting of a clown from her gallery at lower than the advertised price. The comedian is a collector of clown figures in plaster, wood, and glass, but no oil painting as of yet. The young man plays chess on Saturdays with the artist of the clown paintings and tries to influence him to sell another clown painting privately to the comedian. If the plan succeeds, he will get a large sum of money from the comedian for arranging the deceit. The painter wants to tell the art gallery owner in person that he will not deal exclusively with her anymore. Therefore, he meets with her in a fairgrounds in Queens, and the comedian, with knowledge of the rendezvous, bursts in unexpectedly to gloat. The young man comes there too and finds that his scheme is successful. He leaves the squabbling group and moves to a distant bench to await his girlfriend. Seated beside him is the man with a bow tie who always seems to follow him. Since he is currently the guard at the gallery, he takes his gun and shoots bow tie twice. He blinks, and bow tie disappears—blood and all. His girlfriend arrives, and from their discussion, she realizes that his dark side has taken over and breaks off their relationship. The young man decides to leave New York City, go to Las Vegas, and work for the comedian to continue to carry out his despicable