A CORNSTALK LEAF POKED ME IN THE EAR ON OPENING NIGHT OF THE MCHENRY COUNTY FAIR AS I POSITIONED MYSELF ON THE STEPS OF THE GRANDSTAND STAGE, INTRODUCING THE 18 CANDIDATES FOR MCHENRY COUNTY QUEEN.
IN THEIR SETUP , A COUNTY FAIR CREW HAD THE IDEA OF DECORATING EACH OF THE SUPPORT POLES ON THE PAGEANT STAGE WITH CORNSTALKS. THIS THEY BELIEVED GAVE THE PAGEANT AN “OUT IN THE COUNTRY” OR “ON THE FARM” LOOK. HOLDING THE PAGEANT'S BLACK NOTEBOOK, I READ DETAILS ON THE PAGEANT CANDIDATES, LIFTING MY HEAD EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE FOR EYE CONTACT WITH THE CONTESTANTS... YET THESE CORNSTALK LEAVES KEPT POKING AWAY, HITTING ME IN THE HEAD, ON MY SHOULDER, IN MY EAR, ON MY NECK……ALMOST TO THE POINT, I WAS STARTING TO FEAR PEOPLE MIGHT SEE AN “OUT OF MY MIND” LOOK. I WANTED TO TURN TO MY SIDE AND RIP THESE CORNSTALKS FROM THE POLES OF THE WOODEN STRUCTURE HOLDING THE STAGE TOGETHER.
THIS IS THE “need to be told” STORY OF A PHOTO IN THE DAILY HERALD DEPICTING THE QUEEN PAGEANT STAGE, WHERE I’M ON THE FAR END WEARING A BLACK TUXEDO WITH A RED VEST FROM GIPPER FORMALWEAR, A LOCAL TUXEDO SHOP AND I’M FEELING THE INTENSE HEAT OF SUMMER, AND TRYING TO KEEP MY BALANCE ON THE STEPS, AND AVOID A GOOD POKING FROM THE CORNSTALKS. LIKELY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN THE GRANDSTANDS SAW ME MOVE FAIRLY SMOOTHLY THROUGH THE PROGRAM…BUT HOW WEARING A TUX DECEIVES AND GETTING POKED IN THE EAR ANNOYS……ATTEMPTING JOKES HERE AND THERE, I STRAINED TO PRONOUNCE THE NAMES OF THE LADIES WITHOUT FLUBBING, AND HOPED NOT TO PASS OUT FROM THE HEAT AND LAND ON THE DIRT BELOW THE STAGE.
THESE OBSERVATIONS OF THE PAGEANT SHOULD NOT DIMINISH THE QUALITY OF THE WORK DONE BY THE PAGEANT COMMITTEE. THEY ARE AN EXCEPTIONAL GROUP. COORDINATING ALL THE ASPECTS OF THE PAGEANT IS AN INCREDIBLE TASK, I’M JUST A VERY SMALL PART OF IT ALL. YOU CAN SEE PORTIONS OF THE PAGEANT THROUGH www.mchenrycountyfair.com
