Only One Mullet at the State Fair?

The thing I love about going to state fairs?  People watching.  I suppose People watching is one of my favorite activities and I would rather people watch than just about anything. 

Zeus and I went with some friends to the state fair this year, and as usual I had everything that could possibly be deep-fried, and even things that shouldn't be, but it is the southeast, and if they can deep fry Diet Coke, there is NOTHING they can't deep fry.  I had the deep-fried Snickers bar (which is better than sex...sometimes) and I had a corn dog, some fries, a fried onion, and I think that might be all (last year was worse and I'm too embarrassed to remember it all).

Anyway, back to my love of people watching.  The state fair is a prime location for this sport (I like calling it a sport because it makes me sound somewhat athletic...or that's just in my head).  My brain was in high gear, ready to mentally take note of everything I saw that fascinated me.  This could include the carnies, the fair attendees, and yes, even the agriculture.  I've seen animals at past fairs doing things that would make Hugh Hefner blush.

It was unseasonably cold weather for the fair this year, but we stuck around for a few hours, and I kept waiting to see that onething; that one thing that would make my fair experience memorable.  Something I'd be writing about for years.  Maybe a carny with 2 fingers and an extra ear, or one of the mountain families that all look eerily alike who come down from the hills once each year just to go to the fair.  I was excited!

Not only did I not see any curious carnies (just the normal recently paroled, unshaven smoking kind), or obvious inbreeding, I didn't even see the typical plethora of mullets.  I saw only one mullet this year.  One, and it was partially hidden under the obligatory camouflaged bass fish hat.

Though I enjoyed the fair with Zeus and friends, I can't help but hide my disappointment at having been among an "average" crowd this year, and please, don't get me wrong, I'm not making fun of anyone.  Quite the opposite in fact.  The people I usually see at the fair are down-to-earth, real, slice-of-life folks.  They enjoy the simple pleasures in life and are happy to have the opportunity to get to the fair each year.  In a way, I'm envious.  I'll leave it at that.

--Fortuitous Observer