Fall was a lovely time in this small town. Colourful leaves covering gardens, and freshly carved pumpkins displayed on porches.

It was an especially exciting time for a seventh grade class. Today was the day they took a trip to the local Fall carnival. There would be games to play, candy to eat, and tons of fun to go around.

Lisa had saved three months of allowance to spend at this carnival. Everyone was financially responsible for their own tickets and treats. There was a little booth there, with rolls of little blue tickets.

As soon as the class arrived to the carnival, students went every which way, to ride on the carousel, popping balloons with darts, and testing their strength by swinging a hammer with enough force to make a bell ring.

But there was one attraction that every person was drawn to. The Ferris wheel.

After spending a bit of her money, that’s where Lisa went, excited, but jittery at the thought of being so far above ground. As she was in the line she spotted another girl in her class. She was sitting on a bench near the Ferris wheel watching it turn. In fact, that’s where she had been the whole carnival. She had not played one game!

“Hey Gemma! Aren’t you going to come on the Ferris Wheel?” Lisa called out.

Gemma looked up with surprise clear on her face.

“Oh. No, not today.”

“Did you spend all your tickets already?” Lisa asked. Her mother had been very firm with Lisa about being conscious over how much she spent and what she spent it on.

“No… I, well, I didn’t get any…,” Gemma spoke so quiet Lisa could barely hear it.

“I’m sure if you told Mr Nelson you forgot he would let you call home and get some money.”

Gemma looked away, her face reddening.

“I- no, I don’t think I could.”

That’s when Lisa realized that maybe she didn’t have any money to bring in the first place. That, or perhaps her parents were strict and would not let her, or she was too scared to ask.

The line moved up and it was nearly Lisa’s turn to get on the Ferris Wheel. The carnival was nearly over and their was almost no one in the line behind her. She then looked over to Gemma who was looking at her feet.

“Gemma! Come here!” Lisa called out as the person in front of her passed over their ticket and headed onto the Ferris wheel.

Gemma looked up again, pointed at herself, a silent question, before making her way over to Lisa.

“Hi. Here’s our tickets.” Lisa said to the lady operating the wheel and passed her two tickets. Gemma looked at Lisa with no small amount of surprise.

“C’mon!” Lisa said to Gemma, beckoning her into the Ferris wheel.

Gemma slowly followed Lisa into the seat and they buckled in before the wheel started to turn.

“Why did you use one of your tickets on me?” Gemma asked as they drifted slowly up, more of their town coming into view.

“You seemed to want to. I mean, you did want to, right?”

Gemma laughed a little bit before responding.

“Yes.”

“Well, then I don’t see why I wouldn’t give you a ticket. Everyone should have fun at the carnival.” They both laughed this time.

“Thank you, Lisa,” she said, smiling.

The Ferris wheel went around twice more before it eventually stopped, the last turn of the night. And when they exited the carnival Lisa and Gemma were still talking, maybe having found an unexpected friend because of a small act of kindness, and a small blue ticket.