Every night there had to be one cowboy, Ember thought. He tossed another handful of sawdust over the sick on the ride’s floor. Days like this made Ember wish he was on one of the classier rides like Pegasus’ Flight. Ember remembered a guy proposed to his high school sweetheart twenty years after high school on Pegasus’s Flight. Gilded winged animals and crying babies, nothing bad ever happens on a carousel.

No tonight Ember got stuck with the King’s Crown, a whirling disk where the locals are strapped in. Basically a Crazy Teacups ride for stupid adults and somebody always has to puke. Ember lit a Black and Mild while sweeping. Marlo had the flu and Gene showed up drunk so the Crown went to him.

The amusement side of the carnival was going to bed. Butchers were still selling bags of popcorn and franks. Clerks were wiping down counters while jointies were trying to separate the last night dollars from the mooches on shady games of chance. A girlish cheer sounded. Ember watched some palooka win a big pink teddy bear for his lady.

The night was for young love and kids who still got a kick out of staying out late. Ember collected trash. There were two good things about the King’s Crown. The fan worked in its doghouse so when Ember was operating the ride he wasn’t melting his balls off. And the dust was off the chain.

Locals lost stuff. Maybe because they have too much. Maybe the glamour of carnival carries them away. Just standing still the gold falls from the locals’ pockets. But on spin rides the dust, the losses, added up to a sweet roll. Between half-hearted sweeps on the Crown’s red and gold floor, Ember picked up lots of coins. An unopened pack of gum, sunglasses, a couple of vapes, crumpled bills including a Jackson, all a decent haul for a ride jockey.

Hollow gold earrings, a packet of condoms, and a pearl pen knife engraved Waco, TX, each slipped into Ember’s pockets. There is a Photo Booth photo, two girls and a guy. Ember could tell one girl liked the guy but the guy was more interested in the other. A pink bandanna that smelled of vanilla. Ember imagined freed curls falling over one eye. He tucked the bandanna into his back pocket. That’s when he saw it. Jackpot!

The silvery glimmer sparkled from aged wooded floor. It was a heart pendant, swirly, on a chain. Ember hoped it was platinum. But his pawn store dreams evaporated when he had it closer. It was sterling silver. Ember could tell it was the kind of gift you get for your first girlfriend, when you are unsure and romantic. Or maybe a kid gets for mommy where you save up your allowance.

Ember held the necklace up to the night. He saw a mother’s day with undercooked toast and lunch at Olive Garden and a white cardboard box and supermarket flowers and joy. The clasp was broken.

“Oh my God you found it.”

Dropping his hand, Ember looked over his shoulder. Woman, in her forties, maybe fifties, dressed cute date at the carnival looked up at Ember. A palooka, probably her husband, was nearby giving Ember the hard stare with Showman Jim.

“Yeah, Ember this lady here lost her kid’s necklace. Real sentimental like,” Jim said. “I said things like that I dunno. I mean we can look but you never know. Right you never know. All lost stuff goes to lost and found. ”

Ember waved the necklace at Jim to shut him up. He walked towards the mommy. Her eyes were shiny. Thanking Ember over and over, she held her hands up like a child. Necklace in hand, the lady put her hand over her chest. She started to cry. Ember watched her story cross her face.

“You’ll need to repair the chain, ma’am.”

The palooka with her shook Ember’s hand, slipping cash against Ember’s palm.

“Thanks,” the palooka said before heading off with his old lady.

Showman Jim escorted them away. Ember listened to his boss’ prattle fade off. Ember put his reward in his pocket. He was ready to call it a night.