Twelve year old Corky sat on the faded red bench Indian style along side his life long friend Hank.

Hank's dad built the bench years ago. Corky looked at his buddy and poked Hank in the ribs.

       "Why don't you want to go to the carnival?" asked Corky.

        "I just don't. Stop asking me," answered Hank.

         "If you don't go,  my mom said I can't go."

         "Go with your brother."

          "He's going with some girl," Corky said. "Come-on, go,we'll have fun."

           "Yeah, like last year when those three kids from accross the tracks beat me up," Hank said.

"They took my cotton candy and all my money."

            "Well if you didn't wear those sissy clothes but wore blue jeans, like I did maybe they would

have just passed you by," Corky said.

             "I had to wear that crap. My mom made me."

             "Look man, you're a year older and bigger this year. I'll hang with you the whole time , too, "Corky said.

"I want to go, it'll be fun. Please?"

             "Fun?" asked Hank. "All the rides cost money. You can never win a prize, they're all fixed, plus

all those screaming kids."

              Corky jumped off the bench and walked to the large apple tree.  I need to make him go

with me. He sat back down next to Hank and put his right arm around his shoulders.

               "Hank, have I ever said no to you when you needed something?" Corky asked. "Remember when you

lost your lunch money and I gave you mine? How about when your dog ran away? I stayed out all night looking

for him."

                Hank jumped off the bench, bent down grabbed two apples, and tossed one to Corky. Hank turned away in deep

thought and ate the apple and threw the core into a discarded, rusted pile.

                 "Why is it so important that you go to the carnival?"  Hank asked.

                  Corky rubbed the back of his neck like he always does if he doesn't know the answer to

a  teachers question. Now it's from being nervous. He looked at Hank with a panicked feeling and an embarrassed look

on his face. I have to tell him. It' s the only way.

                     "Okay . . . I . . .  uh . . . oh hell, I promised Betty Jean that I'd take her on the Ferris wheel," Corky said. " I like her alot.

I don't want to disappoint her."

                      Hank stood there, mouth wide open. He didn't know if he should laugh or smack his buddy.

                      "A girl? This is all over a girl?" Hank asked. "Are you nuts? They're nothing but trouble. Look, she's

got you  all confused now."

                       With a sheepish look Corky looked at Hank and said, " Be a good buddy and go with me. I'll only

go on the Ferris wheel  once with her. Then it's just you and me."

                       Hank found another apple, ate it down to the seeds as he thought about what he should do. I do need to sand and paint

the bench before school starts.

                       "Corky, I'll make you a deal."

                       "What kind of deal?"

                        "I need this bench sanded and painted before school starts," Hank said. " You promise to 

get the job done, and  I'll go to the carnival with you."

                          Corky smiled and said, "Thanks, buddy." He promised to paint the bench next week and calmed down before

he said," I have one other request of you now that you're going."

                            "What's that?"

                             "You know Jo Marie, right?" Corky didn't wait for an answer. "She likes you and wants to

ride the Ferris wheel with you. We can all sit in the same seat so it isn't a real date."

                              "Jo Marie has braces and wears pig tails."

                              "She won't have braces forever and pig tails are cute." Corky said.