Mark Forrester

Outcomes

They had never heard the expression “to grab the brass ring.” They assumed the ring game was unique to the small, run-down amusement park they visited as children – a fanciful embellishment for its dilapidated carousel. Years later, comparing memories, my daughters discovered that one of them had misunderstood the purpose of the game.

My older daughter knew the goal was to find the bright, gold-colored ring: throw that in the basket and you earned a free ride on the merry-go-round.

My younger daughter was just as convinced the purpose had nothing to do with the color of the ring you grabbed, but with the simple pleasure of tossing one in the basket each trip around.

the old bridge
a pine tree grows
on its abutment