Coaly’s little heart pounded with anxiety as he pedaled his bicycle down the alley. He hated delivering the newspaper to the Sprankle’s household. Most times, it was a family dog that chased him, barking and grabbing for his pant legs. The Johnson’s bulldog had bitten him twice, but the Sprankle place was worse than that. They had Fanny, the monkey.
Fanny was a refugee from the Wilson’s field carnival. Do you know where that was? Well, Kunzler’s and WTRN now occupy the property, but back in the 30s that empty lot was prime carnival ground.
The Sprankles lived beside the Juniata Packing Company, just across the road from Wilson’s field. The carnival with its sideshow freaks, hootchy-cootchy shows, and hurdy-gurdy monkey man was like a cotton candy magnet to the Sprankle twins, Bobby and Ab, and since it was just across the highway, they didn’t have far to go to satisfy their curiosity.
Twelve-years-old and just about to blossom into puberty, the twins stood with their friend, Coaly, and watched Fifi, the snake charmer, as she swayed her hips like a Hula dancer. The boa constrictor wrapped itself around her; she winked at the boys and they giggled shyly. The hurdy-gurdy man cranked his music and his monkey’s antics made the boys laugh.
Behind them stood old Spuds McCaulley, the dirty hobo who rode the freight trains to and from Pittsburgh. Sometimes Spuds bummed suppers at the Sprankle’s house and told the boys tall tales about riding the rails. Spuds grinned toothlessly as he watched Fifi’s dance.
Suddenly, Coaly screamed, “Git this monkey off’n me!”
The boy danced trying to shake that monkey off his leg. It scurried higher and perched on Coaly’s shoulder. Chattering loudly, it picked through Coaly’s dark, kinky hair as if looking for fleas.
“I hate this monkey,” the boy shouted. “Git it off!”
The twins rolled in the dust with laughter at their friend’s predicament. Finally, Spuds plucked the monkey off of Coaly’s head and set her on the stage. Immediately, she climbed on top of the hurdy-gurdy and chattered.
Fifi placed the snake in its cage and reached her hand out to Spuds; she pulled him onto the stage. The monkey bounced onto Spuds’ shoulder and clung to him for dear life. The boys watched curiously as Fifi, Spuds, the monkey and the hurdy-gurdy man disappeared inside the tent.
“Aw heck,” Bobby said. “The show’s over. Let’s got get some candy apples.”
“Oh, I hate monkeys,” shivered Coaly.
“Bet that monkey thought you was his mama,” teased Ab. Coaly shoved Ab, he stumbled into Bobby; they all laughed and made their way through the crowd toward the candy apple stand.
Several weeks later, Spuds showed up at the Sprankle’s door. Mrs. Sprankle invited him inside to join the family for supper. This time Spuds brought a friend - a hairy, long-tailed, big-eyed friend named Fanny. She curled between the twins and settled in like a long, lost relative.
“Well, lookee there,” Spuds said. “I believe that monkey likes you boys. You know, jumping freight trains is not much of a life for a man, let alone a man with a monkey. Would you boys like to keep Fanny?”
“Can we, mama,” they pleaded. “Please.”
Sara Sprankle never could resist the innocent doe-eyes of her tow-headed twin boys and the monkey joined their family.
So every evening, just as the paperboy pedaled down the alley, the twins and Fanny patiently waited behind the hedge. They heard the crunch of the bicycle tires on the gravel growing louder and they knew that Coaly was getting closer. Closer. Closer.
Suddenly, Fanny leaped right on Coaly’s head. He screamed. The bike wobbled. Newspapers flew in the air. Fanny hung on to the boy’s ears and rode him all the way into the ditch. Jungle cries filled the neighborhood.
“Git this monkey off’n me,” shouted Coaly.
Bobby and Ab came to their friend’s rescue, laughing all the way.
“I hate that monkey!”
Fanny jumped on Bobby and curled her tail around his neck. She howled as if still in the jungle.
“We think Fanny loves you, Coaly!”
Thus began the long-time friendship between the twins and the monkey and the daily torment of the poor paperboy. Did this torture ever deter Coaly? Never. He remained a true friend to the Sprankles until just a few years ago when his time here on earth was finished. Betcha Fanny was a’waitin’ behind a hedge of clouds to welcome Coaly.
Fanny was a refugee from the Wilson’s field carnival. Do you know where that was? Well, Kunzler’s and WTRN now occupy the property, but back in the 30s that empty lot was prime carnival ground.
The Sprankles lived beside the Juniata Packing Company, just across the road from Wilson’s field. The carnival with its sideshow freaks, hootchy-cootchy shows, and hurdy-gurdy monkey man was like a cotton candy magnet to the Sprankle twins, Bobby and Ab, and since it was just across the highway, they didn’t have far to go to satisfy their curiosity.
Twelve-years-old and just about to blossom into puberty, the twins stood with their friend, Coaly, and watched Fifi, the snake charmer, as she swayed her hips like a Hula dancer. The boa constrictor wrapped itself around her; she winked at the boys and they giggled shyly. The hurdy-gurdy man cranked his music and his monkey’s antics made the boys laugh.
Behind them stood old Spuds McCaulley, the dirty hobo who rode the freight trains to and from Pittsburgh. Sometimes Spuds bummed suppers at the Sprankle’s house and told the boys tall tales about riding the rails. Spuds grinned toothlessly as he watched Fifi’s dance.
Suddenly, Coaly screamed, “Git this monkey off’n me!”
The boy danced trying to shake that monkey off his leg. It scurried higher and perched on Coaly’s shoulder. Chattering loudly, it picked through Coaly’s dark, kinky hair as if looking for fleas.
“I hate this monkey,” the boy shouted. “Git it off!”
The twins rolled in the dust with laughter at their friend’s predicament. Finally, Spuds plucked the monkey off of Coaly’s head and set her on the stage. Immediately, she climbed on top of the hurdy-gurdy and chattered.
Fifi placed the snake in its cage and reached her hand out to Spuds; she pulled him onto the stage. The monkey bounced onto Spuds’ shoulder and clung to him for dear life. The boys watched curiously as Fifi, Spuds, the monkey and the hurdy-gurdy man disappeared inside the tent.
“Aw heck,” Bobby said. “The show’s over. Let’s got get some candy apples.”
“Oh, I hate monkeys,” shivered Coaly.
“Bet that monkey thought you was his mama,” teased Ab. Coaly shoved Ab, he stumbled into Bobby; they all laughed and made their way through the crowd toward the candy apple stand.
Several weeks later, Spuds showed up at the Sprankle’s door. Mrs. Sprankle invited him inside to join the family for supper. This time Spuds brought a friend - a hairy, long-tailed, big-eyed friend named Fanny. She curled between the twins and settled in like a long, lost relative.
“Well, lookee there,” Spuds said. “I believe that monkey likes you boys. You know, jumping freight trains is not much of a life for a man, let alone a man with a monkey. Would you boys like to keep Fanny?”
“Can we, mama,” they pleaded. “Please.”
Sara Sprankle never could resist the innocent doe-eyes of her tow-headed twin boys and the monkey joined their family.
So every evening, just as the paperboy pedaled down the alley, the twins and Fanny patiently waited behind the hedge. They heard the crunch of the bicycle tires on the gravel growing louder and they knew that Coaly was getting closer. Closer. Closer.
Suddenly, Fanny leaped right on Coaly’s head. He screamed. The bike wobbled. Newspapers flew in the air. Fanny hung on to the boy’s ears and rode him all the way into the ditch. Jungle cries filled the neighborhood.
“Git this monkey off’n me,” shouted Coaly.
Bobby and Ab came to their friend’s rescue, laughing all the way.
“I hate that monkey!”
Fanny jumped on Bobby and curled her tail around his neck. She howled as if still in the jungle.
“We think Fanny loves you, Coaly!”
Thus began the long-time friendship between the twins and the monkey and the daily torment of the poor paperboy. Did this torture ever deter Coaly? Never. He remained a true friend to the Sprankles until just a few years ago when his time here on earth was finished. Betcha Fanny was a’waitin’ behind a hedge of clouds to welcome Coaly.
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