BJ Not BK

 What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up Like a raisin in the Sunsphere?
 

25 years ago my heart was filled with excitement and my dreams were crushed.  All on the same day.
 

 It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.  It was the age of enlightenment, it was the age of darkness.  It was a time for the haves and the have nots.  Those with dooley boppers, those without.  The year was 1982 and the World’s Fair was in Knoxville.
 

I was in the fourth grade and my only visit to the Fair was on a field trip with my classmates.  We were informed early and often by our teachers what a great event the Fair was, what it meant to attend a World’s Fair, and how we were to stay close to our chaperon.  We made flame name badges [link], we were assigned to groups, and we counted down the days with great anticipation.
 

I remember the bus ride to the fair, crossing the Henley street bridge, and seeing the Sunsphere for the first time [link].  I remember seeing the flags of the different countries and all the people….lots and lots of people.
 

My goals for the fair were simple and straightforward.  I wanted to see the exhibits of China, Japan, and Egypt, I had recently seen Raiders of the Lost Arc and my mind was consumed with being a Archaeologist.  I wanted to wade in the reflecting pool, ride the Ferris wheel, and go to the top of the Sunsphere.
 

I did many things that hot day as we toured the World’s Fair site.  I ate a funnel cake.  I bought souvenirs, a bronze, Sunsphere pencil sharpener replica, a pennant, and a pair of sunglasses. 
 

The lines to the exhibits were long and the lines to the exhibits of China, Japan, and Egypt were the longest of all exhibits.  The lines to the Ferris wheel and the Sunsphere were even longer and we were forbidden by our chaperon to wade in the reflecting pool.
 

That day was the one and only time I visited the 1982 World’s Fair.  I left that day happy at having seen some of the world come to Knoxville, happy to have experienced the thrill and excitement of the Fair, happy to have my bag of souvenirs, yet my stomach was not so happy after eating the funnel cake and the fact that I was unable to achieve any of my goals left me a little deflated.  I looked back at the Sunsphere through the window of the bus as we drove away, saddened that I was not able to go to the top.
 

At least one of those wrongs were made right this Saturday as the city of Knoxville re-opened the Sunsphere to the public.  I was so excited as we parked the car and made our way over to the base of the structure.  On the outside I was calm, cool, and collected yet on the inside I was a fourth grader unable to wait to get to the top.
 

We stepped onto the elevator and within minutes we were on the observation deck with a 360 degree view of the park as well as the city.  You can view some of our pics here [link].  I didn’t find any funnel cake stands and we didn’t wade in the reflecting pool but I did have a sense of completion about me.  With all the pomp of a president landing on an aircraft carrier we departed, mission accomplished.
 

Now if I could just get the city to reconstruct the exhibits of China, Japan, and Egypt and erect the giant Ferris wheel my life would be complete.