So Much For Disneyland

In 1998, my Aunt Annette passed away at the age of 77 after suffering a stroke. As my father’s older sister, Aunt Annette was the third eldest in the line of five children born to my paternal grandparents.

In her will, Aunt Annette left the bulk of her large estate to various charities supporting women’s rights and higher education scholarships. A good amount was parceled out to six of her nieces and nephews — from which I received a $5,000 inheritance.

I put the bulk of that money toward repairing the roof of our house, which was leaking profusely the past year. Damage from the rain caused me to set out empty coffee cans against the windows to collect rainwater that was spilling into the house. It was time to get this business over with.

Along with the new roof, we rehabbed the enclosed porch, turning it from a shabby mess into a cozy family room for watching television and storing our daughter’s toys.

Taking my daughter along, we shopped at Montgomery Ward and purchased a new recliner loveseat and braided rug, thus completing the room. Finally, we had a cozy space where we could watch TV, my daughter could paint on her art easel, while we gazed through new windows to watch the squirrels as they gathered dry leaves for their nests.

With our new roof and den complete, I felt it was time to treat myself to a small vacation. I phoned my brother, who lives in Southern California, and informed him my daughter and I were coming for a visit.

California, Here We Come!

The evening before our flight, I awoke from a deep sleep. My body was first hot, then cold, as I felt the beginning of a fever coming in. Shivering from the chills, I pulled the blankets forward to cover my face.

“Why now” I groaned, realizing what was happening. A fever was taking over — right when I was heading out for a well-deserved break.

Still, I grabbed our luggage the next morning, called Flash Cab and ordered a taxi. My daughter and I were off — from Midway to LAX – to visit her uncle.

On the plane, I hunkered down, again covering myself with my jacket. Luckily, my daughter kept herself amused with one of her workbooks, as she drew pictures and letters on its pages. She was turning five the next month and looking forward to attending full-day kindergarten in the Fall.

A full day of school was exactly what she needed at that age — it would soak up her energy and provide her with playmates her own age.

My brother met us at the gate at LAX. Fortunately for me, he was in between jobs and therefore able to serve as our personal tour guide AND driver. This was a huge blessing, since I could sit back and relax without worrying about navigating through unknown territory.

When you have a 4-year-old, it’s expected to take them to Disney Land. In fact, I had several co-workers who insisted that taking my kid to Disney was a requirement. They teased me in the office, as I didn’t understand the need for such a visit. Why, these folks even set up separate bank accounts just to save funds for the compulsory vacation to the Magic Kingdom.

Since we were close to Anaheim, California — and my brother promised to drive – I relented and accepted the fact that we’d spend the day with Disney and the gang. I crossed my fingers and wished myself well and free of any lingering fever that I first felt a few days earlier.

The Best Laid Plans…

We arrived at the parking lot of the amusement park, where I promptly got sick. Right there on the hot California asphalt.

“You know, we don’t have to do this today,” my brother encouraged me.

Still, I assured him I’d be alright and the three of us set off for a splendid day at the Magic Kingdom.

“You’re not getting into this teacup ride with us,” my brother warned, as we approached the entrance to Disney’s classic ride.

He motioned for me to wait on the sidelines, where I could watch the two of them as they went ahead without me. I didn’t have much say in the matter, so I followed his instructions.

Sitting in a giant pastel-colored teacup, they spun round and round, laughing between themselves. I took pictures on the side, minding my Ps and Qs and willing myself not to get sick again.

Next stop, we waited in line for 45 minutes to take a safari ride. Once on the boat, my daughter was less than content since by then we were worn out from standing in the high temperatures. Slowly, the afternoon was becoming less fun.

Snapping pictures of the safari creatures, I quickly realized I was making a great effort to take pictures of plastic animals. “What am I doing here?” I asked myself. Why was I creating a stir out of molded synthetic critters, set out to make me believe I was on a real-life journey to the wild jungle? With that awkward thought, I returned my camera to my backpack.

The end of our Disney adventure was coming to an end. The three of us headed toward the main entrance, trudging along with exhaustion and burnout from a long day at the park.

That’s when it happened — my four-year-old tripped on the brick walkway, directly in front of Disney’s landscaped entrance, with its WELCOME sign spelled out in a rainbow of vibrantly colored flowers and grass. Right there at the so-called Happiest Place on Earth.

My daughter was tired.

She cried.

And then she screamed so everyone could hear…

I DIDN’T WANT TO COME HERE TODAAAYYYYY!!!

By now, other guests were watching us with sympathy. I had no more patience myself. I was sick with a fever. Out of money. And I just wanted to get back to my brother’s apartment. Grabbing her hand, we scooted out of there quickly.

“C’mon. Let’s go!” I ordered to my sobbing preschooler. We marched toward the car in the vast parking lot. She was still grumbling and I was more than ornery.

Now, you might say I wasn’t in line to win the title of Best Parent Of The Year. Especially since I was never the kind who socked away money to throw down at a theme park. I simply didn’t understand the overblown hype over such an excursion.

You’re probably correct in your attitude about me. But to me, there was one silver lining to this unfortunate episode. Because I figured I’d fulfilled my parental duty. And never again did I need to return to the Happiest Place On Earth.

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All kidding aside — we really did have a MARVELOUS day! Here are pictures to prove it. Here’s hoping my Aunt Annette would have approved.

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Thank you for reading – PIZZA FOR BREAKFAST