Wildlights...and tears
Well, I managed to drag Kevin out of the house yesterday for some Family Fun. He got to pick the restaurant. We had fried fish and beer! Big surprise.
Anyway, we went to the Metro Zoo to see the Wildlights display. It was really, really pretty. I haven't been to said zoo in about 20 years, by the way--it's not really my bag--but I enjoyed myself last night. We saw the baby elephant, we saw the stingrays being fed, we saw manatees eating floating salad literally 3 inches in front of our faces.
After walking for nearly two hours, we turned for home and came across the Grand Carousel. It's quite lovely and Stevie, of course, wanted to ride. Kevin went outside and Stevie and I were near the back of the line, waiting our turn, our anticipation levels rising with each smiling face twirling past.
Almost time to get on, and Stevie is stripping away his heavy winter gear at a feverish pace, unhooking and unzipping with abandon, with his eyes firmly locked on the Prize. As we walked to the gate, I noticed that people were handing the controller a coin. "Oh, crap," I thought, as we approached ever closer, and I rummaged through my many pockets looking for a bit of silver. Kevin has the money . . . and he's outside!!!
About this time, Stevie turns and starts walking--quickly walking--the other way! Away from the gate! I called after him in vain. When I finally caught up to him, everyone in line behind us was now in front of us and mounting their steeds. Stevie said, "I couldn't find you" even though I hadn't been more than 2 feet from him in the last 10 minutes. Anyway, we make it up to the gate, only to hear that it costs $1.00 per rider. (The sign is very, very easy to miss.) Kevin had entered by that point, but had no money as he had given it to me the day before and it was now residing in the glove compartment. We told Stevie that we had no money and couldn't ride, hoping the gatekeeper's heart would grow three sizes and that he would wink and let Stevie through. The young taskmaster at the gate showed no emotion as he closed the gate--CLICK!--right in my kid's face. Stevie turned away, stopped, and started bawling. Crushed.
I'm serious--he was crushed. It was awful. I damn near lifted him over the gate and told him to "run for it, kid!" but I didn't.
Needless to say, consoling a kid who just got stone cold rejected (through no fault of his own), close to bedtime, after he had just walked for two hours and worked up a 10-minute, carousel-ridin' adrenaline rush is not easy. But the next time we go to the zoo (which might be as soon as this weekend), he's riding that golly-darned carousel--TWICE.
Anyway, we went to the Metro Zoo to see the Wildlights display. It was really, really pretty. I haven't been to said zoo in about 20 years, by the way--it's not really my bag--but I enjoyed myself last night. We saw the baby elephant, we saw the stingrays being fed, we saw manatees eating floating salad literally 3 inches in front of our faces.
After walking for nearly two hours, we turned for home and came across the Grand Carousel. It's quite lovely and Stevie, of course, wanted to ride. Kevin went outside and Stevie and I were near the back of the line, waiting our turn, our anticipation levels rising with each smiling face twirling past.
Almost time to get on, and Stevie is stripping away his heavy winter gear at a feverish pace, unhooking and unzipping with abandon, with his eyes firmly locked on the Prize. As we walked to the gate, I noticed that people were handing the controller a coin. "Oh, crap," I thought, as we approached ever closer, and I rummaged through my many pockets looking for a bit of silver. Kevin has the money . . . and he's outside!!!
About this time, Stevie turns and starts walking--quickly walking--the other way! Away from the gate! I called after him in vain. When I finally caught up to him, everyone in line behind us was now in front of us and mounting their steeds. Stevie said, "I couldn't find you" even though I hadn't been more than 2 feet from him in the last 10 minutes. Anyway, we make it up to the gate, only to hear that it costs $1.00 per rider. (The sign is very, very easy to miss.) Kevin had entered by that point, but had no money as he had given it to me the day before and it was now residing in the glove compartment. We told Stevie that we had no money and couldn't ride, hoping the gatekeeper's heart would grow three sizes and that he would wink and let Stevie through. The young taskmaster at the gate showed no emotion as he closed the gate--CLICK!--right in my kid's face. Stevie turned away, stopped, and started bawling. Crushed.
I'm serious--he was crushed. It was awful. I damn near lifted him over the gate and told him to "run for it, kid!" but I didn't.
Needless to say, consoling a kid who just got stone cold rejected (through no fault of his own), close to bedtime, after he had just walked for two hours and worked up a 10-minute, carousel-ridin' adrenaline rush is not easy. But the next time we go to the zoo (which might be as soon as this weekend), he's riding that golly-darned carousel--TWICE.
posted by lulu | 7:06 AM
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