Goin' Down for Real

“We’re going to Disney World!”

Where have you heard that before?!? Usually it’s because someone is very happy because something spectacular has happened to them!

Well, just GOING to Disney World is pretty spectacular to me!

I have a wonderful travel-buddy. She says, “You pick when we are going, you drive, you pick where we are gonna stay, you pick where we’ll eat.” Can’t get any better than that. Easy traveling with my ¨bestie¨.  She just doesn’t care. And travel we did! Whenever we could get a little time, we headed out of town... to Disney World; once we went seven times in one year! We never tired of it!

This one particular trip to Florida, we met up with our two sons and a couple of their friends. Now, I don’t ride all the roller coasters or the “death drop” rides. Don’t really like them. Never did! We all decided to go on the “The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror".”

Or so they thought...

For those of you unfamiliar with this ride—you get strapped into a seat in an “elevator” with a group of people, doors close, you sit and wait to be dropped (and scared to death)! Thirteen stories high!

Now, why would any sane person do or even want to do this???

And, it happens not once...

Not twice...

Not thrice...

But, numerous times!

And... we actually PAY for this!

We had our sons believing that we were gonna ride “this monster” but in reality, we were gonna go through the line, get all the way to the ride entrance... and take an alternate way out—through an “exit” elevator.

Good idea, right?

We were waiting forever in the line just to convince them that we were very serious about riding “The Tower.” Those lines can be 1 or 2 hours long and sometimes even longer. Well... we got all the way through the line... and, there (you could almost touch it) was the entrance to this “death drop”.

Almost there... Almost...

Then the ride attendant walked up to us and he said, “We have these ladies here (real cute teenagers, skimpy outfits, very buxom, giggly... you get the picture) who have been separated from their parents and they are trying to get to the front of the line to make sure they can ride the ride with them!”

“Do we look stupid?” I thought. But, being the kind Charleston people we are... “Sure, go on through.”

So, our wait becomes LONGER.

We watched this guy escort these “ladies” to the front of the line. Guess what? That’s right, folks... No parents! Does that surprise you?

So, my friend and I thought, “How can we get back at this guy?” “Well,” I said, “when we get in the ‘alternate elevator’ ride exit, I’m gonna scream like I’m riding the real ‘death drop.’” She agreed.

Our turn came and yes, our sons were disappointed that we didn’t ride with them but they understood. This “Donovan” opened the “alternate elevator exit” doors and we proceeded, with others, into the elevator.

Doors closed.

We all exchanged pleasantries. And, then the elevator button was pushed. As soon as the button was pressed, and the elevator started the descent, we both grabbed hold of the rails like we were falling and I let out a blood-curdling scream—not a wimpy scream... I mean a loud, resounding scream—remember we are all in a tiny elevator.

The scream lasted all the way down—till the elevator stopped.

As I watched Donovan, he also had grabbed the rails—like HE was falling.

Remember the old-fashioned cartoons where the cat is flat up against the wall and its hair is standing up all around its head?!

DONOVAN! Yep, that was Donovan!

He had no idea what had just happened. Doors opened, we let go of the rails, we exited—first—and behind his white face and “bug” eyes, he starred at us all the way out and never said a word.

I can still see him standing there wondering what had just happened. And, the other people in the elevator—they may still BE in that elevator.

As we strolled out through the gift shop and around the corner, we burst out laughing. I´m sure Donovan had no idea why that had just happened, but the look on his face was satisfying for us.

Petty maybe, but it gave us such satisfaction knowing that we had gotten our revenge on this “dude” who was sure that he had pulled one over on us.

Honey – he met his match that day!!!

~ Jeannie Joyner