Skip to main content

I Went to Disney World

“Well,” my grandmother asked,  “are you excited?”

I had no idea what she meant by this statement.  Nothing particularly exciting had happened in my life recently.  It was just the usual routine of a high school sophomore.  I could not think of any other answer but,

“About what,” I asked, hoping for some small clue about what she meant.

“About Disney!  We’re going to Disney,” my grandmother responded, with notable excitement in her voice.

To say that my grandparents loved Disney World is an understatement.  Over the years, they had made several trips to the Florida theme parks.  At the time of our conversation, they probably had been at least a half dozen times.  I just figured this was my grandmother’s roundabout way of announcing their next trip.

“Oh…fun…” I said, still a bit confused.

“Well, aren’t you excited about it?”  Her voice was a mix of anticipation and slight impatience.

This cryptic back and forth could go on for a long time, so I responded the only way I could.

“Sure…  You guys love going to Disney,” I offered.  “You always have fun.”

The next words my grandmother spoke shocked me.

“Well, you’re going to have fun, too” she assured me, “We’re taking you and your brothers!”

Since the first of their many trips to Disney World, my grandparents had been trying to convince the rest of the family to go, as well.  Apparently realizing that none of us had any plans to do that, they decided to take their grandchildren.  First, they would take my cousins who lived near them in Tennessee.  Then, the next year, they would take my brothers and me.  That would be followed one year later by a trip for my two youngest cousins.

For a moment, I said nothing.  But, had my grandmother been able to see the look on my face upon hearing those words, she would know I was giddy.

Once the initial shock subsided, I again responded the only way I could.

“Seriously?”  It was short but appropriate, I thought.

The way my grandmother answered “Well … yes,” made me realize that she truly thought I already knew about the trip.  Then, she ended the conversation where it began,

“Are you excited?”

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Only In Seattle

    It was a slow afternoon at the tiny Seattle coffee shop.  As I opened the door, a group of three school-aged boys ran in front of me.  Each of the boys was lugging an overloaded backpack with them.  They obviously had just left the private school a couple of blocks down the street.  As I perused the menu, the three boys placed their orders, all the while joking with one another.  The first two each requested a pastry and a glass of water.  The third boy studied the menu a bit longer before deciding.        “Umm. . . I’d like a tall espresso, double shot, please.”          The cashier giggled a bit, thinking that her young customer was just repeating something he had heard adults order. After a few seconds, she jokingly said to him, “Alright. . . whatever.”        Noticing that the boy seemed serious, she looked puzzled.  Then, sh...
Post a Comment
Read more

Catch A Cab

We had been walking for about forty-five minutes, making our way from Manhattan’s South Street Seaport to the Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street. When we were within fifteen blocks of our destination, some of my companions decided that we should complete our journey by cab. Despite my attempts to convince them to keep walking, they were insistent. The trip that ensued was a true New York experience. After a few minutes of trying, one of my companions was able to hail a cab. However, we wanted to go north. The cab that stopped was going south. It did not seem to matter, though, as my companions still got in the cab. One person sat in the front while I slipped into the backseat, between the other two. Hardly before the doors could close, the driver had fought his way into Manhattan traffic. Without warning, he took a sharp right turn onto a side street and began to head north, steadily increasing his speed. Within seconds, the cab was weaving a...
1 comment
Read more

Time Enough For Courtesy

       Life is short, but there is always time enough for courtesy.                                                   ~   Ralph Waldo Emerson Emerson wrote these words in the nineteenth century, more than 130 years ago.  It was well before the time of e-mail and texts and instant messages.  At that time, even the telephone was still something of a curiosity.  Yet, when I came across this quote recently, I was struck by how it is as relevant today as it was during Emerson’s lifetime. Thanks to technology, people all over the world can communicate with one another.  All it takes is a few seconds.  Technology has totally revolutionized the way business is done and the way our lives are lived....
Post a Comment
Read more