Day Nine: The Tea Cups (Oh no! Oh, please no!)

Yes, it happened. Despite my hoping that it wouldn’t, it has happened. I got the tea cups. Despite how much I hate the tea cups, I went over to learn how they work. Sara was there with two other workers, and she explained the height stick and how the ride operated, then they were gone. I can remember my first ride very clearly. The ride was almost full--except for one tea cup. I ran the ride, and about half way through, one of the girls leaned forward into the cup, positioned so she wasn’t sitting up. I yelled for her to sit up, but she didn’t move. I was confused. But that’s when the parents started murmuring in worry.

“I think she’s out.” One said. Oh great! I quickly hit the stop button and the girl’s father came running it. The girl had passed out. But once she was off the ride, she was fine. Of course that would happen to me. I didn’t want this ride for many reasons, and kids getting over dizzy was one of them. The second ride was just as memorable. Four of the tea cups were full this time, two with littler kids. I always worried when littler kids rode because I think they are more prone to throwing up than older kids. But the ride started and the little boy was laughing with joy, a big smile on his face.

I kept watching him smile, but slowly, the smile began to fade from his chubby face. It was what happened next that scared me. The boy had his arms half way raised, and his eyes began to roll back into his head a little, and then he started to shake. The parents along side the gate began to yell at each other that something was wrong. I knew something wasn’t right, so once again, I stopped the ride. The mother came running in and grabbed him, and once again, once he was off, he was fine. Few! These kids are gonna kill me! That was pretty much all the serious incidents of the day. Today was a crappy day to come to the park, after a little while, it began to rain, then rain harder. I got soaked.

Despite the pouring rain, kids still wanted to ride the tea cups. One girl got her younger sister so dizzy that she could obviously not see, and almost tripped out of the cup. I had to carry her to the gate because I was afraid she’d hurt herself. I actually found this pretty funny. Despite how dizzy she felt, and probably a little nauseous, she was still giggling. I was talking in a British accent again today, just to keep things entertaining as I stood in the pouring rain as no one rode. I had a grandmother and her granddaughter come over to ride the cups. I didn’t realize at first, but the grandmother had an accent as well. Kind of surprised I had actually met someone with an accent, I continued to use my accent as planned. I don’t think she noticed. She probably thought it normal and ignored it, but it was still fun to have a conversation with her.

At one point, as one girl was riding, Sara came by. The girl’s mother said something, which got Sara to say “Oh, we’re closing at 3:30.” I was so happy! Hallelujah! I asked her what time it was, and it was 3:20 already. Yes! Only ten more minutes of standing in the rain. I was so relieved (and wet). The girl’s mother wasn’t happy though. Sara apologized and went off. She continued to complain to me about how she spent a hundred dollars to get in and have only been there for two hours. I politely told her to talk to someone at the front gate when they were leaving. I was sure they weren’t the only ones who were angry by the action. As I was leaving, there were, indeed, many people complaining. The people at the front gate were giving out a number to everyone who asked that apparently would get them a rainy day pass. People were angry, but as Sara had said when she was shutting my ride off, the guests can go around, and stay dry, and change their clothes, and sit inside. We couldn’t. We have to stand out there regardless of the weather. And since it wasn’t supposed to clear up at all, they thought it was best to close the park.

My day in a nutshell isn’t really anything since I barely said anything to anyone. I was a bit grumpy (from being wet and cold), so my day in a nutshell was standing in the cold rain. Great.

Day Eight: The Crazy Bus ( The rather depressing return)

Despite the feeling that a pitch black rain cloud was flying over my head and following me everywhere I went, all because of issues at the stable I go to, I went to work--very upset and so not in the mood for it. I was told I was on the crazy bus--as you can see from the title--and the first though I had was: “I got the damn bus again.” I was not happy like I usually am when I get a ride I already know how to run. I am sick of the bus--same thing, same controls, same section of the park. Boring! On my way over, I heard the intro to one of my favorite songs--Cowgirls Don’t Cry by Brooks & Dunn--come on the radio near the docking area. I walked by as slowly as I could so I could hear as much of it as I could. Just hearing it at work lightened the rain cloud over my head ever so slightly. I got over to the ride, put the key in the ignition, turned the alarm off and did my test run.

The day was just like any other, kids rode, kids got off, parents complained, and parents were nice. I knew the day would be the same as the previous ones on the bus, so to relieve my boredom, I thought it would be funny to talk in a British accent all day. British accents are my specialty when it comes to accents, I can do it very convincingly. I had it all planned out. If anyone were to ask where I was from, I would tell them I was born in London, then my family moved to the states when I was young, so I don’t remember it much. All day, people would say “What?” when they couldn’t understand me every time. I thought it quite comical when people couldn’t understand me, and even more so that a British accent in general isn’t that hard to understand. After my second break around seven pm, I gave up the British bit and talked normally.

There was one woman in particular that just flat out pissed me off. And usually, people could get me a little mad, but this woman really bugged me. Her three kids ran onto the ride and were on the platform by the time I could turn to see what all the noise was about. They got into one of the seats, I put the bar down and locked the door. Just as I was going to go through to make sure every bar was down and all the doors were locked, the one girl decided she didn’t want to ride anymore. She stood up on the seat, and continually told me she didn’t want to ride. I was headed back to release the retrain bars when she started climbing over the seat. I yelled at her to stop but she kept going. When she was done, I sternly told her not to climb over the seats. She smiled. She began to get off the ride when the other girl decided she didn’t want to ride either. I sternly told her not to climb over anything. I was walking over to release the bar when the girls’ mom or grandma (I really don’t know) yelled at me for yelling at the girl for not listening to me. She was like “Don’t you talk to her like that! Don’t you talk to her like that!” I secretly went and rolled my eyes and went back to work. If kids disobey the rules of the ride, I am going to make sure they know. Jeez lady, chill out. It wasn’t like I was screaming at them! She just really got to me, but I tried to not let it. Other than a few mishaps, my day wasn’t bad. As for my black cloud, I decided to be optimistic about the barn situation and forced the cloud off to the next victim.

My day in a nutshell: “Do NOT climb over the gates!”

Day Seven: The Magic Ring (the unfortunate reawakening)

I hate that stupid ride. It’s disgusting, dirty, stupid, and downright boring. I don’t understand why kids want to ride it so badly! Firstly, when I got to work it was pouring buckets--Marty seems to be a very greedy man if he kept the park open when it was raining so badly. For the first hour or so, no one was even there! It was terrible! Not to mention the thunder and lightning. But, some people started showing up even though it was raining. My feet were soaked by five minutes of work. Eventually, after my first break, (which was like 3 hours in) I came outside and the sun was shining. No way of going home early now.

The sun came out, the sky was blue with beautiful white poofy clouds. I was a little worried about the sun, but when no one was riding I would go into the shadows of the ride to avoid sunburn. Then the wind picked up, and it felt marvelous! I kept checking the time--I always have to know the time--and I would try to do it inconspicuously. The day was normal, I talked to parents when their kids were riding, I stood there, in still soaking wet shoes, running the ride and what not. There was no one riding my ride, so I was just standing there, leaning actually, on a ride. Then one of the supervisors--I learned his name was Eric--talked to the one girl on a ride near me. I noticed she pointed in my direction. Eric came walking over, came through the gate and stopped right next to me. What he said next shocked me. “You can go home.” I had him repeat it three times before I got it. I was so happy at first, and gladly took the offer. I went to wardrobe, called my dad, turned and signed my shirt in, clocked out and waited for my ride. As I waited I thought about how the girl pointed to me, then Eric came over and told me I could go home. It was oddly suspicious. Had I gotten caught with my phone and this was my punishment? I wasn’t texting! I was checking the time! I saw the train was shut down as well, but I couldn’t be positive they were sending people home. After wondering if leaving was a punishment, I got over and just enjoyed the rest of my evening.

My day in a nutshell: “Why is the fricken park still open?!”

Day Six:The Crazy Bus (new and refreshed...not really)

So, once again I was assigned the Crazy Bus. I arrived to work late,--trying to leave the house a little late, then kept forgetting things and really ended up being late.--got my shirt, swiped my card got the keys to the crazy bus, and I was off. I’m not positive what happened but after a little while, my stomach started to hurt, then my head, and I couldn’t stand up, and I couldn’t concentrate on my work. I planned on saying something to one of my supervisors when they came by, but nothing. I continued on--more like dragged on--with my work, trying to be perky, but failing miserably.

When letting some kids on, Heather--one of my supervisors--asked if I was okay. I responded with telling her no and that I felt sick. She asked if I wanted to go home, and I took the offer. I felt terrible. I don’t know if it was from lack of a large breakfast or screaming children, or watching that bus go around, and around, and around. I went home, head hurting and stomach being all achy, and took a shower. The shower helped I suppose. But then I made some ramen noodles. I don’t understand the feeling. I didn’t feel full,--ramen noodles usually fill me right up-- so I must not have been hungry, but I didn’t throw it back up. I have no idea. I just felt really blah, but with all the issues I’ve been having the past week, blah is my normal state. I had a breakdown when my Dad got home about work.

To most people, working at an amusement park seems like easy money. I mean, you stand there and push a button all day. How easy is that! The main problem I think I’m having with it is this: First, the first job I had was a paper route which consisted of delivering papers every Friday. I always knew what day I would be working and for how long--usually a few hours including rolling, bagging and delivering. Second, my second job was a job I happened upon a the horse stable I ride at. I worked every Saturday from7am-11am. Again, I knew when and where and for how long. Although I eventually ended up working at the barn for 9 hours a day, I worked up to it, I was always moving around, and was with my friends. It was work and play all rolled into one. Then comes my first real job, and I’m overwhelmed. The hours are long, I stand in one spot, I have scheduled breaks, (something that didn’t apply at the barn), and had to stand in the same spot running the same ride, and watching the same other rides near me. It’s and overwhelming job for someone who is first starting out. Not to mention that any days I work I can’t do anything with friends. This job takes up the entire day. Movies with friends? Nope! Going to the barn? Nope! Going to see family? Nope! Can’t do any of it! That’s one of the main things that bothers me. All my friends have jobs that are four or five hours in the afternoon so they have the whole morning and afternoon to do what they wants. Me? Nope! What I was hoping for when I was applying for jobs was something that was maybe three days a week for three or four hours a day. I think if this job was like that, I wouldn’t be complaining so much.

Day Five: The Crazy Bus (A new ride!!)

I was so happy when Jill and Katie led me to the crazy bus. We took the back way into the big kid side of the park, across the foot bridge and came out behind Boppers. The big kid side of the park! Finally, I was in a completely new environment! I was shocked to realize that a lot of the big kid side of the park was rearranged. New rides were present, old rides gone, and everything in a new place. As I walked I looked around, trying to figure out what rides went where and what rides got the boot. I walked over to the bus and Lindsay--I think that’s what her name is--was waiting to train me. The bus consisted of three different buttons to push, no foot petal, and a key to unlock each of the doors.

The bus was supposed to go around three or four times forwards and then I was supposed to push the “backwards” button at a certain point so the bus stopped at the top. Then it was supposed to go backwards three or four times. One thing that bugged me about the ride was the release bars. There was a foot petal at the back of the bus for me to push to release all the retrain bars. Thing is, before I hit it I was supposed to yell “arms up!” to warn everyone. The bars would then come flying up. I think they came up way to fast for a kiddie ride, and hurt if you got hit with them. Then people were also baffled when they couldn’t figure out how to open the doors and didn’t know I had the key. Other than that, the ride was fine. The day went really fast for me. I rarely was just standing there bored. I always had kids riding, which was a great time passer! Before I knew it, it was already almost three o’clock. I had my breaks and went back to work. Only towards the last half hour, forty minutes was I standing for a period of time. This day, out of all the days I worked so far, had been the fastest and most enjoyable. This is the kind of day where I end up thinking “this job isn’t so bad.” Then I remember all the other days and think “Yes, yes it is!.”

Day Four: The Carousel (okay, this could be fun)

I was overjoyed to know that I was on a new ride, let alone the carousel. I was sick of being in the same spot over and over. So I made it to the carousel--where people were already waiting--and stood and waited for someone to come train me. I had to turn many people away telling them that I wasn’t trained on the ride yet. I noticed that no one was coming so I called over one of the supervisors--whose name I do not know--and he taught me how it all worked. I was so happy that the ride was another one of those rides that you pushed the petal down to make it go. Great. I gave a few rides, but not many. The forecast for the day was cold with overcast skies and maybe even rain. It was a little chilly and the sun only shone for about 15-20 minutes the entire day, and because of this, not many people came.

Katie and Sierra said that I would probably give only thirty rides today--and they were right. A few people came up a at time, which pleased me. There was even a time where I stood there for an hour without giving a single ride. I figured this was spectacular, until and hour of two before the park closed. There were like maybe less than 100 people I the park, but we couldn’t kick them out. I wanted the park to close so bad, but of course they wouldn’t. it was only until the end, when it was drizzling, cold, and getting dark, when time seemed like it would never pass. Finally, it was 8:30, and I would be free! I didn’t know how to turn the ride off, but he told me I could go. Freezing, I punched out, turned my shirt in and left. Freedom!

Day Three: Kiddie Train (once again)

I was somewhat relieved and somewhat angered when I was told I would be on the kiddie train today--relieved because I already knew how to work the ride, and angered because I wasn’t in a new environment. I can only take so much of looking at the same thing for eight hours. So I went to the train, turned it on, and was ready to go. And today was a day just like any other. Kids running around, not listening to me, and parents who don’t care if their children don’t listen. Swell. The day was pretty much the same as the first day except, for one, I knew what to expect, I knew exactly how much food was at Basgetti’s and right where the bathroom was. There were only a few things that got me. One of them was becoming overwhelmingly tired around three or four o’clock. I was so tired and just hoping that my relief would come. One thing that made my obnoxious child filled day better was by relief herself. Katie, was someone who was fun to be around. She asked me if I had any ibuprofen, and as a result of my saying no, she wondered if laying across the train tracks would lessen her pain. We went into a conversation on how the train would probably push her along the track (it doesn’t go that fast), and how she would then have pain in her side, which would only result in exchanging where the pain was.

It was one of the most interesting conversations I had, and that made my day a lot better for a short time. I was surprised when a blind girl was led onto the train. I didn’t stare, but I was fascinated--I had never actually met someone who was blind. To my surprise, she was a funny girl. As the train went around she began singing “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad.” This was one of those little things that brightened my day. Despite that, I did have problems of course. One guy walked right through the gate, strapped his kid in and began to walk away. As he was about to leave, he then asks me if his kid was fine to ride by herself, I remarked that I didn’t get a chance to measure her before he strapped her in. Turns out, she wasn’t big enough. Then, after the kid and his parents rode, I then saw the father lay his kid on a bench near the planes and change the kid’s diaper. And he did this right in the middle of the park! There are changing tables in the bathrooms you know! It was unbelievable. I tried to concentrate on my work, but I was so shocked that he would change his kid on a bench in public. Over all, the day was just as torturous as all the rest. After work, I felt like the tasmainian devil if the life were sucked out of him!

Once again, my day in a nutshell “Please sit down when the train is moving!”

Day Two: The Magic Ring. (What the heck is that?!?!)

I was not happy to go back to work the following week. I hated standing in the same spot all day with my foot on a petal. At my job at a horse barn, yes, I would be on my feet all day, but I would be running around getting chores done, not standing in one spot. I hated this job already and I had only worked one day. When I got to the park, lined up in front of the gates was ten school busses filled with kids. Marvelous. I wasn’t late to my second day, but wasn’t early, all due to Chelsea picking me up a little late. But I got there, signed my shirt out, and went to see what ride I would be tortured with this time. Sandy told me I would be on the Magic Ring, but I wasn’t sure where, or what, that was. I waited for her to finish talking so I could ask here about it, but before I got to ask her, she yelled at me to get over to the ride. Politely, I told her I didn’t know what it was, and rudely, and quite frankly, unhelpfully, she told me to just keep walking. It’s so nice to know that employers are so helpful to their new employees.

Thankfully, Heather showed me where it was, and told me someone would be over to train me in a few minutes. This simple act of help made me feel a little better. I stood near the ride, telling a few people that came over that the ride wasn’t running yet. Sara came over and showed me how the ride was operated, the rules of who could and couldn’t ride, and at what height you couldn’t ride the motorcycle, etc. Off I went. The day started off crazy because of all the kids from day care. I was so overwhelmed at one point because there would be a mob of kids exiting and a mob of new kids running through the gate before I could stop them. I would yell for them to wait for me to let them on, but running in they went. Even their parents/guardians were unhelpful. I would yell to wait, and they would urge their kids onward. Nice. I scrambled around to make sure they were all buckled in appropriately and everyone was seated before I pushed the button for the horn and then started the ride. Of course, my day didn’t go without incident. One kid got on the motorcycle, and his friend wanted to ride to so he joyfully said “Yea, just get on the back!” Nothing wrong with that except that the motorcycle only seats one. I politely told the boys that only one person could ride the motorcycle at a time. They told me it was fine and they could ride with two. I argued with them for a minute or two and kept telling them that I couldn’t start the ride until one of them got off. The kid went to another car, only to realize he was to big to fit. He was under the height limit, but was a little to chubby to fit in any of the cars, so I told him to wait and ride the next ride when he could sit in a bigger car. First problem, solved.

Of course that didn’t solve the problem of the kids running onto the ride before I could even notice they were there. It wasn’t just the kids I had a problem with, it was the sun as well. The weather man told me it was supposed to be cloudy and rainy all day, guess who was wrong. I tried to stay out of the sun as much as I could, but the power box for the ride had no shade near it. I gave up trying to stay covered up and let myself get some sun. After 3 hours though, I got nervous, and tried to keep my arms and neck covered. It was warm out, but I didn’t want to risk skin damage and a uncomfortable sunburn. I tried to stay in the shadows of the ride when there was no one riding (which was often after one in the afternoon when the park cleared.) I thought about asking for sunscreen from someone, but that would have been strange to ask.

*while kid is riding ride*

Me: Um, do you have any sunscreen I can borrow?

Parent: *stares* Um, let me check….

Me: …thanks….

It would be incredibly awkward, so I just stayed covered up as much as I could. Fortunately for me, the only thing that got burned was my calves. My face got a little red, but not noticeably--I was thankful for that! So, no matter what the weather man says, wear sunscreen to work. Lesson learned. One of the other problems I had was with the tow truck on the ride. It had a door you had to open, and only two or three of the kids all day could get it open. Some wanted to ride the tow truck so bad, they didn’t feel like waiting for me to come open the door for them and decided to climb through the window of the tow truck. I actually caught a few kids in the act and sternly told them to stop climbing through the window and let me open the door for them. Another problem with the tow truck was the door closest to the center of the machine, (the ride rotated in a circle with all the cars attached to the center of the ride.) was simply for show and didn’t open. Kids would get frustrated that they couldn’t get it open and would either go through the window or pull on it violently. I would tell them to come around to the other side, some would listen, some would continually pull on it as if I didn’t even speak. It was annoying at the time, but now, it seems comical. Of course there was the one kid who had to ride right at the end of the night, so whilst giving the very last ride, Sara came over and told me how to shut the ride down for the night. I cut the ride a little short--desperate to go home--and helped the kid get off. I quickly went over to shut the ride down, and left. I turned my shirt in and headed up to the main office to hand in a letter to Sandy for days I would like off. I added the 25th and 26th of June because I wasn’t sure what was happening for my birthday. I regret it now because I don’t think I’ll need the 26th off, and my parents think I’m working. So, I had to call Sandy back and leave a message telling her that things changed and I didn’t need the 26th off anymore. Hopefully, she didn’t take me off the board yet. If I don’t get a call by Wednesday that I’m working Friday, then I’ll call back and see what’s happening.

Second day in a nutshell: "Don't go through the window!"