A few weeks ago we travelled about 2 hours out for church service then went on to the closest mall for a little grocery shopping at the Super Market there as well as some meandering through the mall a little. Malls here are no different when it comes to playing on a child's need for game-age to get into the parent's back pocket. Games and rides are everywhere...if we said, "not now" once, we said it about 100xs over. When we finally made our way to the Super Market, low and behold, there was a giant ferris wheel just outside the front door...thanks SM malls for placing your biggest attraction there of all places! We promised the kids that the wait would be over once we completed our shopping...they were so excited...not so much patient, but who could be really.
As Paul paid for our grocery, the 5 of us headed out the front door for the long awaited thrill. Got the tickets, waited our turn in line, and then the kids hopped aboard. They all fit in one bucket together...I'm not sure Jared was thrilled with that arrangement, but he did good either way. He's kinda teetering between whether he's too old for that kind of stuff still...where do the years go?
I stood amongst the other parents watching the children circle...round and round...round and round...good grief, how long is this ride? I promise, they must have been on that ride for over 15 mins before the operator decided it was time to start unloading the buckets. He had already let 2 sets free when something distracted him, letting his hand lift from the controls. He attempted to re-start the ride to no avail...over and over...nothing...well, a really weird loud buzzing sound, but that was all the ride was going to offer to the poor man. Meanwhile, our kids are in their bucket, perched at the top of the ride!
This is when Paul finally met back up with us. I was already laughing so hard at how it had all gone down...joking with the kids that we were going to go shopping & we'd be back later to get them...all the while, collecting a good amount to passer-beys checking out the situation. {I think it was the incessant buzzing that caught their attention at first, then the laughing American probably kept them for the duration} Since daddy was there to keep watch now, I took a greatly needed potty break...after waiting in line after about 10 other women I returned to find them only 2 places lower, but still stuck! By this time they were the only kids on the ride at all...oh, we were a sight; at least that's what all the people crowded around us thought.
After trying to re-set the ride the operator called in the manager, he then tried to re-set the ride, then he had to call in the "tech" guy...when he couldn't get it running, they called the janitor! Yes, because they decided they would be needing a ladder! Oh the laughter...my side hurts just thinking about it. Not 2 minutes later it miraculously worked...out of the blue. We safely retrieved our children and grabbed a light snack and headed up the escalators where we pass the ladder on it's way down for it's valiant rescue....yes, more laughter! Just atop the escalators is the food court, so we claimed a table to feast on our snack and about 5 minutes later here comes the ladder back up...oh gosh, more laughter...even now. What attention we didn't miss at the ride, we received enough while walking through the mall to make up for it as people are remembering the incident and telling others and pointing!
It was a nice day...a good day for hard and continuous laughter...I just hate that it was at the kids' expense. I am so glad the kids were laughing and not screaming...so relieved that God turned my potential for panic into light-hearted laughter...and sooooo thankful that we do not live in that town!!!
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