The 6 AM buzzing of the alarm clock
jolted me out of bed.
Well, actually, not out, but just awake.
I lounged till the snooze alarm
went off for the third time.
The cold wood floor in the hallway and foyer
felt good on my bare feet.
While the coffee brewed in the kitchen,
I relaxed on the livingroom couch
and checked out the early morning television.
My host finally joined me an hour later.
His coffee is now cold
and a new pot is made.
As we drink,
we play an early morning game of Uno.
The game is cut short
in order to shower, shave, and dress.
We goof around until we realize
there’s only 15 minutes to get to the bus.
It’s a miracle that we made it.
With all the people there
waiting to get on the buses,
I recognize only 1 couple.
It’s a pleasure to see them still together
and they are hard to miss.
She, is a black woman,
a good 6foot something, if an inch, and Olive Oyl thin.
He is a good head and a half shorter,
white, and very, very, blonde.
But wait! What’s this?
Last year his hair was waist length,
and now it’s even shorter than mine.
Finally placed on one of the buses,
the pierced driver takes off,
and I fall asleep.
I waken just as we pull into a parking lot.
Yes! We have arrived for a Great Adventure.
We walk around.
Can’t decide on what ride to get on before the lines get too long.
We do the Mach1.
We do The Great American Scream Machine.
You can’t make up your mind where to have some breakfast.
We walk some more.
You do the wuss thing again
and remember that you promised to help check in co-workers.
Yes! I’m free! For an hour - anyway.
I do the Arcade.
I do the Batman Ride
where most of my time is spent waiting on line.
I, unfortunately, have to reunite with you.
We do lunch.
We walk some more.
We find ourselves in the Arena
for a mini-concert by 2 golden oldie bands.
Blood, Sweat, & Tears,
we discover, have just arrived,
and an hour into what should have been the show,
are still setting up and getting ready to go.
Finally they begin
and play for only 45 minutes.
Just as they end,
we find out that The Commodores,
have just arrived due to heavy traffic and accidents.
For 45 minutes we watch them get ready.
Too bad we have to rush out of the Arena in order to catch the bus back home
and don’t get to hear them play at all.
Now, comparing this, to other times,
I can’t help but stop and wonder -
was this an adventure?