As I sat on the large blue couch that stretched across our living room, I couldn't help but wonder why I watched these television shows. I never understood what was going on or why a crowd of laughter came from the black box when there was no one around. I just loved the adult shows because they made me feel grown up, like my older sister, and not only six.
Picking at a loose string on the couch, I wondered if I’d ever end up like her, she was my role model in every way and I wished to be her sometimes. My attention was draw to my mother as she gradually made her way downstairs to meet me. My mommy was beautiful and nice, she would tell me she loved me every day and would give me hugs for no reason. I paused the television, seeing she was getting ready to speak to me, and listened for what she wanted. She seemed happier than usual and had a hint of nervousness to top it off. “Megan,” she spoke calmly “Your dad and I want to talk to you and Andrea, come on upstairs.” She said, practically pulling me from my perch.
Upstairs I found my dad and sister sitting at the kitchen table, daddy was smiling like a madman and Andrea looked just as confused as I felt. Once mom and I made our way to the seats, my parents sighed in unison and told us what the big news was. “We are taking a surprise trip. We’ll be leaving tomorrow around 7am and driving all day, so you better hurry and pack all of your things” they said. Naturally Andrea and I were confused at this sudden plan and waited for further explanation. After a long silence, we realized we weren’t going to get one so Andrea bravely asked, “Where are we going?” Then my parents’ smiles grew larger and replied with a simple “It’s a surprise” and hurried us off to our rooms to pack.
I was more confused than before. A secret trip? Where were we going? How was I supposed to pack for a trip when I didn’t know anything about it? Finally deciding to pack anything I could possibly need, shorts, jeans, sweaters, t-shirts, and of course my infamous “rolly sneakers”. Once I was finished stuffing my bag of random objects, I paddled my way to my sisters’ room, hoping she could explain what was going on. After all, she knew everything. Approaching her closed door, my mind wandered to the secret trip, maybe my parents were spies and we had to suddenly move because the bad guys found us. Wasn’t real life just like the movies? I didn’t know.
Pulling the handle on my sisters’ door, I walked inside to find her stumped in front of a suitcase. “What did you pack?” she asked, fingering the zipper on her case. “Everything” I answered honestly, I wasn’t sure what had made it into our bags. I sat for a minute on her bed while she ran around the room like the Tasmanian devil exposed to coffee for the first time.
After a moment of hesitation I couldn’t help but ask the most important question “Where do you think we are going?” She didn’t miss a step before answering with an “I don’t know, but I like not knowing” my eyes snapped up at her. She liked not knowing? I thought she was crazy, not like murderer crazy, but just someone missing a few plugs. How could she like being kept in the dark about something as awesome as a secret trip? Isn’t she just bursting at the seams with curiosity just like me? Looking back at her content form, I decided no, she wasn’t as impatient as I, not even close.
That night after dinner I snuck into my sisters’ room. We were used to this, sneaking into each other rooms late at night, telling our parents we had a nightmare. Of course we didn’t have nightmares every night, but we just loved spending the night with each other, like a sleepover that happened every night. We would stay up really late, and I mean late, sometimes passed 10! During those late night hours we would build forts out of pillows and stuffed animals and play ‘Go Fish’ under the cover of our new creation. We would use our plastic yellow flash light and tell each other stories, sometimes using the shadows to emphasize our point. Only when our eyes would droop into slits, would we turn off our flashlight and call it a night, slipping into unknown dreams of our own.
We woke the next to the ‘Lion King’ soundtrack playing over the speakers. Dad. When my dad wanted to wake us up and he was in a really good mood, he would play that soundtrack as a morning call. ‘Lion King’ meant a good day, and I love good days. Of course, who doesn’t?
After a quick breakfast, we loaded our bags into the car and started the long journey to a secret place. We drove for what seemed to be forever, sitting in the car, watching our favorite movies and adding life to coloring books. Only when we were stopped by some man in a strange booth did Andrea and I pay attention to the outside world. He was dressed in a yellow and white striped outfit and standing next to a sign that read “Parking $5”
Once we handed him the needed amount, he pointed us to a huge parking lot with a gazillion people! Everyone was with a group of people and many people had camera hanging around their necks. I looked for a sign, anything to hint where I was, but there was none. All I saw were people hurrying to a gated area near the left side of the lot. I wanted to follow; someone near that gate would have my answer.
My dad aimed the car to a nearby parking space which went right passed the mysterious gate, now was my chance. “Look girls” dad said, pointing to a sign overhead, the sign that would finally give me my answer, and start one of the best memories I owned. A sign that read “Welcome to Sea World, Adventure Park in Orlando Florida”