Jack's First Day At Disneyland

The first day at Disneyland on any trip is exciting. We bought Jack a canteen, which he called his "cowboy water bottle." At least that's what I remember his calling it. I know it was cowboy something.

We were at Cal-Ranch, where we have always bought him his occasional cowboy hat, and I found a camelbak on sale for a very good price. Jack wanted one, and we had one in the shopping cart, but then he found a canteen.

It was half the price of what I was going to get, and it worked better. Jack used it during the entire trip, on the way to California and back and every day in the park.

The hotel worked out well. We had breakfast each morning before leaving, and a shuttle picked us up a short distance away from the hotel each morning.

It was perfect.

Ever since Jack was one, we always started on something a bit easy at the park. On the very first visit, we took Jack and Tommy to "It's A Small World." It began a perfect day.

Then the tradition changed. The boys began having favorite rides of their own, usually something in Fantasyland.

But that was before Buzz Lightyear.

On this trip, we began with Snow White. I wish someone could tell me why this ride scares my grandsons. Maybe it's an innate fear of witchy women. The Eagles sang a song about it. There have been countless movies about it. Everyone fears women like the witch on that ride.

For me, it was never about Disneyland. It was about the Fourth grade and the teacher I had that still makes me awaken occasionally at night--my chest pounding, my teeth grinding, my fists clenching. Yes, I eventually came in contact with what the Germans call a Hundin.

The 60's and surfer music desensitized everyone. When something was really cool, the response was "hey, that's bitchin'!" So I think the same root of that word eventually lost its power, even if the more archaic term still applies to this gray-headed Medusa, who walked with a limp and a permanent sneer on her face.

Hell, after tell this story, I might be too afraid to ride the Snow White ride at Disneyland on our next trip.