This was the last time I was at Cedar Point. I was seven.
I only remember a few things about the day.
The lake was huge. It reminded me more of an ocean than a lake because it had a sandy beach. People were playing on the sand and in the shallows of the water. They wore brightly colored swimsuits. I had never seen a lake that big. I had not seen an ocean either. Only pictures of such, I suppose.
My Dad broke his ribs on the rollercoaster called the Forty Niners, or something like that. I know it was named for some sort of gold rush theme. It had big cartoon characters of miners. Scary miner faces. The roller coaster itself was wooden, loud, and rickety. It really whipped you around. It whipped so hard, my Mom slid over into my Dad and cracked his ribs. Dad did not complain the entire day.
When we were leaving the park, we passed a stand for Salt Water Taffy. I had been asking if I could get Salt Water Taffy all day. Apparently, it was making me a little crazy. I pitched a late-night-7-year-old-cranky fit ….. until I wore out my parents. They bought a box for me. I tried one piece and did not like it one bit. All that caterwauling for nothing. Someone ate that taffy, though.
During the day, we ate a lot of bologna sandwiches. They had yellow mustard on them and American cheese. I had one on the way there. We ate more WHILE we were there. With plain Fritos. I don’t think we bought any food in the park, save for that Salt Water Taffy.
When we left the park, it was cool. And dark. I was so tired. I remember us all piling into the station wagon. The dome light was on. It was the last thing I saw that night.
Those are my seven-year-old remembrances of Cedar Point.
Funny how our brains work. Amazing actually.
What we think, what we know. And remember. It is truly an amazing computer of infinite proportions and possibilities.
It controls our every thought, motion, and breath.
I’m thankful for this brain of mine, and the memories it gives me.
Even if it makes me not like Salt Water Taffy after all that fuss.
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“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.”
― Isaac Asimov
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“I’d take the awe of understanding over the awe of ignorance any day.”
― Douglas Adams, The Salmon of Doubt
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“It is one thing to be clever and another to be wise.”
― George R.R. Martin
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