Chuck E. Cheese

So, I can't decide if Chuck E. Cheese is of God or Satan. I think it depends on what part of the trip you are referring to. The beginning is so much fun. There's so much going on; there are tons of flashing lights and bleeps, dings, and bells sounding out. The smell of mediocre pizza fills your nostrils as you enter through the velvet rope (I know- a velvet rope at a kids' place-strange, huh?). You get your little cup full of tokens and begin searching (sometimes with very little hope) for an empty, clean table.

Well, if you have kids, you know how the rest goes. It's up and down for the rest of the trip. We're happy, then we're sad. There are tears, and sometimes, the kids cry too.

So we went tonight. As we walked through the door, we were pleasantly surprised to see Emily's friend Lucas there. They had so much fun playing together. One funny thing that happened- well, it's funny if you know my personality, I guess. There was a herd of very big boys playing in the tubes where the little kids play. Right at the slide, they were bullying the little kids. Now, Emily isn't big enough to climb into the tubes yet (she can't make it up there yet because the steps are huge). BUT- Lucas was up there. These boys were being horrible. They were climbing up the slide and blocking it so that no one could come down. They were taunting the little ones. So, I did what any nosy, teacher-like person would do. I yelled up the slide. "Boys! You stop that right now. Come down the slide this instant!". I waited for them to come down. I said, "I don't want to see you do that again. You go down the slide ONE TIME, and then you move out of the way. Do you understand?" They mumbled "okay" as they walked off.

One of their moms asked them what I said. As I heard them tell her, I looked at her like I just dared her to say something to me. Boy, I was ticked. I mean, WATCH YOUR CHILDREN, PEOPLE! ARGH.

So, later, I wanted to put Bethany on the little Chuck E. Cheese ride where it takes your picture. There was this little girl, 3 maybe 4, just sitting on it. I looked everywhere for her parents, who couldn't be found. I asked her if Bethany could have a turn. She looked at me and said, deadpan, "No,". I about died laughing. There was a group of older ladies, just watching. They thought it was really funny. I tried and tried to convince that little girl to give Bethany a turn. She was adamant. So, finally, I offered her a token. I said, "How about this? You can have this token, and you can take a turn. Then, Bethany can take a turn. How does that sound?" Her face lit up as she took the coin and said, "Thank you!". She rode the ride, got her little picture, and got off the ride.

That's right. I can still outsmart a 3-year-old. And right now, she's probably sitting somewhere saying, "That's right. I can still outsmart a woman!"

Everyone had fun, right up until we told Emily that it was time to go. And if you have kids, you know how it ended. I sure am glad they stamp your hand with coordinating numbers, because anyone could have sworn that we were kidnapping some kid. Just another day in the life...