neighbourhood: excursions

I used to believe…

When I was a kid, there was an intersection in my home town and another that looked very much like it to me in a city that we would occasionally visit, a little over a hundred miles away. The latter reminded me of the former so much that I became convinced they were somehow the same intersection, but in two different towns. I thought, somehow, almost magically, that the street that turned off there in the distant town (which we never turned down) would therefore be a shortcut home, getting us back to my hometown in only a few blocks, rather than 100+ miles. One day I finally ventured to ask my father why we never turned there and took that drastic shortcut home. He just seemed to react like I'd gone crazy, and I don't think he ever caught on to what I was thinking.

I used to believe…

When I was little, I didn't have school one day *I was about 5 or so*. I asked my mom and she told me it was because it was martin luther king's birthday. So I got dressed and waited around all day for my mom to take me to the party.

I used to believe…

My parents took my cousin and me to Madame Tussaudes waxworks in London. After about and hour or so my cousin said 'I'm fed up with all these people, when are we going to get into the cinema?'

I used to believe…

For those who aren't familiar, Harvey's is a burger chain where you can pick what toppings you want on your burger and they put the toppings on right in front of you. The first time we went there, the lady asked me what I wanted on my burger, and I thought this was some kind of test. They didn't ask this at McDonald's! So I hid and refused to answer her.

I used to believe…

When I was small, there was a little drainage ditch down the hill from our backyard, in a sort of "mini forest". I was convinced that when it was full of water, friendly Italian men in gondolas would give people rides along small creeks and rivers. I always wanted to go on a tour of all of the little creeks.

I used to believe…

When I was little and my parents used to take me to the zoo I loved it so much I never wanted to go home, so my mom exitedly said, lets go see the exit and I couldnt wait to see this new animal and eagerly ran along. Oh was I disappointed.

i used to believe that the carosel was going to eat my sandals. while riding on the carosel pony,i would pinch my toes together as hard as i could to prevent my sandals from falling off.

I used to believe that if you sank to the bottom of the big pen of balls at Chuck-E-Cheese's (formerly Show Biz Pizza) there was a big room of angry men down there that would torture you. I never got in the big pen of balls at Chuck-E-Cheese

I used to believe…

Years ago at Disney World they had the ride 20,000 leagues under the sea. I believed that the octupus that was surrounding the sub was real. I only went on that one time! I was so tramatized to think that my parents would risk danger like that!!!!!!

I used to believe…

In grade school, I thought a booster shot was where the doctor would place you in a booster seat, like the brown boxy plastic kind in restaurants, and then shoot you with a gun. It would hurt (just like my older sister said they did), but it would somehow be good for you, once you healed. Man, did doctor's appointments freak me out for the longest time.

I used to believe…

When I was a boy there was a saying for hunters that went like this; "Never mix gunpowder and alchol." I thought for the longest time until the proper meaning was explained to me that hunters would take the bullets out of the casings and pour alchol into the gunpowder and replace the bullets to make a more powerful cartridge.

I used to believe…

Every 2 years our family drives out to Yakima, Washingon for our family reunion. We always passed those bales of hay wrapped in white plastic. My grandma told us that it was the marshmallow field. For years I wondered why the marshmallow package didn't say "Grown in Yakima"

I used to believe…

When I was in third grade I was going to go on a field trip to a planetarium. I was very disappointed and told my mother "Why do I have to go to a building to see plants?? I'm not going. I can see plants outside." This was FRIDAY, the NEXT FRIDAY I woke up and she made me go anyways. When I got to the plant-ittarium as I htought it was, I was pleasantly suprised, but mad because my mother hadn't explained the truth to me this WHOLE WEEK!

I used to believe…

My Mother told me that if I didn't finish my food, (in a restaurant) that the waiter would charge us to take the leaft overs away. I was a fussy eater but beleived her and always cleared my plate. I don't have that problem now though, I'm always on the prowl for more food:)

I used to believe…

When I was little, I used to believe that the tow truck was and actual toe. Then when our car brokedown on the freeway I got really excited when I was told that the tow truck was coming. Boy, was I in for a shock!

I used to believe…

When I was about 5 I was watching a game of Rugby Union with my grandfather. During the scrum I asked what they were doing and my grandfather replied that they were 'deciding who gets the ball'. I thought this meant that they were in the scrum saying "we should get the ball because..." and the other team were saying "no, we should get the ball because..." and that's how it was decided!

I used to believe…

Whenever we drove by a field with hay bales covered with white tarps, I would squirm in my car seat and get all excited. Why? I thought they were giant marshmallows. And the ones not covered with tarps? Those were dipped in hot chocolate, of course.

I used to believe…

My parents told me we were going to dinner and were going to see a floor show. I waited and waited and waited, but the floors didn't do anything except lay there. But the singers and dancers were great!

I used to believe…

When i was a child i used to believe that my father owned all the cinemas in my city, because each time we went to the cinema we were never made to queue up. And i was very proud of my father. But when i understood that he just had a privilege card i was very disappointed