An Afternoon at a Park

Monday turned out to be a grand day, although in the morning it didn’t look like it was going to. The first thing I did was drag myself down to the front desk, $50 in an envelope in my handbag, to go get a new housing ID. I told the man there that I needed a new one, showing him that it was the last day for my pathetic piece of purple paper. He nodded, and said “just a minute” or something like that, and began looking through envelopes of IDs that had been turned in. I thought it was nice of him to check just in case, although I had already been to see if it had turned in a few days ago. Then, suddenly, he turned to me, holding up an ID, and said,
“Is this you?” And it was! It really was! He smiled, and got out a binder where they file papers on everything that gets turned in. He showed me where to sign to say that I came and got it, and said,
“Then we can consider this matter closed.” I liked how he said that sentence, and I will probably end up using it in a book for something. So I had my ID, and my $50, and a lot of worry off my chest. It was a good feeling.
The rest of the morning was running errands, mostly unsuccessfully. I needed to put cash that I had into my credit union account, and none of the ATMs would let me. I also put gas in my car because it needed it. And they said that I could make a deposit at the Vista credit union (inside, not at the ATM), but I got there and it had just closed, at noon. So I was a bit frustrated, but buoyed up somewhat by my newly found ID and my plans to go to Epcot that afternoon, since I had the entire day off. I was going to go home first, and drop off my laptop (I brought it so that I could go to Vista Way and use the wireless), and put on sunscreen, and then go to Epcot.
But I made a wrong turn after I went to the credit union, and after a bit I found myself on a freeway-looking road. This was clearly not the way I had come. I was just about to find a way to turn around, when the archway over the road appeared –
“Welcome to Walt Disney World.”

Well! I was going to Epcot anyway… and I had everything I needed… I began to giggle involuntarily. I would just go! To Epcot! Because I wanted to! Practically accidentally! I followed the signs, laughing and grinning all the way. I wasn’t sure if I would have to pay parking, but I had enough money with me if I did. I pulled up to the gate, and said to the security guard,
“Hi, I’m new and it’s my first time coming.” I held up my Disney ID. “Do I have to pay for parking?”
“You have to pay fifty dollars,” he said, in mock seriousness. Then he broke into a smile.
“No, no, you don’t pay. And if you are with someone, you can get one car behind you in free.” I thanked him very much, and went on in.

I spent a whole afternoon and evening at Epcot, doing whatever I wanted. And there was no rush or pressure to get through everything and ride everything and see everything, because I can come back whenever I want. So I rode only my favorite rides in Future World – Soarin’ and the Figment ride – and then went to the half with all the different countries, and wandered there for the entire rest of the day. I spent a good half an hour in a bookstore sitting in a winged armchair reading a pop-up version of Alice in Wonderland. I walked through every store and looked at everything. I bought pretty chopsticks – not to eat with, but to put in my hair. I rode the Maelstrom ride in Norway, and ate a cloudberry pastry. And at the end of the day, just before Illuminations, I walked home. I knew I had to get up early in the morning – I had training at 7am – and I wanted to save Illuminations for another night. Today had been a day for quiet walking and eating delicious things and feeling like I was wandering around little towns in other countries. Another night would be the time for lights and bedazzlement.