The last rays of sunlight flickered beneath the edges of the Gulf of Mexico as shops and restaurants churned to life, illuminating the early night sky with store merchandise glistening behind windows while the smells of Cajun, Italian, Bar-b-cue and seafood blend together with dashes of music. Parents are constantly bombarded by children young and old as they race between the isles, their eyes aglow with images of princesses and pirates; begging and pleading for just one more toy. Teens pass dressed in styles that I’m not even sure one would classify as tasteful, acting as though the world revolves around them and anyone who says otherwise are posers. Lines form outside of the House of Blues and mixes with those trying to enter DisneyQuest and head further into Pleasure Island’s night scene. A couple makes it through the throng, slightly intoxicated, wearing matching red Incredibles t-shirts, holding two plastic Coors Light bottles. I pay them no mind as I go about enjoying the early evening, until I look back and see them pass a trash can and miss the easy toss, and continue walking uncaring, undeterred. I release a sigh, moving across the street until I’m standing next to the two bottles. A trail of beer seeps from the neck, as though this was a murder and not litter. My wrists twitch subconsciously, releasing the handle of a black broom and matching dustbin as the bottles are tucked inside. The bottles clank together as I pace along the waterfront that separates Pleasure Island with Downtown Disney East and West. Tourists swarm around me as they race to make a bus back to their hotel, kids walk in a zombified stupor as they walk slower and slower behind their parents until the red fabric leash draws taunt and the child is pulled forward. Come and work at Walt Disney World, they told me. Here, the bottom line is imagination, our culture is magic and wonder. Think of all the laughter, astonishment, joy and thrills that have come from this one place. Where all your dreams will come true. Popcorn remnants are no match for me as the hours tick slowly away while the busy walkways drain of life near midnight. My wrist watch chimes as I watch the festivities from outside the Reglan Road Irish pub. Inside, amidst the smoke tipped air, laughter dances with alcohol. Couples gaze into the emotional text of the other's eyes, while woops of celebration leak through the door from the other patrons. I turn back towards where the cast members tram waits as I feel a quick tap on the shoulder. My eyes follow the slender curve of the arm up into the face of the most attractive women I’ve seen all evening. She smiled nervously as a group of friends stood behind her texting and trying to decipher a map. “Hey sorry, I was just wondering, could you tell us how to get to back to our hotel. We got turned around.” My mood shifts as I put on the fake Disney smile. “It’s not a problem, which hotel are you trying to get to?” “The Animal Kingdom lodge.” “What you want to do, is continue heading east, once you can see the Rainforest Café, turn south and you’ll see the bus terminal. I believe that the bus for Animal Kingdom is number 5.” I gesture with the Disney two fingered point. “Thanks a lot! You have no idea how much that helps.” I flash the smile once more for emphesis. “Any time.” She turns around and joins her group as I begin to continue toward the tram, I hear the girls laughing. “Oh my god, I can’t believe you actually did that.” “What? He was helpful.” “I knew it you were trying to flirt with him.” “He was kinda cute.” “No way, if he was Jack Sparrow, maybe. Hell if he was that creepy guy at the Haunted Mansion, sure. He’s a janitor Kalie. He probably doesn’t even have a diploma. Let’s go get another drink.” The girls turn around and re-enter Pleasure Island, leaving me high and dry. I’m not sure which I should be more offended with. The fact that I can’t compete with Jackson over in the Haunted Mansion, or that they marginalized me as a high school drop out. My mood droops as I join other cast members on the employee tram, becoming consumed in the sea of technicolored costumes. Three years. Three years ago I was a kid fresh out of High School and creating worlds like no one had ever seen before in my writings. Utah's english programmed became canibalistic over my writing...but soon the money and creativity washed away. Disney World always seemed to be the place from my childhood memories where I could be a kid again. A place to forget about reality and experience realized imagination. An Imagineer...the end goal I strove to reach, yet the starved carcasses of empty notebooks littered my small meager apartment, victims of a failed wish. Beyond the white peaks of Cirque Di Soiel, the sunset fades to black.
I am assuming this is not reflective of your experiences since you appear to love your job. xD The whole piece was a pleasure to read, mainly because I am familiar with all the places named- hell, The Rev and I even went to the Rainforest Café. Even if I didn't know the places mentioned, this was pleasant to read, but that is down to your brilliance as an author and ability to write so smoothly. Despite the whole story having sad undertones, it was still highly enjoyable.
Plays nicely in the role of the observer for the most part but ends in introspection and reminiscence. I like the overall direction this takes and the technical aspect needs little if any work. Personally, I like the sense of time and place that your writing always seems to capture and convey. Makes me feel like my imagination is displaying in HiDef. Strange as it sounds, I'm not joking. Nice to see a post of yours again either way. So, I guess that's it.
I really liked this piece. You have such amazing control and as always its a very fluid piece of writing. I feel really bad for him though, he thought he was going to be following his dreams, but he never got there. Its like he is stuck on the outside. How horrible to be so close to your dreams but be unable to actually taste them. That being said I loved the ending, the fact that Disney World always seemed to be a place to forget reality and to live on imagination, but he ends up facing the harsh reality of it and realising it isn't all about magic and wonder. It also gives cause for thought with regards to stereotypes, that being that because he is a janitor it implies he is a failure who dropped out of school. In a way I feel as though the entire pieces plays on how wrong assumptions can be. It is nice to see your writing again <3 I am glad you're getting back into it.
I like that this feels more fluid than some of your past works. I really can't nit-pick at anything, because it's all good. It's shown me a part of disney that isn't all fun and games. And you finally returned to writing.
