The Long Slow Line

Rachel and I went to an annual children’s Halloween event called Spookview which is held at the park district building by our house.  I’m relatively certain this event is specifically designed to provide kids with some Halloween fun and to cause me pain and a mild degree of torture.  At the event we got into a very long line that was advancing at a snail’s pace while waiting for what basically amounts to a short ride around the park district property on a golf cart.

(Yes, I’m known as something of a thrill-seeker!)

At one point, I told Rachel, “Stay in line.  I’m going to run to the bathroom.  Don’t lose our place in this long, slow line.”

She nodded her head and said, “Alright.”

When I returned to the line I did not see Rachel.  I looked around in every direction thinking, “What’s going on?  Where is she?!?”

Then I heard her walking up behind me.

I turned and, pointing to some picnic tables, she said, “I was just sitting over there until you came back.”

I sighed deeply and we got back into the long, slow line again… at the very end of the line.

I’m happy to report that we spent forty-five minutes standing in line for a 3 and a half minute ride on a golf cart involving an outstanding view of my backyard.

Thrill seeking.

I Got Nervous At The Redbox Line

I’ve only rented movies from Redbox a couple of times.  So, I don’t work my way through their system of screens and prompts quickly. 

I know you’re probably thinking, “Sheesh, Dan, it’s not complicated!”  And you’re right, it’s not complicated.

But, although I didn’t realize it at the time, I made a tactical error in my approach to this situation, this evening.  You see, it was already early in the evening on the 4^th of July when I embarked on my movie rental excursion.  I should not have waited that late to rent a movie.  When I arrived at the Redbox station, there was a line of people.

When my turn finally came, I did not know in advance which movie I wanted to rent.  I really wasn’t sure what would be available.  I was unwisely counting on the time and freedom to scroll through the various movie options at a leisurely pace.  But as I worked my way through the Redbox screens I was keenly aware that there was a group of people looking at their watches and waiting.  In fact, I think I may have heard a couple of deep sighs and some impatient toe-tapping from those who were in the line behind me.

So, the pressure was on.  Unfortunately, I don’t perform well under pressure.  Also, I am not particularly fast when it comes to selecting movies.  I like to think it over—pondering the subtleties of the mood that I’m in—and weigh my options carefully.

I suppose all of these stress factors help to explain how this nervous, rapid selection process resulted in my accidental rental of, “Barney Meets The Smurfs.” 

Oh sure, this is probably a wonderful film with outstanding acting and a brilliant plot, but it was not the movie that I was hoping to view, this evening.