Читать книгу Blind Spot - Nathan Shedroff - Страница 15

Sisters Alexandra and Isabella, 5 and 7, are heading to their first encounter with Disneyland. They’ve watched Disney movies their entire lives, but they haven’t been completely engulfed by the Disney experience.

Their anticipation is high, but they really don’t know what to expect. Their father and grandmother have told them stories about their own trips to Disneyland when they were young (this will be a three-generational experience), and they know it’s a place, but they truly aren’t prepared for what they will encounter.

Their first morning, they’re abuzz as if it were Christmas. They know that they will have breakfast with a princess and, hopefully, get her autograph. When they finally cross the looooooong parking lot and get to the park entrance, they are already entranced and nearly speechless—nearly.

They can see the Magic Castle far in the distance. They practically run through the gate to the statue of Mickey. They almost forget about the princess breakfast as their senses are already on overload. The castle pulls them forward, but they are overwhelmed by all the exciting things to see, stop, and investigate as they walk down Main Street.

When they finally encounter a character, she is the evil queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. They are simultaneously excited and scared, but they get her autograph and speak with her about their first-ever visit.

Later, after many rides, something to eat, finally meeting Mickey (as well as two different princesses), they are speaking with one of the dwarves when the evil queen emerges from around a corner. With the dwarf, they hide in the bushes, but the queen finds them and immediately addresses them by name: “Ali! Bella! I thought you were on MY side!” They are amazed that the queen remembered them and scared that they might have to make a choice: stay and talk with the dwarf or join the queen. It’s a lot to take in for five- and seven-year-old girls.

Years later, they will likely take their own children to Disneyland in much the same way, presaging some of what their children will experience, reminiscing about this very trip. They may not remember the experience as it actually happened, but, instead will embellish it in the retelling and the remembering.

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