Coasterphobic

In chatting with my granddaughter today, who is off for a day of fun at the local waterpark, I remembered my fear of roller coasters. Currently called Coasterphobic by the experts - it means a fear of falling, a fear of being out of control. People like me are the people who sheepishly hold your pocketbooks and the coats. We are the bench warmers. We are the coaster chickens. We are the white-knuckled, weak-kneed wimps who are looked upon with pity by those waiting in line.

Why am I this way? When I was a young girl, about 13, my mother and I and my younger siblings went to Cincinnati to see the zoo. Somewhere during that trip there were rides and I wanted to ride the Mickey Mouse wooden roller coaster. I had never been on a ride in a fair and that looked like the most fun to my immature eyes. Well, by the time I got off I was terrified and swore I'd never, ever again get on anything resembling that!! And I didn't.

UNTIL

A trip with my family to Disney World. Sonny was just a young lad then, tall enough to get onto Space Mountain. He didn't want to go with CD and Nelle as much as they tried to talk him into it. I didn't want to go. My palms were sweating, but as a mother - sometimes you do things to show your children how not to be frightened.

So I told Sonny, I'll go if you will. And it was agreed. DAMN. Where did they put this wimpy woman with coasterphobia? Front car, front seat. NOTHING IN FRONT OF ME!! NOTHING!!!!!! Scared the bejesus out of me! Ever wonder where my hair finished turning white? It was on Space Mountain.

And again I swore never to ride on one of those things again. So what happened? The family took a trip to Busch Gardens. Ever rode the "Lipton Tea Plunge"?? They didn't tell me what that ride was about!!! Every one of them was in on the secret, except me.

Whoopee, wheeeeeee they yell... as it goes over.


Wheeeeeee my ass!