roller-coasters
The whole family went recently to Legoland. Everyone had a wonderful time. Kit (6) discovered the thrill and terror of roller-coasters, a thrill and terror Sam (8) is not quite ready for, in spite of being 18 months older than Kit. Kit rode with me on The Dragon six times, and Coaster-Saurus once with her mother.
Last night, I read Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee to the kids, which they both enjoyed quite a bit, and the following conversation ensued.
KIT. I LOVE roller-coasters!
TODD. I know you do.
SAM. (a little fearful) Do I have to ever ride a roller-coaster?
TODD.No. You never have to ride a roller-coaster. There is only one power on Earth that can compel you to ride a roller-coaster, and that is: a pretty teen-age girl.
(KIT lights up at this idea. SAM, not so much.)
KIT. (excited) REALLY?
SAM. (fearful) Really? How?
TODD. (to SAM) One day, you’ll be a teenage boy, and you’ll be at an amusement park with a bunch of your friends, and a pretty teenage girl will say "Will you go on a roller-coaster with me?" and you will have no choice — you will have to go.
SAM. Really?
TODD. Absolutely.
KIT. WOW! Will that happen to ME?
TODD. Well, for you it will be different. One day, you’ll be a pretty teenage girl, and you’ll be at an amusement park with a date, and you’ll want him to feel all confident and strong, and you’ll say "Will you please protect me from the big scary roller-coaster?" and inside you’ll be thinking "Yeah!"
(This very much strikes Kit’s fancy. She immediately tries it out.)
KIT. "Will you protect me from the big scary roller-coaster?" "Yeah!" (She falls down laughing.) Will that really happen to me?
TODD. Kit, I promise you, you are going to have more boyfriends than you can shake a stick at.
SAM. Then why don’t you just take two sticks?