Account from the Magic Kingdom

            Briana Pride excitedly chatted away across the airwaves to her sister about the three months she spent working at Disneyland. Local advertisements pronounce that “The Happiest Place on Earth is also the Happiest Place to Work” and some cast members would agree. Briana worked in sales, donning a new costume and location for every shift. Her opinion on the subject was directly related to where she was scheduled to work.

            “I liked working the games on the pier. I could do a lot of obnoxious things at the games.” She detailed how she would climb on the counter and shout to people walking by, and the delight she felt the day Jessica Beil came walking down the board walk to play Briana’s basketball game.

            However, there was also the equal number of days that she worked at Pooh’s corner, which was not ideal.

            “The costume was hideous; a huge pink, puke, floral dress with a blue apron. I looked like I was wearing upholstery paper!”

            As a Cast Member who working in the stores, she continuously had to be mindful of the various cultures that visited the park. She remembered vividly a time when an Indian family came to PT Flea Market in California Adventure land.

            “How much for this Ball” Briana imitated the woman’s accent.

            “$8.98 after taxes” She replied.

            “Too much, should be $3. I make you deal, $3.50 that’s as high I go.”

Briana called her manager who insisted that this cultural difference was something that they could handle, but by the time they go there, the family had left.

            “I felt bad because so often families would come who you could tell had spent all the money they had to come to the park and they could not afford to buy their kids things, so I would give them extra discounts that I wasn’t supposed to. That shit was overpriced!”

            Briana’s account is just one of thousands of stories that cast members have about working for the Magic Kingdom.

Stranger /Sister

Jennifer was checking out at Barnes and Noble on 185^th street before I approached her. She was short and round and glowed with friendliness as she purchased her copy of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I approached her and before I could say one word she said

            “Theta Nu Alpha.”

            Shocked, all I could say was “yes” as I looked down to see that yes, I was wearing my sweatshirt with my sorority letters.

            “I was a Theta back in the sixties. Do you go to Pacific?”

            “Oh my gosh, I do! How are you?” She was a sister, and president in 1968, back when students had to live on campus all four years and girls were not allowed to wear pants on campus.

            Jennifer confessed that she loved the show Greek and watched it every Monday night because it took her back to her days as a Theta. She turned the interview around with her questions about what our sisters are like now, and I dutifully answered by rattling off all of our community service activities and our relationship with the Gammas. She informed me that our brothers were the “goody-two-shoes” in her days and she much preferred the Phi Bates to the Gammas. We both chose not to bring to words the fateful history of those boys, who had their chapter revoked for running a brothel, among other things, but our knowing smiles gave it all away. There was no time lost between us sisters. She sang me her pledge songs and asked about “pinning.” I told her about our charms and  “Theta History days” and begged her to come meet with us.

            In my essay for my position at the bookstore on campus I explained how I was excited to be working for a community that fostered community among strangers, but on this day I found much more, I found a sister within a stranger.

What they don't tell you about Geese!

What they don’t tell you about Geese is that they are mean. Because they are in the same family as both swans and ducks, they are strangely equip with cranky middle child syndrome (only because Swans are larger and ducks are smaller), they take their against out on innocent bystanders. Do not leave your children unattended near these beasts! They will peck them to death, or at least try, since they are vegetarians.

 

These mean beasts have been around for over 10 million years in one form or another, adapting to suit their habitat, weather on the islands of Hawaii or Canada. Each bird lives for about 20 years, mating for life and breading more mean spawn just three years into his or her lives. They get even meaner, if you can believe that, when they are nesting. If you see one standing in a grassy area where there is water close by, stay away, there is a nest near and the goose will chase you away, wings out head held high and running after you! They do not scare easily when they are protecting their young, so it would do you well to abandon whatever you were doing and run!

 

Geese are mean, and will attack, so watch out!

July 31, 1986

Just another Thursday evening around 7:05PM, when a tinny baby girl was born to Alvoye J. Pride Jr. and Eileen Mary McDermott-Pride. After much discussion, they named her Bridgett Kathryn Pride. Bridgett, because she is one of the patron saints of Ireland, as well as Eileen’s childhood best friend, Kathryn because that is Alvoye’s grandmother’s name and Pride, because Alvoye’s ancestors were proud to be slaves before they were set free.

            The fussy Leo had dark skin and a full head of hair and had no idea of what the world would have waiting for her. She did not yet know that she would share her birthday with the fictional character of Harry Potter, or that the headline of her local paper, The Daily Bulletin, would read “Drug War Prepared”. Or that the thought of the day was “the laws sometimes sleep, but never die” which was a legal maxim.

            Little Bridgett slept after a fight for her life, getting stuck and pulled out of her mother after hours of labor. She slept, did not die and was preparing herself for the war of life.