It took some difficulty in convincing my niece that she was in fact, in Florida. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Orlando. We'll be taxiing for a few more moments. Please keep your seat belt fastened." "Orlando?! I want to go to Florida!!!!!" Being early November, I had (incorrectly) assumed that DisneyWorld would not be crowded. I was attacked on all flanks. Stroller strike from the left! Rascal bumping from the right! Rogue children running straight at my knees! The worst. But, this day was not about my struggles against the masses. This was about my niece in the happiest place on earth. This did not come without cost.
Since I last saw her, she has changed a bit. She will now speak to me directly without hiding. She has also become inordinately sassy. I do not know where it all came from, but her level of sassiness must have reached a boiling point somewhere at Epcot Center at the world of cokes exhibit. Anyone who has been to this section of the park is probably familiar with the "Beverly," an Italian carbonated aperitif known for its distinctly bitter flavor. My brother-in-law provided my niece with this beverage which quickly induced an expression of both disgust and betrayal. She was momentarily subdued.
The following day we headed to Universal Studios -- my first trip since the age of nine. It had changed a lot. Back to the Future was no more, and a Simpsons Land had taken its place. And making a resurgence was the sass pose. No beverly was on hand to keep this sassiness in check. If these kind of antics remain unchecked, who knows where these sass poses will end. I leave you with exhibit A:
