It's Not Too Cold If You Just Jump In
Nothing could match the sheer excitement of walking into a hotel at the beginning of a family vacation. There was so much to do; pools a few degrees too cold in which to swim, sibling races in the long hallways to be won, little sticker-sealed toiletries in the bathroom basket to be stolen, and dangerous caverns to jump across in between beds—fun and new experiences were everywhere. All this enjoyment was overshadowed only by the promise of going out to a new city, a new town, a new place. The Six Flags Lodge I arrived at is the on-site accommodation for the Six Flags theme park, yet the hotel seemed just as "themed." Stone walls with mounted game clash with tile floors and bare full log rafters and supports stand out a bit too much, but not as much as the gaudy plastic moose antler chandelier in the center of the room. The faux-rustic atmosphere felt cold despite the floor-to-ceiling fireplace in the center of the room. I was not excited.
I would have come with my family two days earlier, but I had to work to make extra money. The elevator door closed with a swift but satisfying "whoosh," and made its way to the third floor. After languidly meandering down the hallway, I entered the room that in which I reluctantly had to pay to stay. On top of that I too had to purchase my entrance into the park, all with money I would had rather spent on my mounting credit card debt.
My father immediately greeted me both with a "howdy" and his trademark nod, one I tried so hard to mimic as a child. Before I could respond I was already on defense against a bum-rush hug from my five year old brother, Max, who was screaming my name and whose shower capped head was headed directly for my groin. After squeezing me with all of his little might, he showed me how strong he was by lifting me up to the tips of my toes and gave me a few well-aimed high fives. He had been practicing.
Politely declining an invitation to leap across the divide in between beds, I...
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