My Instead: I jumped and flipped on the Bungee Trampoline ride at the St. Charles Oktoberfest.
My twin brother Mark and
his wife Linda contacted me earlier in the week asking if Annette and I would
like to join them at the Oktoberfest in St. Charles. Since I missed the one in
Belleville, I thought that this idea was splendid. They wondered if Mom would
want to come along and suggested that we bring her with us when we came. Our pleasure!
Mom,
Annette and I headed over to the Missouri side after noon on Saturday. We found Mark
and Linda in no time flat at the festival. After introductions between
Annette and them, the five of us began walking up the midway checking out all
the goodies. Not expecting to know anyone there, Annette and I both ran into
some friends that we had not seen in a while. We continued on and finally
decided on trying some Philly beef sandwiches, piled high with beef strips and
cheese. Yummy.
We found a place to sit
right where the Milwaukee Glockenspiel would perform their little woodsman
dance routine. It was fun to watch, but I had my eye on the Bungee Trampoline ride just over my left shoulder...
It was time. Annette and I walked
over to the carnival ride…not quite like walking to the gallows. I asked a gal working the ride several questions: “Do you think I can do this?” Yes. “Do
you think I can do a back flip (I can do one off a diving board.)?” Yes. “Will
I break anything?” No. “How much?” $7 for 3 minutes. I’m in!
And there I stood in line with all
those “other kids”. I kept watching and learning. This one little black boy was
“tearing it up”, doing flip after flip. He probably weighed about 50 pounds. As
I stood there waiting my turn, I spoke with this guy standing outside the ride. I asked why
he wasn’t in line with me to do this. He laughingly and emphatically said “I don’t want to
spill my beer!” Oh, well. “There's no fool like an old fool.”
My turn. A young man strapped me
into my harness and then tightened the bungee cables for the extra weight load.
Okay, I get it. Then up I went, bouncing off the trampoline beneath me until the
timing and momentum were just right. Flip! Not quite. I can do this. I bounced
a few more times, then the legs went over, followed by the rest of me! Success.
Let’s do this again. I had several failed flips and about the same number of
successful somersaults…not a bad record for my first time. And we won’t even
mention my age. I was getting out of breath. “Woman, 62, dies while on bungee carnival
ride.” Nah. The young workers warned me that this 3-minute ride was tiring,
even for them. I’ll survive this! And I did.
I got unbuckled and wobbly-walked
out of the fenced-in ride, elated! I managed to get over to Annette, who captured snapshots and videos as
best she could, per my directions. We went over to where Mom, Mark and Linda
awaited my “live” return. I graciously received my kudos and then quietly spoke with my twin,
asking if he would be next in line. He was kind of curious, but not enough
to get off his chair. I asked “If not now, when?” Tomorrow? Some day? Maybe in
your next life?
I choose NOW!
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