The lengthy scenic walk took Jody’s mind off an increasing height, just over four hundred feet in the air. Realistic surroundings featured faux rock, clear-blue waterfalls, and naturalistic sounds wowed every guest making their way up the winding stairs, cleverly disguised as a genuine, rugged, but well-traveled mountain pathway.
Now, nearly at the top, the young boy began to take stock of his elevated position. The high point became ever more foreboding as it came closer and closer, with the crowd moving him along in unison. The narrow tract suddenly opened wide, revealing ten intense lanes, separated by narrow, inverted U-shaped walls.
A gangly teenager stood to the right, handing out sleek, flat mats to people eagerly taking their positions to plunge down the gigantic water slalom, racing over several hills and dips, giving the ride its signature tummy-tickling thrills. Meanwhile, out in front, five lifeguard-esque figures stood, guiding guests to their proper lanes with friendly hand gestures and cheerful words.
It was all very exciting, but a bit anxiety-inducing as his turn drew nearer, ample time to think over the daring drop. Jody looked to his parents, who flanked his sides, for assistance. Surely, they could clearly see his trepidation was becoming too overwhelming. Maybe they knew a way back to the safety of the ground, without having to plummet over the frightening slope.
At just eight years old, Jody was a bright youngster, among the top of his third-grade class. Always enthusiastic to learn, he took his school work seriously but loved to play just as much. Now, he was in a new waterpark, enveloped in a fanciful world that delighted both children and adults alike. Although early in the day, he had already tackled four separate rides. But, this one was different.
When he stepped up to the edge, a subtle panic began to swell into pure dread. Jody wasn’t ready and signified his apprehension by retreating away from the brink, only to back right into one of the park employees, who promptly intervened, taking him by the hand to reassure the lad he was in no danger whatsoever.
She had a funny-sounding accent, almost like an Australian, but different somehow. When she spoke, some word pronunciations were much sharper and her intonation immediately amused the boy, who nervously smiled at her as she giggled at his uncanny reaction. At that moment, they shared a common bond, and she took full advantage to ease his concerns.
“What’s the matter, lil’ buddy?”
“I’m scared…it’s…it’s a long way down.”
“Well, it’s not nearly as far as it looks. In fact, it only takes about twenty to twenty-two seconds to get to the bottom!”
“Really?”
“Really! Twenty to twenty-two seconds…that’s it!”
To her, it was a familiar scene. In her short tenure at the water park, a good number of kids freaked out at the last moment, refusing to go down the oversized slide. She learned from experience and mentors alike how to handle these situations and found out that her accent was a helpful distraction to the mostly American tourists. Jody’s worry wasn’t the first she’d seen and certainly wouldn’t be the last.
The employee introduced herself as Isla, a college exchange student from New Zealand. Then, she took Jody aside, letting him observe the other guests go down the ride. He watched them go down safely, chuckling and laughing all the way. Most quickly got up at the end, only to hastily return to the ride queue, ready to do it all over again. At the same time, people continued to stream, one after another, to the front of the lines, exuberant to slide back down for the second, third, fourth, and fifth time.
Isla let Jody motion guests into their respective positions, down all ten lanes. He got so into it that she could clearly see he’d completely forgotten about being afraid. Savvily, she strategically invited him to take the lead in the line closest to her, handed him a mat, and then situated him perfectly in the middle, away from the lanes on the edges. Before he knew it, Jody was whizzing down the slide, racing against other boys his age.
The ride was exhilarating, it felt like flying without being in the air. He truly enjoyed the many exciting sensations and was strangely disappointed when he glided into the shallow pool at the end, slowing his pace. Isla was right, it took just seconds, too fast to count on the way down. Yes, it really was that quick, so swift that he bet himself he could time himself in his head the next time – which was only a winding, invigorating walk up the pathway. A journey he would make three more times in a row that same day.
But, the rides had to wait. It was already lunchtime and he’d worked up a big appetite. His family ordered a few entrees to split among themselves, and as they ate, they planned the rest of their day. The last one would be the first after lunch, Jody insisted to his parents. They were delighted to hear how much he enjoyed the experience and were proud he overcame his fear.
As they finished their mid-day meal, Isla approached, along with two of her colleagues. It was time for their break and as they walked toward the employee’s breakroom, she excused herself, walked right over to Jody, and asked him how he liked the ride. He replied in sheer glee, telling her that he’d be right back at the top soon.
She smiled, then motioned for him to follow her to the restaurant pickup window. Isla whispered something to her coworker, pointing over to Jody with an adoring look, and then approached with a chocolate ice cream treat, handing the delicious dessert to the youngster.
“Remember, keep doin’ the things that scare ya, lil’ buddy!”
