Transcript: Episode 31
31. Alligators
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[Short piano piece is played, lasting about 20 seconds]
Okay guys, I know it’s not my turn but I got to tell you some things, because I want to go for a walk. So, last night I was looking around and exploring. I find my hotel around. I find where everything is and then I went outside, because I need some fresh air and I want to know where we can play. And so what I do, I find the swimming pool and the playground and the tennis courts and the lake. And I walked around the lake, because when you’re from Oklahoma and when you’re from Kansas, you need a lake like a camel needs water. And you go there and cool off and play and you can explore in the river and the lake and you can have adventures there and play there.
So, I was really excited, because it says Lake Buena Vista and that means good. So, a lake that’s good...well, I’m excited for that and I want to play there. So, I waited and last night was a hard day. So, we have a lot of trouble going to sleep. It was after one o’clock in the morning before we went to sleep, but Dr. E gets up at like 3:00 or 4:00 to do her work and our hotel room is like right under the stairs. So, we can’t get our internet in there. So, we had to work in the lobby and that worked because nobody was there. But then everybody started waking up and that was hard, but then she finished so it was okay.
And I still did not buy no donuts as big as my face. I didn’t. I did not even get hot chocolate. I didn’t buy nothing. I just had my cereal in my room like a good kid. I follow the rules. You know those donuts are big as my face. But when she finished work, I know it was my turn to play and we got to exercise and them girls can go work on the treadmill or the things - the machines. And I can do some weights and be strong.
But, we are at a lake and it’s a good lake. We were in an airport all day yesterday and it was so hard. So, I thought maybe we can get some fresh air and have a nice walk and be really happy of it. And it’s so green and it’s so pretty here, because we cannot play outside at home because it’s so cold and snowing and I got some snow boots, but...well, I am just excited to have a day off and just playing and resting. So, I want to go play outside.
And last night, I walked all around the lake and the trees and there’s a magnolia tree here and you know what it’s good for? It’s good for climbing. So, I climbed up in the tree for a while and I played in the tree. But then, there came some workers and them workers are pulling weeds and they’re cleaning up them flower beds, because they want that vista to be buena. And so they were working and so I didn’t want to get into trouble for being in the tree. So, I got down from that tree.
But then, I just wanted to go on a walk so I walked out of the hotel all the way down the street. But then, at the end of the street, it says Disney Springs. Well, it’s just right there by the stop light and I’m not going there. I don’t want to go there, because it’s loud. Our friend said it’s really loud there. So that is the opposite of where I want to go. Also, ugh, Disney. No thank you. Keep walking.
So, I turned around and went the other way and there’s just more hotels, but they got palm trees. And you know what palm trees are good for? Dates. I don’t mean the kissing kind. I mean the eating kind. I like some dates, but I can’t find none so I tried. I looked and looked for dates. Because, do you know that dates are really healthy? I need dates. Dates have every vitamin things that you need. They can be some nutrition. And I looked and I looked, but I don’t see no dates. Maybe you can buy them in the Disney store, but I don’t want no Disney dates.
Well, so then, I decided I can’t even find no dates so I’ll just go play at the lake and I’ll go exploring, because it’s a beautiful morning. Well, it’s a little cloudy. So, I wish I can see the sun. That would make me very, very, very happy because we love some sunshine, but it’s still warmer than at home. So, I don’t even have a sweater on, because it feels so good.
But, I’m just walking and I’m playing in the trees and I’m looking under there and exploring, because there’s all these like little caves at the bottom of the trees. I mean, it’s like a forest around the lake.
I don’t know what that was. Did you hear that? It scared me to death.
Anyway, so all around the lake are these very tall trees and also palm trees too. But also other kinds of trees, so it’s really thick. And at the bottoms is like brush, like you know? Like a forest or something. Like a jungle, maybe. Like a tropical jungle and down at the bottom of the trees where the brush is, sometimes there’s like little hidey holes in there and I want to go exploring in there. And I was looking around and I could fit in some of them and I was playing and I was trying to look for ducks and things.
And so, I was just walking all around the lake. And then, you will not believe what happened. I’m not even making this up. There’s a big, old sign right there. And you know what that sign says? It says don’t come here or play here, because there’s alligators. Alligators, you guys! Nobody told me there’s alligator’s. And I’m playing in the lake going to get eaten by the alligators because I just want to come play here. I do not want to be that person that comes to play at the lake and gets swallowed up by an alligator. That is not a part of my plan.
So, that worried me a little bit and I high-tailed it out of there. But, I still want to walk. So, now I’m walking on the tennis court which is not near as fun as exploring in the woods. It’s not. Not at all, but at least it’s outside. And it’s got a fence around it. So now, I have a cage protect me from the alligators. Except, here’s the problem, I’m the one inside the cage. That’s not fair. That’s not how my day’s planned at all.
And I think we’re just a little cranky pants from having a hard day and not getting enough sleep. So, I’m going to finish this walk and we need a nap. But after our nap, we’re going to make some choices. Because here is the thing, there is some people from them groups that those girls like of our friends who are going to be getting together like a party before Dr. E’s conference start.
So now, here’s what I’m thinking about that. I’m thinking...well, it sounds like a good idea and pretty fun for making friends, but I got some concerns about it. One thing is that if they find you, they can’t un-find you. So, some of them I know are safe. But, I don’t know if all of them are safe and I don’t know how to be just friends with some of them if it’s at a party. And also, what if I get scared? And that’s embarrassing. Or if them girls panic. So, I just have not decided. I don’t know if we can go. We got to talk about it some more. Maybe we can go. Maybe we cannot go. We still don’t know. But, maybe we need a nap first.
I’m not going to a party. Except sometimes at a party, they got snacks. Or maybe I could buy a snack like a donut as big as my face, but I don’t want to get a donut because I don’t want to get in trouble. And I want to make good choices.
But also, I found a microwave for heating up my lunch. So, we brought our food. I packed it all up for we can have a budget and be really smart about it. Because I’m stinking smart, except about alligators. That was not stinking smart. That was just stinking. Alligators try to eat me? I’m just here to play. I’m a guest in these parts. They got to be nice to me.
I don’t know if I can do a party - makes me nervous. The other thing is, all those people came together, even though some of them are nice people and safe people, and some even work really hard at keeping people safe, which I actually do appreciate. So, I should tell them do not get eat by the alligators.
And the other thing though, can you hear them birds?
[Background noise of birds chirping for approximately five seconds]
Oh man, birds make me happy as a jaybird. I like it. They’re happy. See, I already feel better just going for a walk even if I am just in a tennis court.
But, here’s the thing. Here is the thing. All them people, when they get excited and happy to be together and to get all connected and be friendly, do you know what they do? They take pictures. And here is my problem with that. Well, I don’t want to talk about it right now. But some of our girls in the inside, including...well, really...that one we just got rescued. We just got her safe. We just got her out of the attic and Molly is helping her, but I don’t want to do nothing that makes her feel unsafe. And one thing that makes her feel unsafe is pictures and so we can do a video and just do a podcast.
But, if I have friends, I can’t take my picture with them because it scared her even if we got our clothes on. And even if now time is safe. I don’t want her to get confused if there’s bad people taking pictures. But these are good people taking pictures. But, I think it seems too hard right now. And all that together feels like an awful lot to be trying to do in one day. I already saved our life from alligators. I don’t want her to think picture taking is more alligators.
Hey, they have a pretty good tennis net here. I wish we had the tennis and you can come play tennis with me. I would like that. Ooh, feel good, running around, bouncing some balls and maybe I could hit a ball on a tennis racket. But for right now, I’m just walking.
So, it feels like a lot. Getting your picture taken kind of feels like being in a cage with alligators on the outside. Why aren’t the alligators on the inside? And also, I think I don’t like being in a cage, even if it’s a tennis court. So, I know somebody who does not like being in cages. So, I’m just going to have to walk out of here. Which means I can’t talk no more, because there’s people over there. So, I got to turn this off and go finish my walk and then maybe we can take a nap and then maybe we won’t be such a cranky pants, even if there are alligators.
So far, Orlando is not the happiest place on Earth and it is not being very nice. Not even letting you play at the lake, but I won’t get chomped up by an alligator, like some lady walking her dog who don’t read the signs. I read the signs, so I got to get out of here. And that’s what it feels like trying to make friends or trying to get your picture taken or being in a tennis court that feels like a big, old cage, because it feels like the same thing. If I know the signs and this don’t feel good and it gets confusing, even if you know now time is safe, because what if it’s not.
The husband’s not here and the therapist’s not here, but I think now time is still safe maybe, but I think it’s time for me to go back inside. I think I’m done walking for right now. Except also, I’m kind of stuck here because on one side I’ve got alligators and on the other three sides I’ve got mens out there working and I’m trying to say in my head… I’m trying to think now time is safe, except with alligators. And these mens are just workers, but now I’m in a big, old cage with mens around me and that don’t feel good at all. And I think I got myself stuck. I feel a little bit trapped and that was an accident, like the opposite of what I wanted to do. I just wanted to come outside and play. I think we should not have left our room. I think I just want to go home. I think I just want to go home. We got our bear in our room. If I can get to our room, we got a bear in there.
[Break]
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