Scaring My Boys: The Ride That Makes Me Laugh Till I Cry

In honor of Halloween, over the weekend some of our friends brought their kids to SpookFest at Tanglewood Preserve and scared the daylights out of them on a super-haunted walk through the woods. My Guys would never go for that. But offer them a ride on the giant slide at the carnival and they can barely contain themselves! Scared out of their wits with each drop, their faces reflect their obvious fear. Folks around me watch as I break up in gut-wrenching laughter as The Boys’ terror grips then releases them alternately with each bump in the slide.

True! I ALWAYS say “yes” to the slide!

I once let them ride a giant slide at the St. Anthony’s Feast three times in a row… just because I got such a kick out of seeing the terror on their faces. As I told my friends to watch for the terror phenomenon, an eavesdropping bystander appeared appalled by my amusement in my children’s fear.  Appalled, that is, until he witnessed their big-slide, over-the-bump fear-faces himself. By the time My Boys hit the bottom of the slide, he was doubled over laughing with the rest of us. And, just so he didn’t think I was totally cruel, I told him to watch what happens at the end of the ride… When My Boys jumped up and yelled, “AGAIN! AGAIN!”

“Absolutely!” Who am I to spoil their — any my own — good time?

So on Sunday at the Freeport Nautical Mile Street Festival, once again, I did not deny My Beautiful Little Men their fun… and terror…. Twice! Yes, twice they climbed the big long rickety metal staircase up several flights to get to the top of the slide (honestly, that’s the part that scares me). And, yes, they were TERRIFIED on the way down. And yes, they absolutely leaped with joy at the bottom, smiling and screaming, “AGAIN MOMMY! AGAIN!”

What made this ride different from every other giant slide ride that came before? My big new digital-SLR camera (remember my 50th birthday present?) caught the action — and terror — with amazing and hysterical accuracy… and now, I get to share it with YOU!!!

Note: This is a great science lesson as well: one of My Big Little Men is being brave with his arms open wide like he’s on the roller coaster… either that or he’s trying to slow himself down by creating more body surface to increase wind resistance. LOL. The Other Guy is dragging one hand on the slide and the grabbing the wall with the other, in a futile attempt to slow himself down by creating friction. Gosh I LOVE My smart Little Men!