In the
summer of 1972 my mama and I were living in Firebaugh, California with her
boyfriend Bob Renfro. We
lived on his parent’s ranch that he was the foreman of. Since I was out of school for
vacation, my mama wanted to go visit her sister Annabelle in Riverside. Bob was in the mood for a road trip so
the little vacation was planned.
Even at six years old, I hated traveling in a car. I got car sick and traveling was a miserable endeavor for me. The very thought of it sent me into a stress induced migraine.
With or without a migraine or carsickness I hated car trips. Being in a car all day was just boring. I’m not sure if it was just my family or if it was the mind set of the 70’s but there was no such thing as a car traveling bag with toys, books or games to entertain kids. My instructions were, “Sit back and be quiet.”
I should mention that my mama was a very nervous passenger which made life also miserable for the driver. So being cooped up in the car with the two of them was not my idea of fun.
On the trip going to Riverside we stopped to get gas and food. Bob went into the store while mama and I waited out in the car. I was hungry and whining that I hated how long it takes to go see Aunt Annabelle. Mama told me to hush that it was a vacation and we were having fun. As I threw myself back into the rear seat, I sighed and rolled my eyes. (I was disgusted with this whole trip and it was only the first day!)
It wasn’t long before Bob came out of the store with 2 cans of Pepsi, a loaf of Wonder bread, a package of hot dogs and a small jar of yellow mustard.
Bob dipped a cold hot dog into the mustard, spreading the mustard on the bread with the hot dog and handed the ghetto dog to me. He was very proud of his makeshift meal. Mama thought it he was so ingenious and made that goofy gushy face at him.
I rolled my eyes, thinking that wasn’t so smart; staying home would have been smarter. Good thing I was too busy eating to say anything or my rear end would have smarted from the butt whoopin’ I would have gotten for speaking my mind.
As Bob drank his Pepsi, Mama shared hers with me. (I was sure I didn’t get half.)
I was so glad when we pulled up to Aunt Annabelle’s and Uncle Gene’s house, so I could to get out of the car and play. Or so I thought. Aunt Annabelle was only 42 so I never understood why she lived in a mobile home park for the elderly. With that being said it was no surprise that there were no kids in the neighborhood to play with.
I was handed a little red super-ball to play with and sent out side. As I was heading out the door I was told, “No running, screaming or yelling because the neighbors don’t like kids in the mobile home park.” I sighed, “Okay” and went outside with the little red ball. Well that kept my 6 year old attention for maybe 10 minutes.
It was hot
so I went into the house. The
adults were sitting at the kitchen table talking. I was to sit over in the living room
and not touch anything. There
was a tv but I can’t remember why I didn’t get to watch anything. I was to sit in a swivel rocker and be
quiet. I rocked and
swiveled the chair staring at the little red ball. (Yay, this vacation is
fun – eyes rolling)
We stayed the night at my aunt & uncle’s. The next morning as we were leaving Uncle Gene said we should go to Disneyland on our way home. (YES finally someone was talking about doing something fun!) As you can imagine I was quick to ask, “Oh please Bob can we?” Bob agreed so we loaded up the car to go see Mickey Mouse.
I sat in the back seat holding the little red ball tightly as I looked out the window for the famous Disney Castle I had seen on tv. They must have taken a left turn at Albuquerque because we ended up at someplace called Magic Mountain. They told me it was a new amusement park and would be just as fun as Disneyland. (I sighed, rolled my eyes as I was not amused in the least.)
As we pulled
off the freeway I could see the amusement rides and I quickly thought this
might not be so bad after all. I
started to get excited about this Magic Mountain. It wasn’t Disneyland but if there is
Magic it might be fun.
As Bob paid the lady at the gate $13.50 for the 3 of us to get in we were told that the price of admission paid for all the rides. (Yes, let’s go!) After we got through the gates mama told me, “Okay, go have fun.”
Did I mention I was 6?!?! 6 years old and told to go have fun in this 260 acre theme park in Valencia, California all by myself?!?! Wow, I can’t imagine leaving a 6 year old playing by themselves in their own front yard much less a theme park!!
However you should know that 6 year old me was used to this lifestyle so I thought it was normal for me to do things on my own and headed for the rides.
6 year old me quickly discovered the hard truth about amusement park rides, there was a height requirement for the fun ones. I was shorter than 42” (or 3’-5”) so I only could ride the kiddie rides without an adult.
Every ride guard, dealt with my being annoyed, sighing and rolling my eyes at them when they wouldn’t let me ride their ride.
Finally there was a lady with a little girl my age who said that I could go on the ride with them. (YAY, I get to ride a good ride.) All I remember about the ride was all the spinning and at the time I had a blast.
Once off the ride it was a different story and said, “I feel sick.” The ride guard spouted off, “that is why we don’t let little kids on!” I gave him my meanest look as I walked away.
As I wandered around the park I was having one of my family famous “pity party pouts.” I was mad that the only rides I could get on were for babies. I was upset that I was hot, hungry, and thirsty. Since I had no money this was not going to change anytime soon. The smells from the concession stands had me realizing that I hadn’t eaten since breakfast so I was near tears. Instead of Mickey Mouse there were ugly furry trolls everywhere. This place wasn’t magical or fun.
I wandered around and actually found mama and Bob at a picnic table eating a hot dog and drinking a soda. YES, I get to eat. Mama took one more bite of her hotdog and gave me the rest of it to eat. This time I know I didn’t get half.
Mama wanted to check out the gift shop, so the 2 of them went in and I followed behind. Mama discreetly looked at a price tag of a shirt, whispered to Bob the price and we immediately turned around and walked out of the store. Whatever the price of that shirt was caused us to leave the park at that point, they were done.
We stayed the night in a motel before leaving for home the next morning. I was thrilled to be headed home. Well we got close to home, ending up in Fresno which is only 50 miles away. It was familiar territory so I was more at ease.
We checked into the Hotel Fresno located next the Fulton Mall. This place was much much prettier than the motel from the night before. We went to dinner at Coney Island Hot Dogs at the mall. I got to have a chili dog with cheese and my own soda. (Yay, no sharing with mama)
Bob went to play cards while mama and I went back to the Hotel Fresno. The room had a tv and I was excited to see that Medical Center with Chad Everett was on. Mama read the newspaper. She said there was a movie theater near by and that we were going to go. (Yeah, now this vacation is getting better - let’s go to the movies.)
We went to the Warnors Theater two streets over from the hotel. That theater was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. The ceiling had a huge star and a gorgeous chandelier that made it seem like a magical place. It had plush red seats that I couldn’t stop touching.
When mama would tell her version of going to the movies that night she would say, “I was so grateful once Joela fell asleep to stop all of her questions.” The only question I remember asking was, “Mama why did that man yell at his horse for sleeping with him?” I also remember people laughing at me.
It would be quite a few years before I realize that my mama took 6 year old me to see Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather”.
The next day
we headed home from our 4 day road trip. That was one car ride I looked forward
to.
The above story is one that I wrote for a class paper titled "Magic
Mountain is no Disneyland." It is my memory of what happened during
that 4 day road trip. I had planned to tell it one way, however God
being God the Holy Spirit stepped in showing me my reactions to
situations. (Thank you God for
revelations)
As you can tell, my attitude at 6 years old was terrible, selfish and
very disrespectful. As the years went on that attitude had gotten
worse. I may have been a "nice" person when I got my way,
however when I didn't I would roll my eyes, sigh letting people know I was not
pleased and of course my "pity party pout" would take place.
Sometimes I would yell, scream and start a fight.... (I am very ashamed)
Please don't justify my actions because I was only 6 or think that oh you
weren't that bad. Oh yes I was! Most of my mouthing off at that
time was in my head, however as I got older I said what I was
thinking.
I would love to tell you that I have completely overcome this terrible
habit however the Holy Spirit is still working on/in me. I have to
constantly pray and work on my attitude.
I have made the conscious decision that I don't want to be that person
anymore.
I don't believe that there is anyone on earth that doesn't have an area
of their life that they don't need to work on.
What can you ask God to help you
change about you? I pray that you seek God asking Him what it is about
you that He wants to help you change.
Our God is a God of good, not evil. He only wants the best for His
children. AMEN!
Until next time, God Bless!
