Saturday, May 29, 1993

May 29, 1993 - Saturday - Meeting Terri too late

Well, I accomplished exactly what I set out to do today. I decided to head over to Busch Gardens to say goodbye to Terri. It worked out far better than I had hoped for. I almost decided not to even go up to Kumba, but a group of [snip] sat next to me on the train. Of all the people in Busch Gardens, a group of smelly loud blacks decided to sit with me!.! They caused me to want to get up and practically run away screaming. Anyway, I came across Jeff on the boardwalk and we talked as we walked up towards the queue house. I then said hello to this cute little blonde named Bridget. She's only a sophomore this year in high school! I then walked up the side path to skip the line and get right on.

I saw Terri standing at the turnstile and was glad that it was so easy to get to her. I was afraid she would be in a position of responsibility, such as the button, or on the panel where she wouldn't be able to talk. Instead, she was in the spot where nobody can see or bother us. She was a little surprised to see me, because she knew that I didn't work today. I told her that I came to say goodbye to her and see her one last time. She liked that but wondered how I found out because she hadn't told many people. She said that she didn't tell anybody in Timbuktu because their little tradition is to throe the person in the fountain on their last day. I joked that I could stick around and help her into the Congo river if she'd like. She laughed, but unfortunately refused. I told her that I asked Ron what was up when I saw that she only worked one day, and he told me that she was leaving. She said that a lot of the people in Timbuktu used to think she was a bitch. I told her that I never noticed, attributing it perhaps to the fact that I didn't work under her. I would like to work, however, on top of her! Ha ha.

Terri says that she's been living in Orlando now for quite some time and has been commuting just to make sure that she has some kind of job. She's moving now to Ft. Meyers to try and become an elementary teacher. She got her degree at USF and has interned mainly in Carrolwood, including Cecil Essrig Elementary. I love that school because it is gorgeous, and the name is German. She says that she loves kids and their really seem to respect her. It is also a very impressionable time for them, to which she greatly agrees. I told her of my possible interest in becoming a pediatrician, and that I really enjoy kids as well. We swapped some stories about working over at Pygmy Village. She said that it is usually the parents that are worse than the kids. I told her that I always flirt with the mothers, and then everybody is happy.

She has a boyfriend named Kevin who works now in Jacksonville but is opening a division of the company in Ft, Meyers in about six months. She'll be down there essentially by herself. She only knows one person, and he is a friend of Kevin's! I asked her if she already knows where she is staying, and also how much money she has saved, thinking about Kimmeth. She says that she has no idea and will look for a place the day she goes down. She says that they do have a Ft. Meyer's classified section of the paper to look through. She says that she only has about six hundred dollars saved up! She's starting out worse off than Kim did! She then got sent to lunch, and I went along with her. I had fun being wonderful and holding every door open for her.

I talked to this older big woman from the photo booth across from Kumba a lot yesterday morning while I was on the boardwalk. We kept hoping it would rain and she told me to go out and do a rain dance. It was funny. There's another woman there who I talk to briefly every once in a while. they came up behind us in line and were both talking to me. I told her that my rain dance worked last night. She laughed and agreed and told me that I had better do it again today. It was funny. There was no ketchup left, and Terri asked me if I'd get her some when I ordered my drink. I ended up going outside to the public condiment stand and bringing her back a whole handful of little packets! It was funny.

We sat with two of the high school girls, with me straight across from Bridget. She goes to Land o' Lakes High School. Doesn't everybody!?! I found out today that Rhonda and Tina go there, too! We talked a little bit more. The three of us talked a few minutes about Alan's baby and how he's coping with it. Terri told me that she went and saw his wife because she used to be her supervisor a long time ago. I remember when she used to come to Flume at night, ugly thing.

Terri said for some reason that she always feels a lot older than everybody else no matter where she is. I asked her how old she is, and she said twenty-three. I didn't direct the conversation to my age after that, but she did. She guessed that I am twenty, and I snickered as I told her my real age.

Brad was sitting behind me with Victoria, the short-haired blonde, and we talked to him for a few minutes. For some reason she wouldn't talk to me even when I turned completely around. I'd like to think that it was a hint of jealousy. I walked back with her and rode the Kumba once before I left. I told her that I really enjoyed getting to know her on the day that she is leaving. We laughed at that and she said that sometimes things happen like that.

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