The Battle For My Wallet IV: Return of the ZZUBs (Addendum, p.85; 07/12)

[mikayla73]

hmmm ... maybe it's the Disney odor ...

 

[pigget74]

Chapter Two: The End of our Discontent
I’m convinced God put her in our room that day. She was the most proficient of the many ultrasound technicians we’ve dealt with this year.

And so the summer of our discontent ended not on August 30th, the day we boarded a flight for Florida, but on August 24th, exactly five months to the day after we lost Samuel.

Exactly seven months to the day before his baby brother or sister is due.


Click Here For Chapter Three

Last night as we were driving to a church event my DH and I were talking about our upcoming trip. As we were talking Chris Rice came on and DH, DD, and I started singing along with the song. When it ended he said you know ZZUB has this on his sig. now. At that moment we started discussing you and your report. I had not started it yet because I was waiting on finishing the ones that I had already started, but as you can see I could not resist. Anyway our conversation moved on to what makes a great TR. We talked about yours, Delswife, horsegirl, twinkimama, Fricks, and some others... that by the time it is over you feel like you know them personally. That they have opened up their lives and shared things that don't go with the report, but make the report. I look at the 7 month timeing as this--7 is very common in the Bible--7 is regrowth. Congratulations!!!

 

[TikiGoddess]

ZZUB, always love your reports, but have never posted. Keep up the good work.

By the way, don't know if this was a Freudian slip or not, but....

"Best seven ducks a day I spent"

if you were paying the valet in ducks I can see why they steered clear of you at Wilderness....I'm just saying...something to think about.

I guess that's one way to guard your wallet.

Waiting patiently for the next installment and hoping no animals were harmed in the making of it.

 

[megandbrandon]

We had several hours to kill before dinner and my wife needed some rest. In other words, she needed me to stop dancing on the bed and taking pictures of light fixtures.

“Here Daddy. You hold these.” Translation: take this trash before I accidentally throw them down.

That is great! Too cute!


I absolutely love your trip report! There were so many more funny things in this, but since I have no clue how to quote like everyone else I figured I wouldn't try past the first two I loved. Thanks so much for sharing this with us! It is so funny and touching at the same time.

 

[ZZUB]

Chapter Eight: Where Even a Napkin Twirl Has Meaning

We’ve never stayed at the Contemporary Resort. But since these are the Disboards, that won't stop me from giving my opinion on it. Ever since I was a little squat and toddling around Disney World with my parents, I’ve wanted to stay there. We just never did. My dad loved the Contemporary. My mom loved the Polynesian. Which might explain in major part why our one stay in an on-property resort was at the Polynesian. But as best I can remember, on almost every trip to Disney World, we ate at the Concourse Buffeteria. What you people call Chef Mickey’s now.

In those days, the Grand Canyon Concourse of the Contemporary Resort Hotel was the coolest inside of a building I’d ever seen. For most of my adolescence and early 20’s (really, even now) any open air lobby reminds me of the Contemporary. Embassy Suites: Contemporary. The Marriot Marquis in Atlanta: Contemporary. The Capitol Rotunda: Contemporary. You get the picture.

If I am a nerd, and at this point, there’s really no denying it, it is because my dad is a nerd too. I come by it honestly. If I love Disney, and at this point, does anyone question my affinity for the World? it’s because I cut my teeth at Disney World. My dad read up a lot about how they went about designing the World; building it. So I was probably the only 5 year old at Disney who knew that General Steel constructed both the Contemporary and its sister the Polynesian with rooms that could be slid in like drawers.

I was also the only 12 year old who read The Warren Report, so don’t be questioning my nerd bona fides, ‘kay?

My dad was enamored of the Contemporary and I reckon so I was too. But for different reasons. I liked eating at buffets. And in the 1970’s, buffet restaurants were rarer than steak tartar. I knew of two: one by our house, the Swedish Smorgasbord. And the Concourse Buffeteria at Disney World. Yeah, the rooms as drawers thing was kinda cool, and the monorail whizzing by overhead, interesting. “You mean this is all I can eat?” That was MUCH more impressive to me.

Do you see how little has changed?

Whether we ate there every trip, I do not recall, but it sure seems like we did. I remember well the all you can eat fried chicken. And spaghetti. Who thought those went well together? There was probably other stuff, but those were the only two foods that stick with me. Not literally. Just in my head.

The point of this excessively long digression? We ate at the Contemporary a lot growing up. My dad liked it and so did I. Going there feels like going home to me. It’s one of our Disney Things.

However, for reasons that are of little importance, between March, 1987 and March 1996, I didn’t go to Disney very much. And I didn’t eat at the Contemporary at all.

In March, 1996, my wife and I had been married only five months and I still had a lot of hair. We’ve been married 11 years now, and while I think we’ve always had a good marriage, I concede that our first year was pretty amazing. She still thought I was brilliant and funny and I still wanted to hang on every word she said.

And because my gorgeous, intelligent, remarkably skinny despite being 5 months pregnant wife occasionally reads this drivel, I still want to hang on every word she says.

Anywho. Our March, 1996 trip was one of the best trips we’ve taken to Disney World. It was the first time I stayed on property since I was a kid and it was the first time my wife and I stayed on property together. We stayed at All Star Sports and we thought it was the coolest thing we’d ever seen. I was amazed at how cool it all was. Innovative. I spent more than a hour one morning just walking around taking pictures of the place. We stayed in the football building and in those days they played college football fight songs in the passageways. The popcorn box light fixtures, the locker shaped dressers. Little touches like that made it seem extraordinary to us.

We’re simple folk. Also, we were young and in love. So you can pardon our easy amusement.

It was as part of this trip that we first ate at Chef Mickey’s. And, as with everything we did during that trip, we have very fond memories of it. And with every fond memory we have of Disney comes the desire to repeat it year after year. That’s how it becomes a Disney Thing.

We were in Disney World with some friends who were on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ. We were having a great day with them in the MK and we were getting hungry. I remembered that the Contemporary had the Buffeteria and I was in the mood for all you can eat fried chicken.

If the guys I hung out with during my freshman year at Bama are reading this, that sentence will be exceptionally funny to them.

We hopped onto the monorail to head over to the Contemporary for dinner and we told our friends that we were treating them to dinner. How much could dinner for four people cost anyway?

I know, it’s precious how naive I was. Our friends had never been to the Contemporary and as we rode over on the monorail I was giving them a bit of a history lesson. However, as we departed the monorail and headed towards what was supposed to be the Concourse Buffeteria, I noticed things looked a whole lot different than I remembered.

As we walked up to the restaurant, I could see the buffet so I knew it was all you can eat, even if the décor had changed. There was a sign with the menu off to the side, over in front of the Outer Rim Lounge (at which you cannot get coffee). My wife and I walked up to it and read the menu. It all sounded good.

And then we saw the price. $15.99 per person!

Gulp.

First of all, I would sell the Schpup! to only pay $15.99 to eat at Chef Mickey’s now. Now that they’re charging $29.99 for THE EXACT SAME FOOD! But in those days, the halcyon mid-90’s when Friends, Seinfeld and Frasier was Must See TV and when ZZUB wasn’t a lawyer, $15.99 per person was a lot of money. My wife asked me whether we could afford it.

”No, but there’s nothing we can do about that now. We’re here. So, um, maybe we don’t eat out at all next month, okay?”

If our friends saw the price or if it registered in their minds how much we were paying for their dinner, I still don’t know. We walked up to the hostess stand to inquire about eating dinner.

Do you remember 1996 when you could just walk up to a restaurant and be seated?

She told us it would be a few minutes but they could accommodate us. Soon enough, we were seated and my friendship with Chef Mickey’s began.

What’s not to love? The whole set up of the restaurant makes great sense. It’s filled with a frenetic energy but it’s not insane; you won’t need prozac to eat there. It’s loud, it’s colorful and the characters to guest ratio is pretty low. Or high. I never know which is the good one.

Hey, I went to law school not math school. And I did my undergrad at Alabama. I’m lucky I can balance my checkbook.

I use Microsoft Money for that, by the way.

The other thing I love about Chef Mickey’s is the food. Victoria and Albert’s it ain’t but then again if you’re eating at V&A’s you’re probably not a “buffet person” anyway. But it’s good eatin’ for people like me who use the phrase good eatin’ and think it’s a superlative description.

It’s meat.
It’s peel-and-eat shrimp.
It’s parmesan potatoes.
It’s a dessert bar that makes you think you died and went to Heaven.

As a small person.

The desserts at Chef Mickey’s are bite sized. Like a Snickers. This is actually one of the things I like about Chef Mick’s. Because the desserts are ridiculously tiny, no one looks at you funny when you pile your plate with a dozen German chocolate brownie bites, or a half dozen carrot cake squares. If a piece of cheesecake the size of a Tic Tac is more your thing, you can have a score of those too. Plus, there’s a boatload of candy and other sundae toppings. But you don’t have to eat ice cream to enjoy the candy toppings. You can just put them in a bowl and eat them.

Not that I’d do that.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

One of the reasons I love Disney is because they take an ordinary idea and make it extraordinary. It’s that creative touch, that unique attention to detail that I appreciate. At it’s most basic, Chef Mickey’s is just a buffet with slightly above average food. What makes it exceptional is the fact that there are two identical buffet lines and a mess of characters wandering about.

What are the All Stars but a Days Inn with bright colors, big pools and oversized icons?

PORiverside is nothing more than a Comfort Inn with columns and a great food court.

You get the idea.

If you don’t, then re-read this chapter.

As a punishment.

So to sum up, I love Chef Mickey’s in part because it reminds me of being a kid and being at Disney World with my then-happy family. I also love Chef Mickey’s because it reminds me of being at Disney World with my then-new wife. With only one exception, during every trip to Disney World since March, 1996 we have eaten at Chef Mickey’s. In 2003, we ate there twice. Some of our most signal Disney memories occurred at Chef Mickey’s.

My daughter celebrated her 2nd birthday there.

Now then. We arrived at the Contemporary and because I had valet parked at the Lodge, I could valet again for free at the Contemporary. (Just a helpful tip. Use it as you wish.) I asked the valet to get me a wheel chair for my wife because I didn’t want her doing too much walking. We went up to the 4th floor and checked into Chef Mickey’s. They told us it would be a few minutes so we wheeled over to BVG.

This part of the night felt weird to me. It felt weird then and it feels weird now. We always go to BVG and we actually look forward to it. But it felt like we were going through the motions. I had a nagging sense of anxiety about my wife and the baby. My head was filled with images of where we had been 24 hours before. I do that sometimes. Get stuck watching the movie in my head. Comparing where I am right now with where I was a day before. I kept reliving scenes from the ER and then worrying about whether the baby was actually ok. It felt suffocating to me inside BVG and I could feel the sweat running down my side. A wet spot formed underneath my hands on the wheelchair handles. My daughter, for her part, seemed blissfully unaware anything was going through our minds. She was happily running around the store showing us stuff she liked. Oh to be her age again. Innocent and unaware.

We had just enough time to survey the store one time when our buzzing coaster started flashing and we wheeled back to Chef Mickey’s. I naively thought that just going into the place would shift the scene in my head from a worried one to a happy one. I hoped the memories of countless other visits would flood back and I would be able to enjoy myself. We parked the wheelchair by the strollers and walked, up to the hostess stand. As she walked us to our table, the hostess was giving us instructions. Slowly. She kept stopping and pointing out the most ridiculously obvious things. I know she was just doing her job and I was unusually anxious, but seriously when she said, “This is our buffet and you can eat as much as you want,” I had to interrupt her.

“Ma’am, I appreciate that you’re doing your job, but my wife was in the hospital less than 24 hours ago and she can’t be standing up this long. Can you please get us to our table?”

I wish I could tell you that I at least spoke those words with a polite tone. I did not. My wife was weak and I was worried and I didn’t need anyone to explain to us that the colorful display we just passed was the dessert bar. I needed to get my wife into a chair.

The clearly offended hostess moved with dispatch at that point and seated us. But not before she scolded me for not keeping my wife in her wheelchair. Although I could have let it go, I didn’t. I explained that my wife didn’t want to eat in a wheelchair. She could walk and chose to. My tone suggested it was none of her business. I’m not proud of this exchange. Not at all. I know she was just doing her job. But so was I. I needed to take care of my wife in that moment. I apologized to the hostess for my curtness. She seemed to understand.

And then we were sitting at our table in Chef Mickey’s.

Around us were dozens of tables of people. The food was a few feet beyond my wife's shoulders. The sound of fun Disney music was at once irritating and infectious. As we gave our drink orders to the waiter, I wondered whether this night would be a disaster. Would this be the last time we ate at Chef Mickey’s?

My daughter spotted a character a few feet away and got herself all excited about it. I instinctively reached for my camera to get it ready and somehow in the process, I stopped watching us and started to enjoy her infectious excitement. My wife figured out that Minnie was headed a different way and we had some time to get our food. I took my daughter to the buffet and fixed our plates.

Never done that before. That’s my wife’s job. I was reminded again things were different.

But different isn’t always bad.

She patiently stood with me while I fixed my plate too. Nice slice of meat and a heap of parmesan potatoes. Or two. We went back to the table and I offered to go get my wife’s food. But she wanted to do it herself. Either she wanted to stand up on her own or she knew I was going to load her down with protien. Hard to say.

Once we were all back at the table, we said grace and thanked the Lord that we were there, in Chef Mickey’s, and about to enjoy some good food. No sooner had we finished than Minnie was at the table.

It’s times like this I wish we didn’t have an inordinate fear about posting pictures of ourselves on the internet. I have several pictures from Chef Mickey’s but one in particular is special to me.

It’s my wife and daughter with Mickey Mouse. My daughter is beaming because she loves Mickey and his restaurant. But my wife. Oh my wife.

She looks beautiful.

You’d never know that 24 hours ago she was in the emergency room. Thinking her baby had died. You would never know that to look at her. I’ve been married to her for 11 years and I cannot even see it in her eyes. She looks calm and happy. At peace. I love that picture. It’s the desktop on my office computer. The one I stare at for 12 mind-numbing hours a day. I remember when I took it thinking how happy they both looked. And I remember thinking, “maybe this will be a good trip after all.”

Shortly after that, they started the music and my daughter grabbed her napkin and hopped out of her seat. She knew it was “time to part-te!” She actually stood in the middle of the aisle and twirled her napkin with reckless abandon.

I have the most awesome picture of her in mid twirl, her tongue stuck out just like her daddy when he’s engaged in some serious task. My little girl was twirling her napkin like a pro.

It’s hard to know what she had absorbed of the last 24 hours. She knew I had to take Mommy to the hospital and she knew we might not go to Disney World. She’s not stupid; she could tell Mommy and Daddy weren’t acting like we normally do when we’re on our way to Disney. The conversations were different. Daddy seemed extra tense. Now Mommy was in a wheelchair. She didn’t say much about any of these things. Little kids normally don’t. Still, I’m pretty certain she figured out things were different.

But she saw Daddy acting crazy, doing a victory dance on the bed so she knew I was on vacation.

I watched her twirl her little napkin and I couldn’t help but think to myself, "my little girl is acting crazy. She’s on vacation now."

______________________
Click Here For Chapter Nine

 

[Motherofboys]

Wow ZZUB, great post. Although I have to admit, your tone is making me feel a bit anxious. I hope all is still well with you and your family. I will keep you in my prayers.

 

[vamassey1]

Very touching!


Vaness

 

[Alice28]

Great post Zzub, although I am with motherofboys- I'm very anxious for you and your wife!

 

[samc]

It’s times like this I wish we didn’t have an inordinate fear about posting pictures of ourselves on the internet. I have several pictures from Chef Mickey’s but one in particular is special to me.

It’s my wife and daughter with Mickey Mouse. My daughter is beaming because she loves Mickey and his restaurant. But my wife. Oh my wife.

She looks beautiful.

You’d never know that 24 hours ago she was in the emergency room. Thinking her baby had died. You would never know that to look at her. I’ve been married to her for 11 years and I cannot even see it in her eyes. She looks calm and happy. At peace. I love that picture. It’s the desktop on my office computer. The one I stare at for 12 mind-numbing hours a day. I remember when I took it thinking how happy they both looked. And I remember thinking, “maybe this will be a good trip after all.”

Your writing is so beautiful and descriptive there's no need to post the photo.........we can picture it without having ever seen your family!

 

[**pixiedust**]

Of course you don't know me, and I don't know you, but I always read your TRs...and right now I am MORE than a little concerned about your wife and your family. Weird how this internet thing is, huh? I am anxiously awaiting the next installment.....

 

[LaLa]

I could feel the sweat running down my side.

I'm assuming you had the Southern boys' uniform on: a Tommy and white tee to combat the pit stains. If not, you should have.

I use Microsoft Money for that, by the way.

Not another freaky borg thing. It's time to curl up into a ball and find my happy place.

...her tongue stuck out just like her daddy when he’s engaged in some serious task...

Please don't tell me you do that in court.

I loved this chapter, Z. It was really sweet and gave us another insight into why you love CM's so much. Well, other than for the prime rib and parmesan potatoes. And cool desert bar. Cause that's just a given, I think.

I love the way you describe the two pictures of your girls. It's almost as if we can see them in our mind's eye without you ever having to post them. I know I can. Your love for your wife and sweet daughter really shine through in this one.

Along with your love for fried chicken.

This one was great, Z. Keep em coming.

 

[UtahMama]

Stop making me cry! Shoot, you're like a Hallmark or Kodak commercial or the words to "Wishes" all rolled up in one. Add Old Yeller for good measure.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this surprise chapter!
Give your wife our love...we feel as if we know her!


Much Love!
UtahMama

 

[lexmelinda]

Brilliant, again, my friend. I laughed, I cryed, I salivated, and now I'm headed out to get some fried chicken........

 

[RNLUVSDISNEY]

hey, thanks for the little comment about your now 5 months pregnant wife. I find myself saying little prayers for you all the time. I was walking into work the other day and you came to mind (I work in a hospital, maybe that's why). Even though your trip report will be long done, could you post a note when the baby is born. I feel like I've lived so much of these 2 pregnancies with you. Maybe you could post on one of Happy Haunts reports, she'll still be writing 4 months from now

 

[jamal]

ZZUB, Does your wife know how many internet friends are praying for her? I hope so.

Thanks for taking me to Chef Mickey's today. I have dozens of pics of my family napkin-waving and eating enormous sundaes. Of course, Shrek has to be the photographer because I am knee-deep in parmesan mashed potatoes there.

Anxiety is a creepy visitor, isn't it? Just when you feel better about your wife and are getting into the groove of creating new memories in a familiar happy place, it rears its sweaty head. That's just rude.

I'm glad you had the privelege of directing your daughter through the buffet. One day I hope to see my DH do that!

 

[1000thhappyhaunt]

Let's see.

Firstly... I rose to my feet. At my desk. In order to run to the bathroom.

The happyhaunts ALSO ate at Chef Mickey's twice on our 2003 trip.

Freaky borg.

And I felt sick(ish).

That was because I thought I might have to ZZUB, ZZUB.

Secondly... I came back and sat down. On the kitten. In my deskchair. Which is black. Like the kitten.

Because I thought this chapter was calling Me(l). And I had to read it right away.

That was because I did not see that cat right away. And I was anxious to read. More.

Thirdly... the kitten is fine. He is now in a rage. Of sorts.

Fourthly... I have a strong feeling that your wife is just FINE. The baby too. And everything is going well.

That is because I know you were just being careful. Cautious and letting us know where you were in your head. At Chef Mickey's.

And because you're such a good writer you make us feel how you feel. Felt.

Capish?

I think you're a tremendous husband and father. And a good Christian man.

Back to the bathroom.

For real.

Fifthly... you are SUCH a total nerd. And geek.

A contempory geek. So to speak.

Who ate too many little desserts. Spun your napkin like mad. PAR-TAY! Ate ice-cream toppings WITHOUT ice-cream. And got a lil lil snippy with a CM.

So... you're ALSO a bit of a bad-boy.

Nerdy has nothing on being a BAD BOY!

I loved this chapter. Truly.

You don't need pictures. My friend. We can see you all in our mind's eye.

I know just how you all looked.

Thank you.

And... I'm even thinking I may have to reconsider my current dislike of Chef M's.

Maybe.

Anyhow...

Here's a wicked, tricked-out Harley D for ya:

Cheers, Mel.



P.S. Don't sell the Schpup. For nothin'. He'd weawy weawy be enwaged!

P.P.S. Different isn't always bad. You're right. Sometimes different is just different. And sometimes... it's better.

P.P.S.S. Easy on Bama. K?

 

[jedijill]

Yeah! I'm a nerd too! I read the Warren Report in 9th grade!

Jill in KC

 

[DisneyWorld Delight]

Awesome!

 

[offwegotoneverland]

Wow, another fantastic installment.

I truly hope & you'll be telling us all about the future little zzub's first trip next year.

Your family is lucky to have someone who can desribe these moments so well.

 

[luv2crash]

I'm really loving this novel, I mean trip report. You have a way with words.

Praying for the family. Glad to read the "my five month pregnant wife" part.