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8:40:00 AM EDT
Hearing Lilah -- Don Henley
No Greater Love
Athena has an invitation to a birthday part today at Chuck E. Cheese, so later today I'll be picking her up from preschool and driving down to the other side of Dayton and spending a couple of hours in what I believe is a location closest to the actual mouth of Hell that exists on our planet. I mean, I loathe Chuck E. Cheese: Bad pizza, bland games, terrifying floor show featuring shabby animatronic rodents. I might as well encase my head in sealing wax for the duration visit -- as should any adult. The place isn't designed for us, and quite frankly, the adult who enjoys going there should probably be tracked by the FBI.
However, when Athena found out the party was at Chuck E. Cheese, she hopped up and down. And that's because like most kids, she thinks the place is cool. And when you're five, it is cool: All the bright lights and noise is like having a sugar rush the entire time you're there. She and her little friends are going to get there, cram down cake and pizza, run around like maniacs and then collape from exhaustion on the car ride home. It's how it's done. And it's how Chuck E. Cheese stays in business. It doesn't care about the adults. It doesn't have to. The adults are going to come whether they want to or not.
Anyway, this is how I know that I really love my kid: Because I'm willing to endure Chuck E. Cheese because I know it'll make her happy. And I know that at some point in the future I'll have to do it again. We won't be entirely outside of the Chuck E. Cheese nexus of pain for at least five years yet, or until Athena's internal sense of esthetics is advanced enough to acknowledge that there's something way too creepy about Chuck and his pals. No, I won't rush it. You can't rush it. They have to realize these things on their own. The bad news here is that the day she stops liking Chuck E. Cheese is probably the day she starts wanting a belly ring. Shoot me now.
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Maybe I'm nuts. Maybe it's all the years in daycare but I don't mind it. I mean in Massachusetts we have Carousel Skating Rink and I think that's the worst. I don't skate. The food stinks and they have a giant monster,it's a dressed up,that runs around and plays with the kids. Last time Austin was standing there and he was scared he ran to me yelling,DAWN,DAWNIE,DAWN,kill it! Kill it." (Part of me wanted to pick up the trashcan and do just that.) Alas,there were to many witnesses. Lol.
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Chucky Cheese is not that bad, you'll have an adventure! Sure it's for kids, but it's great for people watching. The looks I have seen at Chucky Cheese are the classic thousand yard stares of the weary parent and the amazing gestures of parents trying to get their childs attention. I swear they go easy on the water mix in the soda machine as I've never tasted soda that had a sugar kick.
Bring lots of money and don't forget to add up the real cost of the prizes! -
Haha. BTDT now my kids are all out of that stage. PHEW!! Just wait, I bet you'll have a party there one of these days.
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hehehe,
Did you know that Chuck E. Cheese was started by Nolan Bushnell, aka the Godfather of Video Games? Strange as punch, I know. Turns out he just wanted to have giant rats creepily watching little children, or that's what he says, anyway.
Ohako
10/19/05 8:08 AM
Chuckie E. Cheeses does not use equipment to keep their establishment clean, if you will notice many places like DQ or some BK use Ultraviolet lights. It seems the managers at Chuckie don't know what these lights do, they kill bacteria and some virus, furthermore, it is dark in most of these stage shows, with dim lighting. Also if you will notice that some establishments have a blower when you come in the door not the chuckie...now if you had your choice to go to a restaurant that had a robotics mouse or UV lights which would you go to?
Just take a look at the DPH web site in Fredericksburg Va. the workers are not even alowed to ware Gloves or other personal protective equipment. Even if they have to handle body fluids. And you want these people to handle your food, wipe your table, and work on the ice maker several months back there was mold in the ice maker(DHP), this could have been stoped by UV lights, or seals in the ice maker.
But because they care nothing about safety and health, and 85% of the employee's can't speak good English, these places are a trash heap.