The Loop da Loop Adventure

A good friend recently published an absolutely hyterical blog posting about a trip to Great Adventure. If you'd like to read it (and I suggest you do) here is the link; you'll be so glad you did, it's funny stuff!

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.phpsid=102891614221&h=5pxaw&u=BI63M&ref=mf

After reading his post I shared a personal story of my own with him and his reaction made me decide to post it here for you.

As a teenager I worked part time for an upscale clothing store in my hometown. I had a ball working there! There was a deep sense of camaraderie at the store and the people working there often socialized after hours and on weekends. Some of these people are still dear friends today. One summer our boss hired a coach bus and took us all to Great Adventure for the day.

Since we were going as a group from the store, we had to look good. Stressing over what to wear was nothing new, young girls love to worry and over-analyze every aspect of how they look. We knew is wasn't a fashion show, still none of us wanted to be outdone by another. We showed up in the latest summer fashions with our hair done just so. I wore a cute little Gunny Sack sundress and cute little strappy sandals, my hair was just so and looking cute; curled and up on the sides with hair combs. I was there to be seen, not the least bit worried about comfort.

The big attraction at Great Adventure that year was the Loop da Loop roller coaster, it was the first coaster in this area that went upside down. Several of us were very excited to ride it, so we headed for the ride right away. We stood in line for our turn and soon I was boarding the coaster. I flirted with the college boy working the controls as he pushed the harness into place around me. He smiled in that, "You're cute" kinda way as he checked my harness extra-carefully. I was feeling happy and very glad I had good tan lines. ;) After securing all the passengers, College Boy stepped back from the tracks and up on the platform; flashing his Trident-white smile at me.

The roller coaster jerked forward in a violent way and snapped me out of my moment. It took me up, up, up, up slowly. I could feel my anxiety mounting and I looked around to make sure the tracks were still there, generally trying to reassure myself that I would survive. For a brief moment I could see the entire park as we reached the top. Then the coaster shot straight down and we winded around for awhile, bobbling from side to side as we bumped and swerved. Then I saw the loop coming up. My heart rose in my throat and I knew if I just watched everything and didn't scream, I would be okay. We reached the bottom of the loop and it felt like the coaster slowed down a great deal as we traveled straight up. When we rounded the top, my rear came up out of the seat about two inches and my shoulders went down against the harness; it was exhilarating and scary as hell! Then everything went black; did I pass out? I was completely blinded; couldn't see a thing! Before I completely had a panic attack, I realized my cute little Gunny Sack dress had flown up and over my head! The harness held my arms in a way that prevented me from repositioning my dress appropriately over my...ehem... personal space for the duration of the ride. So the dress stayed there~ over my head.

I was blind as a bat and started to imagine people pointing and laughing at me as the cars pulled in to the loading area at the end of the ride. Soon, the coaster slowed down to what seemed like a crawl. I tried shaking my head to remove the dress, but to no avail; the hem was now hooked over my head. The harness prevented my fingers from grabbing a large enough piece of fabric in order to pull it down. It was as if the dress were pasted to my head, face and the ride's harness.

We eventually squeaked to a stop and the ride's harness lock was broken. I grabbed the dress as quickly as I could and pulled it down, my hair combs coming loose in the rush to cover myself. Throngs of people waiting in line were either laughing or looking at me with deep empathy. Then I realized I had on a pair of "Days of the Week" panties. Yep, there, for all the world to see were my black panties with a red embroidered, cursive Saturday on them! I was doubly mortified because no one my age had worn "Days of the Week" panties since Junior High School! I did have the presence of mind to be thankful I was wearing the correct day's panties, I mean how skeevy would I have seemed if I was wearing Wednesday's panties on a Saturday?! Gross...

Anyway, College Boy chuckled as he helped me out of the seat and I scrambled to adjust my dress further, fix my hair and generally compose myself. He was smiling even more now and was way too personal in his tone and conversation. To say I was mortified would be an understatement. The whole experience left me feeling...well, less than dignified.

Note to self: Never wear a dress to an amusement park. Oh! And don't wear "Days of the Week" panties past the age of fourteen!