Bad Parents, Stupid Men, and a Fruit Basket (More Theme Park Stories!)

[TealJellyfish]

As Promised more stories from the Theme Park Considering how many stories I have from that place (6 months worth of daily stories!) this could end up being weekly installments!!!

Fruit Basket!

I was working the slides in Coney Island. Now You have to be over 85cms to be able to go down the tilted piece of goodness. However if you are under 106cms you had to have a paying adult with you. Thems the Rules!

Me: *waves*
SK: Stupid Kid
OS: Older Sister
CW: Co Worker

SK: *is carrying mat*
Me: Just gotta check your tall enough buddy. Can you go stand over by the clown (Clown was the measuring tool... yes a clown... dont ask!)
SK: *walks over and is JUST to short*
Me: Sorry hun, your just a little to short. Is there a grown up who can go down with you?
SK: F*CK YOU LADY! LEMME SLID!
Me:
SK: LEMME F**CKING SLIDE YOU STUPID B***H
Me: No.
SK:
Me: Go back down the stairs and don't come back without an adult! NOW (My word was law. Every Manager would back you up!)

Bout an hour later kid comes up with his older sister.

Me: I see you found a grown up!
OS: He begged me til I gave in!
Me: Well I hope he was politer to you than me! (Yes I am evil:P)
Kid: *Looks vaguely sick!*
OS: *Looks at kid* What do you mean? What did he say to you??
Me: *repeats exactly what kid said*
OS: WHAT!!! *Looks at brother* I'm telling mum right now! You are in so much trouble! *Looks at me* I am so so so so sorry! He knows better than this! *Grabs brothers arm* Apologise to the lady! NOW
KID: *stammers* I'm sorry!
OS: You will be! *Looks at me again* I am so so so sorry! He wont get away with this don't you worry! *Drags brother down stairs!*

Me: *Stunned*
CW: Well that was new!
Me: Your telling me!

About 5 minutes later I see the Sister, The Kid, and 4 other people marching up the stairs... Uh Oh says my brain! I shouldn't of been worried!

OS: Sorry to interrupt but my mother, father, other brother and Grandpa wanted to come and apologize for my Younger Brothers Behavior! He knows better!
Mother: He does indeed! We are mortified by this!

Cue 5 minutes of entire family apologizing and the Kid looking like he wanted to sink through the floor! I kept saying it was ok but they kept apologizing! It was crazy funny. Finally they left and CW looks at me and goes
"Jesus if your not careful you'll end up with that kids first born!"

The next day I was in the staff room waiting for my shift assignment and the over the PA comes "Could Lexi come to the Customer Relations Office please!"
Me: WTF
CW: HAHAHA You're in trouble!
So I off I went and when I got there I found a MASSIVE fruit basket there... The card was signed "To Lexi: From the Family of a very rude young boy!" This basket had chocolates, fruit and alcohol in it! It took the entire park 2 days to get through all the stuff in it! It was insane but made my day! The look on CWs face when I walked back into the staff room was priceless! Kinda a cross between
as he realized who it was from!

You're not putting your 2 year old down the slide!

The slides at Coney island are pretty big. These parents tried to put their 2 year old down THIS SLIDE on her own!!! Not going to happen.

Me: Hi!
SM: Sucky Mum
SD: Sucky Dad
KAM: Kick Arse Manager!

These people were American tourists... yes it is relevant!

Me: OK can you stand her up against the clown for me please
SM: Why?
Me: I need to see if she is tall enough to go down... as it is she'll have to go down with one of you for certain! (Under 106 cms ... and ya know TWO YEARS OLD!)
SD: *stands up her against the measuring clown.. she is too short!)
Me: Im sorry she is to short to go down at all!
SD: No she isn't
Me: Sir.. clearly she isn't tall enough.. I'm sorry but its for her safety!
SM: You will let her go down ON HER OWN!
Me: No I will not!
SD: What are you? An idiot! We are customers!
Me: I realize that but her safety is up to me! And I say no! (Was getting very mad! I was only 18 at this point and hated being yelled at!)
SM: Jesus you only earn minimum wage just let her go down. Back home you would never have a god damn job!
SD: *Stands over me* LET HER SLIDE BITCH
Me: No. Not going to happen. My job, minimum wage or not is to make sure that everyone is safe using this slide. Your Daughter will not be safe!
SD: I want to speak to your manager! I'll get you fired!
Me: Oh whatever!
SM: YOU ARE SO RUDE! WE ARE PUTTING MONEY IN YOUR FUCKING ECOMONY YOU STUPID LITTLE BITCH! *She is screaming at this point*
SD: I cant wait til we go home!
Me: *Waves over manager but can't resist a last shot* Well really if you wish to kill your child on a 40 foot high slide who am I, a minimum wage worker to deny you that. *Said heavy with sarcasm as my manager walks up*
KAS: Whats wrong lex?
Me: *opens mouth and gets cut off*
SD: *spews abuse about how I wont let his daughter slide how dare I, back in the good Ol' US of A he can do whatever he wants blah blah blah*
KAS: She's right. Your daughter is to little to go down this slide at all let alone on her own. Please leave now before I have to call security!
SM: OH for F**KS sake! Doesnt anyone in this stinking little backwater prison of a country know how to treat paying customers!
KAS: *starts to call security*
SD: Come on honey. We'll go ride the bumper cars! *looks at me* WHORE!
Me: *grits teeth*

After they walk off KAS tells me to go on a break and he'll take over. So I head for the staff room. Half way through my break one of my Fav Co Workers comes up and sits down next to me fuming!

Me: Hey wats up? You look ready to kill someone!
CW: just had to chuck a couple and their kid out of the park! They tried to put their 2 year old in a bumper car on her own!
Me: Lemme Guess American couple with a little girl? *Giggling to self*
Cw: Yeah exactly!
Me: KAS and me threw them out of coney island for trying to put the kid down the slide on her own!
CW: Your kidding.. Jesus did you get the "Back home your scum" speech
Me: Yep! Security throw them out?
CW: Yeah, Dad was dumb enough to try and throw a punch to!
CW: *Hugs co-worker* You made my day!

Found out later that security nearly had them arrested! They got banned from the park for life and that they literally had to THROW Dad out cause he kept trying to hit out 7 foot tall security guard!

Objects moving at high speed KILL PEOPLE

Last one for now cause this is getting way to long! I was working on the Tango Train. It goes pretty fast, slamming the passengers into the sides and its impossible to hang on to anything for long! I was loading and unloading that day and watching the ride during operation to make sure that no one was getting hurt or doing anything stupid.. as this man was!

Me: Hi
SM: Stupid Man
SF: Stupid Friend!
RO: Ride Operator!
SD: Security Dude!

Me: *loads everyone, double checks restraints and then gives all clear for the ride operator*
RO: OK ladies & gentlemen, please keep your hands inside the carriage at all times and make sure you have no loose objects on your person! HERE WE GO

I watch the ride go round and round for the 1000th time that day ... catches sight of man holding a video camera! WOAH BAD BAD BAD!! So I signal the Ride Operator and made him stop the ride and ran over the carriage holding SM

Me: Sir I need you to put that camera away! If it flies off the ride it could injure someone! And it will break!
SM:Oh Ill hold unto it!
Me: Sir.. That's not the point! You need to put it away! Or get off the ride!
SF: Put it away man! Come on!
SM: FINE *puts it in his pocket*

I signal the ride to start again... and watches it go round and OH SHIT not again you stupid M*THERF*****R! So I Signal ride to stop

Me: Sir I told you to put that away! If you don't Ill have to ask you to get off!
SM: OH COME ON!
Me: Sir, Put it away! Or give it to me to hold! I am not going to get brained by your camera! NOW!
SF: *makes whipping noises*
SM: *puts away camera*
Me: One more time and BOTH of you are getting kicked off! Got it!

I Signal the operator to start the ride again... and keep close eye on guys... sure enough 30 secs later out comes the camera. I Stop the ride again and storms over to the men amongst yelling from the other riders!

Me: *Unlocks their carriage and go to pull the bar up* Right thats it get off!
SM: WHAT!!!
SF: THATS NOT FAIR!
Me: I warned you! Both of you! Now get off!
SF: Not gonna happen! *Holds bar down*
SM: You can't make us do anything!
Me: Wrong! See where you are? This is my ride which gives me the perfect right to kick you off this ride! Not only were you endangering your safety and everyone else on this rides safety you were endangering MY safety and I don't paid enough to get brained by a freaking video camera cause dumbarse LIKE YOU wants a nausea inducing video to take home. NOW GET OFF MY GOD DAMN RIDE!

Note: I am 5'5 and at this point I was 50 Kilos (100 pounds) of pissed off tired ride attendant! These guys caused a fight I wasn't going to win and I knew that!

SM: NO. I paid for this ride SO I GET MY RIDE
SF: YEAH!
Me: Fine *walks to operators booth and picks up the mic* Ladies and Gentlemen. I am sorry for the breaks in your ride. We are having a problem with two of the men on this ride and as soon as security gets here and makes them leave the ride will continue. Thank you for your patience!

Cue yelling and bitching from entire ride directed at these two men!

SM & SF: SHUT UP!
Me: *calls security and waits in Operators box for them to come.. which took all of 2 seconds*

SD: *hugs me* OK Lex WTH is going on here?
ME: Hey SD. Got a couple of dumb arses refusing to get off the ride! Broke the rules etc etc *Points*
SD: Right... *walks over to carriage* Time to get off boys! Lady says its so, so you gotta go!
SM and SF: *start protesting, calling me names etc.. bad Idea. SD is a friend*
SD: OK.. Here is how it works. She works here, She makes the rules, Therefore you listen to her. Otherwise I throw you out on your arses!
Sm: *says something very unflattering about SD and implies we are engaging in activities that my Boyfriend would not approve of!*
SD: OK. Done playing nice! *wrenches bar up* You guys gonna be smart and leave?
SF: F**K YOU MAN!
SD: *picks them both up by the front of the shirt and carries them to the exit pausing to kiss me on the top of the head* See ya Lex!
Me: Bye SD! See ya at break!

Entire ride cheers and we give them an extra long ride to make up for the dumb arses! Once again I'll have to post more stories when I have time!

[Custard Chick]

Oh. My. Buddha.

Story #1: BRAVO to those parents! It's so rare now-a-days to see parents actually PARENT their child and then bend over backwards to apologize to the offended party! I want to send them a fruit basket after reading that!

Story #2: I apologize on behalf of all my countrymen and women who have abused you. We're not all like that, I swear.

Story #3: What DUMBASSES. Always good to have friends among co-workers, isn't it?

[TealJellyfish]

Oh. My. Buddha.

Story #1: BRAVO to those parents! It's so rare now-a-days to see parents actually PARENT their child and then bend over backwards to apologize to the offended party! I want to send them a fruit basket after reading that!

Story #2: I apologize on behalf of all my countrymen and women who have abused you. We're not all like that, I swear.

Story #3: What DUMB ASSES. Always good to have friends among co-workers, isn't it?

I was friends with 90% of the staff. We would often do a daily round up of the stupid sucky and plain weird customers we had at the end of the day. Also when we had a really bad customer we would send out a warning over the radios to everyone including security what was afoot!

[Evil Queen]

Lexi, darling, I, too, apologize on behalf of my country and the idiot-assholes that are in it. I promise we get the same thing here and there's no way in Gods Green Earth or Satan's Red Hell woudl anyone let a 2 year old on a ride like that. Minimum age for a slide ride is 6.

Have a platter of cookies, on me. I'm sorry you had to deal with those asshats.

[Kiarna]

Not only does this post highlight some of the idiots in our country who make me want to go

It also makes me want ot go back to Luna Park!!! Is that sad? But I love these stories!!!

[StormCMage]

Lexi, darling, I, too, apologize on behalf of my country and the idiot-assholes that are in it. I promise we get the same thing here and there's no way in Gods Green Earth or Satan's Red Hell woudl anyone let a 2 year old on a ride like that. Minimum age for a slide ride is 6.

Have a platter of cookies, on me. I'm sorry you had to deal with those asshats.

she can put the cookies with the fruit basket (sorry couldn't resist) story number one made me happy though, just then going all out to say sorry about that little brat, then again that would be something my parents would have made me do too, plus a hand written note saying I was sorry and what I did wrong and why it was wrong, as for the 2 year old, no slide for her, I am sorry to those parents but she could be hurt, even with an adult.

[Sarlon]

GREAT job on handling the SCs....reminds me of a story...

but thats another topic...

and color me stupid...but isn't coney island here in the states?

[HawaiianShirts]

Those are awesome stories! Glad they're not mine, but they were a fun read.

I think the thing I like best about these is that they illustrate just what can happen when employees have a good relationship with co-workers and with their managers. The workplace takes on a familial atmosphere. A "you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us" kind of thing. I've had three jobs like that. Everybody stood up for everybody else. I was never afraid to stand up to idiots at work.

Hey! All you bad co-workers out there! Read this story and think about what might have happened if you were in Lexi's place and the security guys didn't like you!

[bainsidhe]

Have a platter of cookies, on me. I'm sorry you had to deal with those asshats.

Goodness, I must think up some stories of my own. I mean, we're talking COOKIES here. And the occassional booze.

[Bright_Star]

Who in the world would place a 2 year old in a bumper car by itself? That's just a disaster waiting to happen!
The 2 guys that you kicked off the ride-had they been drinking? Sure sounds like it.

[tropicsgoddess]

For the first story, it's wonderful to hear about the good parents and families . As for second story, those SC's give American tourists a BAD name and I apologize on behalf of the USA. The third one, well they were jackasses and I'm glad you had a good co-worker to back you up and kick them out.

[Madhatter_67_85]

1. Glad to see some parents take responsibility. Unfortuantely that doens't happen enough.

2. GRRRR. I would love to drop those idiots in the middle of the ocean. NO even here in America no one is going to allow your 2 year old to go by herself. Period. Idiots like this really irritate me because they give all Americans a bad rep and when I travel I find that I spend half my time convincing people that not all Americans are like that. I apologize on behalf of these dumbasses. Next year when I come to Sydney I'll buy the drinks to apologize on behalf of these idiots.

3. Jeesh. I think you handled it perfectly. I personally would have announced that I would let anyone on the ride take free shots at these two guys without fear of getting kicked off the ride or out of the park.

[Gravekeeper]

So basically what you're saying is that your job is to desperately try to stop the impending judgment of natural selection. If only for a few hours?

That two year old is doomed. ><

[depechemodefan]

Me: Sorry hun, your just a little to short. Is there a grown up who can go down with you?
SK: F*CK YOU LADY! LEMME SLID!
Me:
SK: LEMME F**CKING SLIDE YOU STUPID B***H
Me: No.
SK:
Me: Go back down the stairs and don't come back without an adult! NOW (My word was law. Every Manager would back you up!)

Wow, I'm surprised you let him have to option of coming back with an adult. I would threaten him with a security guard if I saw his face again. I love the whole family being really apologetic.

So I off I went and when I got there I found a MASSIVE fruit basket there... The card was signed "To Lexi: From the Family of a very rude young boy!" This basket had chocolates, fruit and alcohol in it!

alcohol too? Wow.

Me: Hey wats up? You look ready to kill someone!
CW: just had to chuck a couple and their kid out of the park! They tried to put their 2 year old in a bumper car on her own!
Me: Lemme Guess American couple with a little girl? *Giggling to self*
Cw: Yeah exactly!
Me: KAS and me threw them out of coney island for trying to put the kid down the slide on her own!
CW: Your kidding.. Jesus did you get the "Back home your scum" speech
Me: Yep! Security throw them out?
CW: Yeah, Dad was dumb enough to try and throw a punch to!
CW: *Hugs co-worker* You made my day!

Found out later that security nearly had them arrested! They got banned from the park for life and that they literally had to THROW Dad out cause he kept trying to hit out 7 foot tall security guard!

Yesh, how f'ing stupid was the father, trying to throw a punch? What do they think their 2 year old is, a 12 year old?

[Lil Bunny]

OK Lexi, I'm going to have to friend you so I can keep up to date with all of these!

The first story gives me such wonderful hope. Well, it seems a bit overboard but still, I bet that is one lesson that the kid will NEVER forget!

Thanks for sharing! I am looking forward to the next installment!!