When I started working at Walt Disney World, I had requested to work in the Magic Kingdom. They put me in the largest fast food restaurant in the country. Cosmic Rays Starlight Cafe. I was a "busser", you know the ones that takes out the trash and cleans off all the tables. (no tips)
The day was slow, and I was walking around talking with our guest. I was smiling and laughing with the families.
I noticed these two ladies looking at me from across the restaurant. I walked over to them, and said hi, how are you today? (with a huge grin) They both just stood there, I thought okay maybe they are deaf, so I signed "hi I allen how you". Still they just stood there, not one word from either of them, they both had a shocked look on their faces. A couple of seconds later the woman on my left started crying hard, and then the woman on my right yelled "OH MY GOD MOM!!!",
and started crying hard too. So now I have the shocked look on my face, but it was more like the deer in the headlight look. I was like what did I do, did I sign the wrong words? my mind was racing and I was trying to figure it out, when I felt this hand on my back and it was Jen, General Manager from Merchandise. She stepped up to where I was and asked the ladies if everything was okay?
The woman on the right got her composure back, she took a long look at me and then looked at Jen, she said "My brother, we buried him two days ago, but now he is standing in front of me", her bottom lip started to quiver again. The General Manager said to them, lets all go over here and have a seat, we all walked over to the table and they sat down, I stood there for a second, and asked if they would like a drink, they both asked for diet, I said I would be right back, as I turned around, there stood my boss, Julie Newell, she said whats going on? and all I could say was two diet drinks. I saw the confused look on her face, when I walked past her. I went up to the counter and 90 % of the Cast Members was all gathering to find out what was going on. I said I need two diet cokes, please. One of them made them really quick while the others was trying to get the scoop. All I could tell them is their bother had died two days ago.
By the time I had gotten back with the drinks, the ladies had gotten their composure. I walked up set the drinks in front of them. They both said thank you. I took a couple of steps back, cause at that point I didn't know if I should stand or sit or go back to work, Jen looked at me and said Allen have a seat. I sat down at the table. The ladies took a long drink, and both was smiling. We sat there for what seemed like a very long time, you know that dead silent where no one says anything. The daughter said, I cannot believe how much you look like Matt, you talk like Matt the mom said, and you even smile like him. She said where is my manners, I am Tina and this is Wilma my mother. I shook their hands and said I am Allen. I turned and said this is Jen and Julie.
Tina spoke up and said, my brother was in a car accident and died, we all was planing this trip together. She said this really is a Magical place. Julie asked them if they was hungry and they said yes, Julie took their order and went to get it. Wilma asked what was my favorite food? I said hamburgers. They both looked at each other, and smiled. I said I am guessing that was Matt's favorite food? They both said yes at the same time. We talked for some time, it was mostly about Matt and that was fine with me. Julie walked over with a tray in her hand, she put the food in front of them and Wilma said how much do we owe you, as she grabs for her purse. Julie said its on the house. They accepted it. Jen had received a text message and said I am sorry but I have to go, Jen gave them her business card and said before you leave tonight you stop by any merchandise shop and ask for me. Jen stood up and off she went. We sat there while they at listening to stories. Julie was being paged (cast member was waving her hand at Julie) to the office, as Julie excused herself, so did I, I said I would be right back. It will give you time to eat. They agreed with that.
As Julie and I was walking to the office, I said you know we are really slow. She said yeah I know, I said we are over staffed, she said yes Allen you can have an (E)arly (R)elease. ER as it is known, means leaving work early. She smiled at me, she knew what I was going to do, I didn't have to explain it.
I skipped over to the table. Tina and Wilma just started laughing. I plopped down on the chair with a huge smile on my face. I said I have a surprise for you. Tina said we already got a surprise. I smiled. I have another one for you then. They smiled and said what is it? If it is okay with you, I would like to spend the rest of the day with you. Julie has already given me the rest of the day off. Would that be okay? They had that shocked look again. Tina said you really want to do that? I smiled really big and said yes I would.
They smiled and agreed, I said I will be right back, I need to go change in to street clothes.
We spent the rest of the day riding rides, going to shows, watched the 3 o'clock parade, watched the night parade. After the night parade was over, we went into the shops, I went up the one of the cast members and said I am a Cast Member and showed her my ID, can you call Jen the GM on the radio and ask her to meet me here. Tell her its Allen. The Cast Member gave me a puzzled look and said is there anything I can help you with? I said yes, you can call Jen on the radio and ask her to meet me here. She called her, I heard Jen on the other end saying tell him I am on my way. I looked at her and said thank you. I walked back over to Tina and Wilma that was looking at snow globes, I just called Jen and she is on her way over.
When Jen showed up she had a package in her hand, she handed to it Wilma. Inside was a snow globe, it had the pink castle inside of it, and a plate on the bottom that said remember the magic your friends at Walt Disney World. Wilma hugged Jen and so did Tina. Tina went on and on to Jen about how I took the day off to spend it with them. She even made the statement "this is the happiest place on earth!"
Before we said our goodbyes we exchanged our addresses and phone numbers.
Wilma said well I guess this is it. Thank you so much for spending the day with us. You will never know how much that meant to us. I said thank you for allowing me to spend the day with you. We hugged and I watched them leave.
The woman on the right got her composure back, she took a long look at me and then looked at Jen, she said "My brother, we buried him two days ago, but now he is standing in front of me", her bottom lip started to quiver again. The General Manager said to them, lets all go over here and have a seat, we all walked over to the table and they sat down, I stood there for a second, and asked if they would like a drink, they both asked for diet, I said I would be right back, as I turned around, there stood my boss, Julie Newell, she said whats going on? and all I could say was two diet drinks. I saw the confused look on her face, when I walked past her. I went up to the counter and 90 % of the Cast Members was all gathering to find out what was going on. I said I need two diet cokes, please. One of them made them really quick while the others was trying to get the scoop. All I could tell them is their bother had died two days ago.
By the time I had gotten back with the drinks, the ladies had gotten their composure. I walked up set the drinks in front of them. They both said thank you. I took a couple of steps back, cause at that point I didn't know if I should stand or sit or go back to work, Jen looked at me and said Allen have a seat. I sat down at the table. The ladies took a long drink, and both was smiling. We sat there for what seemed like a very long time, you know that dead silent where no one says anything. The daughter said, I cannot believe how much you look like Matt, you talk like Matt the mom said, and you even smile like him. She said where is my manners, I am Tina and this is Wilma my mother. I shook their hands and said I am Allen. I turned and said this is Jen and Julie.
Tina spoke up and said, my brother was in a car accident and died, we all was planing this trip together. She said this really is a Magical place. Julie asked them if they was hungry and they said yes, Julie took their order and went to get it. Wilma asked what was my favorite food? I said hamburgers. They both looked at each other, and smiled. I said I am guessing that was Matt's favorite food? They both said yes at the same time. We talked for some time, it was mostly about Matt and that was fine with me. Julie walked over with a tray in her hand, she put the food in front of them and Wilma said how much do we owe you, as she grabs for her purse. Julie said its on the house. They accepted it. Jen had received a text message and said I am sorry but I have to go, Jen gave them her business card and said before you leave tonight you stop by any merchandise shop and ask for me. Jen stood up and off she went. We sat there while they at listening to stories. Julie was being paged (cast member was waving her hand at Julie) to the office, as Julie excused herself, so did I, I said I would be right back. It will give you time to eat. They agreed with that.
As Julie and I was walking to the office, I said you know we are really slow. She said yeah I know, I said we are over staffed, she said yes Allen you can have an (E)arly (R)elease. ER as it is known, means leaving work early. She smiled at me, she knew what I was going to do, I didn't have to explain it.
I skipped over to the table. Tina and Wilma just started laughing. I plopped down on the chair with a huge smile on my face. I said I have a surprise for you. Tina said we already got a surprise. I smiled. I have another one for you then. They smiled and said what is it? If it is okay with you, I would like to spend the rest of the day with you. Julie has already given me the rest of the day off. Would that be okay? They had that shocked look again. Tina said you really want to do that? I smiled really big and said yes I would.
They smiled and agreed, I said I will be right back, I need to go change in to street clothes.
We spent the rest of the day riding rides, going to shows, watched the 3 o'clock parade, watched the night parade. After the night parade was over, we went into the shops, I went up the one of the cast members and said I am a Cast Member and showed her my ID, can you call Jen the GM on the radio and ask her to meet me here. Tell her its Allen. The Cast Member gave me a puzzled look and said is there anything I can help you with? I said yes, you can call Jen on the radio and ask her to meet me here. She called her, I heard Jen on the other end saying tell him I am on my way. I looked at her and said thank you. I walked back over to Tina and Wilma that was looking at snow globes, I just called Jen and she is on her way over.
When Jen showed up she had a package in her hand, she handed to it Wilma. Inside was a snow globe, it had the pink castle inside of it, and a plate on the bottom that said remember the magic your friends at Walt Disney World. Wilma hugged Jen and so did Tina. Tina went on and on to Jen about how I took the day off to spend it with them. She even made the statement "this is the happiest place on earth!"
Before we said our goodbyes we exchanged our addresses and phone numbers.
Wilma said well I guess this is it. Thank you so much for spending the day with us. You will never know how much that meant to us. I said thank you for allowing me to spend the day with you. We hugged and I watched them leave.
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6 comments:
Allen, that story brought a tear to my eye, which isn't all that easy. Thanks for sharing the story, and what a wonderful thing you did that day.
@ Howard, thanks for that. It was a great day.
Hi Allen, stopping by after your comment on my blog. I'm sitting out here on the balcony at our place in Florida, and I've got tears rolling down my face! Haha! I'm smiling and laughing at the same time...this is one of the sweetest things I've ever read, and what a kind person you must be to have spent the day with those women. Wonderful enry.
@ Beth, Thanks for stopping by to read my blog, its always nice to have new people here.
I didn't realize the impact it had. At the time all my family and friends were alive. I was doing it just because. I wish I could find someone that reminds me of my mom, so that I could spend another day with her. =o)
Wonderful story Allen, thank you.
@ Larry - thanks for reading it! =o)
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