Single Rider Line

6

It didn't take very long for our trip to Wakanda to take a sudden detour.

"Wait, are these submarines?" Baer asks as we walk past a sparkling lagoon, bright yellow giants floating slowly through the water. Bubbles occasionally rise along their sides and break the surface, as if they were breathing.

"That's Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage," I respond. I expect this just to be a quick question on the way to our destination, until I see the look on Baer's face.

"There's a Finding Nemo ride?" he says, stopped in his tracks.

"Yes?" I say, confused. It's a cute ride but I can't remember the last time I went on it. Not exactly something I feel the need to go on unless there's no wait. And even then, there's always something else to do instead.

"Can we please go on this?" Baer is facing the water and resting his hands on huge rocks that line the lagoon. For a second I think he's about to hop over and dive in.

"Umm, yeah! Sure. The line's over here," I say, walking slowly towards the queue, unsure if he's joking. I'm not used to anyone I'm at Disneyland with to want to go on the submarines, but it's hard to ignore Baer's excitement, and I don't want to be the one to ruin it.

To be fair, he hasn't done this before, and I have always enjoyed being with someone on their first time experiencing something at Disneyland. It's almost like it's my first time again, too. I guess meeting T'challa will have to wait for another day.

We approach the queue entrance and I'm relieved that the wait is only 20 minutes. It's still longer than I'd be willing to wait any other day, but tolerable. We zig and zag through the metal poles that make up the queue until we've reached the end of the line. The family in front of us is playing "Heads Up!". Classic.

I shift my attention away from the family and to Baer, who is standing right next to me but looking out to the water again. I watch as he stares at the submarines and laughs at the seagulls that have to spend all of eternity yelling "Mine!" I laugh too, realizing that I almost forgot they were even there.

"Is there a single rider line for this?" Baer suddenly asks. Thankfully, he didn't catch me watching him.

"Not on this ride."

"Uh oh, I guess we'll have to..." He pauses, staring into my eyes and holding a hand up to his mouth as if in shock, "...talk."

"Haven't you heard? People our age don't know how to do that anymore."

"You're right." He stares at the ground while nodding his head, and then his eyes drift up to mine. "Wanna try anyway?"

"Sure. I think we can do that!" I laugh and mentally have to check again if my smile is too goofy. Why is he so cute?

"Alright." He brings his hands together and starts rubbing them quickly. "So what's your favorite ride here?"

"Haunted Mansion Holiday," I say without hesitation.

"I've heard of Haunted Mansion, but what's with the 'holiday?'"

I almost feel like picking him up and shaking him. "It's when they deck the mansion out with everything Nightmare Before Christmas!"

"Oh, what? I love that movie!"

"Then you'll love the ride. It's my favorite because they only do it for a few months to celebrate Halloween and Christmas."

"And I love those holidays! I'll have to check it out for sure."

"Still got a few more months to go, but it'll be worth the wait." I make the A-ok sign with my hand.