The World is Not Enough

We’re going to visit a major theme park. Its in Florida. Its reach, as a cultural meme, as a historical presence in the global funscape, as a generator of a continent’s weight of awkward snapshots with suited mascots, is massive. Incalculable. Leviathanic.

And due to some serendipitous shake, we’re able to allow the minions to bring a friend each.

Imagine the insane hella good time they are going to have with prepaid meal cards, passes to all of the various kingdoms of this major theme park, a little pocket change, their BEST FRIEND, and the one thing that really, really matters: a cell phone. They will, essentially, be free to roam.

Here’s what the girl asks: does the place we’re staying at have a pool?

Here’s what the boy asks: can I bring my x-box?

This on the very day he arrives home from a week at computer camp at Northwestern University where he had a room in a greystone frat house with air conditioning and wifi, where he was taught the nuances of building online gaming word maps; this, after a summer of six flags, skateboards, and the Vans Warped Tour; this after we feed him.

Can I bring my x-box?

No, you unabashed, ungrateful little ponce, you may not bring your !@#$%^ X box.

About Christopher Garlington, Esq.

Christopher Garlington lives in Chicago in a standard two kids, wife, dog, corner-lot, two car, small business owner American dream package. He drives a 2003 Camry, sports a considerable notebook fetish, and smokes Arturo Fuente Partaga Maduros as often as possible. His stories have appeared in Chicago Parent; The Kentuckian, The Orlando Sentinel, The Daily Herald, Exito!, Florida, Orlando, Orlando Weekly, Catholic Digest, Retort, Another Realm, The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, South Lit, and other magazines. He is the author of the infamous anti-parenting blog, Death By Children; co-author of The Beat Cop’s Guide to Chicago Eats; and co-hosts a weekly radio show based on that book. His monthly column for Chicago Parent, “My Funny Life,” was nominated for best humor article in the 2010 annual Parenting Publications of America Editorial and Design Awards.
This entry was posted in Features. Bookmark the permalink.

One Response to The World is Not Enough

  1. Jessica says:

    Missed your blog. Hope you have a great vacation.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>