March 24th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Since I literally spent the entire day yesterday editing, I really have nothing interesting to chat about this morning. I did get a tiny reprieve when I realized everyone was coming over next Sunday (the 6^th), not this Sunday (the 30^th), so the shopping and planning can wait until next week.

Okay, off to make lunches, and then back to editing. I hope y’all have a wonderful day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

Write a story containing the following three elements: An Amusement Park, A Monkey, A Flat Tire

When I was a kid, there used to be an amusement park called Jungle Habitat, a few hours away from my home. It was very similar to the safari parks at Six Flags or at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. However, you had to drive your own car through the park, not a park bus or tram like they have now. The funniest thing was, you actually had to sign a waiver saying you wouldn’t sue the park if the animals damaged your car in any way.

Since we did not have the greatest car, this was not really an issue. Seriously, how much damage could an animal do to your car? Well, as long as you didn’t hit it of course, but driving five miles per hour, most people could stop in time before they hit an animal.

My mom went over the rules. Don’t open the windows. Don’t feed the animals (kinda hard to do if you had followed rule one). Do not leave the car under any circumstances. Got it. I’ll behave. Let’s go. I was so excited.

At first there wasn’t much to see, except a bunch of trees and the rag-top convertible ahead of us. Then, as we made our way further along the winding dirt road into the park, I spotted my first animals, a herd of gazelle drinking from a pond. They weren’t doing much, but I was bouncing in my seat, and I had lots of time to watch them, because the rag-top stopped to take pictures. When we came across the zebras, hippos, and elephants, I really started to go nuts, face smooshed up against the back seat window, pointing, tapping, and talking a mile a minute. When my mom let out a funny squeak, I looked toward her, and there, staring her right in the face, was a giraffe.

This was the coolest day ever! Then we drove through this fence/guard post thing that made me feel like we were driving onto the set of F-Troop.

I have no talent for “short” story. Must be the Irish in me. LOL. I was getting there, I promise, and like all true stories, I’ll finish my tale.

The drive through the fence put us in the big cat section, and there were tons of big cats… sleeping. There wasn’t a single one moving around. The most exciting thing I saw in that section was a lion stretch, reposition his head on his paws, and promptly go back to sleep. Now, in their defense, it was the afternoon, the sun was beating down, and it was hot. (Yeah, remember the no windows rolled down rule? And remember I said we had an old car? No air conditioning, but I was a kid.)

The next F-Troop gate (for those of you who don’t recognize the reference, it was a hysterical 60s television show about American soldiers and Indians, in the West, in the 1860s) led us to a baron, dusty, sandy area. Although I don’t remember why, but for the sake of the challenge requirements I was going to say a flat tire, the little red rag-top in front of us stopped. There must have been something wrong with the car, because there was nothing for them to take pictures of in the area, so there was no reason to stop.

Anyway, we noticed some movement in the distance, which slowly came into focus. It was a troop of baboons, and they were sauntering right to us. At first it was exciting, even though their butts freaked me out a bit, but then it turned real ugly, real quick. They were on that rag-top like white on rice. Within seconds they had pulled off the car’s windshield wipers and were chewing on them, the car’s antenna was ripped off, and several were picking at the convertible top. My mom swerved around the car and headed straight for the exit. (She did stop to let them know a car was in distress in the monkey section.)

Okay, enough procrastinating, I need to get to work. Until tomorrow…

Your Next Challenge is:

That was the most bizarre combination I have ever seen…

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.