Years ago, I recall a trip to Disney’s Epcot theme park and the one memory that stands out is walking through the park’s enormous and incredible aquarium. The visitors move through the center of the aquarium viewing the creatures through glass wall on their side and above. Fish of all sizes and varieties hovered in their silent world, eyes bulging.
I remember a pair of enormous tiger sharks that cruised by near the glass and seemed to stare at us as if we were all potential meals. It was almost like being in the watery environment with them. Almost, but not really.
Then I saw something that really caught my attention. A person in the tank! A scuba diver. He also swam over to the glass and waved at the visitors in the central tunnel. I wasn’t certain what he was doing in the tank. Maybe he was there to feed the fish or clean the tank. I marveled that while he was waving to children, he was unaware that one of the sharks was cruising by behind him. Maybe they were used to divers. Hopefully, they were well fed.
Megan was with us. She was young. Maybe four or five, and she has no recollection of that trip, much less the aquarium. But she was one of the kids who stood at the glass and waved back at the diver.
So it seems quite incredible now that Megan at 22 years old is working in that same tank, one of Epcot’s scuba divers. Some of them feed the fish, others clean the tank, and yes, Megan says, they wave to the children the other side of the glass.
Originally, she thought she would be working in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, but when she arrived to start her job she found out she was assigned to the Epcot aquarium, mainly working with the dolphins.
Yesterday in the mail a brochure from Disney arrived, offering a 35% discount to Florida residents who buy a three-day package. It sounded like a good idea, a chance to see Megan at work. A nice little synchro it seemed. Then it enlarged. Megan called a short time later, and during the conversation mentioned that not only does she have free passes for all four of Disney’s parks…but so do we as family members! We also get a speed pass, allowing us to skirt the long lines and get into the rides quickly. Wow!
Trish could hardly believe it when I told her. We’re going. We’ll be there. Definitely. Can’t wait.
How wonderful is that, all ‘fits’ together so nicely including Megan in that tank.
Terri’s description of ‘spirals’ sounds spot on .
How cool! This story appeals to my sense of spirals and how the events of the past repeat at a higher level though decades apart. Enjoy!
Spirals: love that.
I love Disney World. You’ll have a great time. We also loved Islands of Adventure. You must do the Spiderman ride. We did it over and over. 🙂
Spiderman! Yes!
how exciting for you all! way to go! [i’ve never been, actually] – i particularly love the thing of your visit many moons ago and megan’s being there now – wonderful!
last night, late, i flipped on a movie i’d not even heard of before, notwithstanding how i love michelle pfeiffer – anyway, it’s a beautifully done film starring her – and ashton kutcher – without giving away the story, one of the lines repeated over and over throughout the movie is one “spoken” by her deaf-mute son –
“I collect goldfish. I keep them in a small tank in my bedroom. Other kids my age like dogs – if they like animals at all. But for me, it’s goldfish. I understand them, living under water in a little bowl, hearing nothing, just watching everything through glass. ”
those were among the last words i heard as i went to sleep about midnight – and then, coming here, i find your post of a diver “watching…through glass” – plus – the thing of the figure in yellow in your image – i dreamed of a male figure dressed in yellow early this morning –
anyway – neat post – and ya’ll have tons of fun on your little excursion!
Good one, Gypsy. But was it a male mouse dressed in yellow?!
about the male figure dressed in yellow – you have the answer by now! 😉
ha!
aha!
Speed passes are Fabulous!!!!!
Have a wonderful visit.
That will be fun! I look forward to seeing a picture of Megan in the tank. And you were obviously meant to be going there soon. Have a safe trip and lots of fun…
The passes are nice. When Jon’s sister worked at Disney (for about 10 years, up until last October) we really got a lot of use out of the free passes. Lots of fun. Even if you don’t love the happiest place on earth!