Today I helped out the Bacon for Senate campaign by volunteering for "Kids Day America" in Fort Collins. Organized by a very fetching (always seems a strange word) young woman, KDAFC was a chance for children and their parents to learn about fire safety, get their eyes checked, learn about the Girl Scouts and generally have a great time in City Park. This was all well and good until I was nearly roped into being (well playing) Smokey the Bear. They had a costume and everything. The aforementioned attractive woman suggested I should be the bear. Apparently only I could prevent forest fires...
Attractive or not, I refused. I abhor the idea of clowning around, and the notion of doing so in a bear suit previously used by burly woodsmen come parkranger types or worse still acne ridden teens more succeptible to this woman's wiles...well it was too much to bare (get it?). I said, what else is there. I was told: Bouncy Castle. I lit up. I claimed my volunteer task--managing the bouncy castle.
For those who don't know. Bouncy Castles are inflated play pens for children and adults (I later learned--online, not in person...alas). They are roughly 20x20 and underneath is a very bouncy flooring. This may be where the name Bouncy Castle comes from, I'm still waiting to check OED on that one.
The general idea is to put kids in there, close the mesh door (a feature on American models, unlike the above British model) and watch people dance and jump and flip and cavort. It's pretty fanastic. I was jealous and freely admitted it to many of the kids.
As Lord and leige of Bouncy Castle, I quickly established Aaron's rules of the Bouncy Castle. They were simple: everyone may go in. Everyone may go in more than once, provided they waited in line and that they allowed kids who hadn't had a chance to go first. Into Aaron's castle shall no more than 4 children venture, and if there are big kids doing flips then the number of visitors to his majesty's castle shirks to three.
By the end I knew the names and quirks of about 35 children. I knew that Dakota would refuse help (being lifted into the castle) but would need it in the end. Allison who could have easily bounded into the play pen, but would rather be picked up. Kyle's favorite animal at the zoo is a monkey, and he is not planning on taking his brother (Kit) the next time they go. John offered that his favorite animals are wolves. Lauren wore a superman shirt. Selena felt the need to bounce off of her face. Alejandro was very polite and round faced--and a fine bouncer. Wyatt wore overalls and looked like an osh kosh b'gosh model. It was great. I was able to pick them up and escort them into and out of the castle. I was able to joke, and tease, tickle and teach kids for over 3 hours. No one got hurt, and I think that lots of kids had more fun than if Smokey and I had traded jobs. It was pretty nice. I have to say I've been happier in the past few months, but only rarely and never for that long.
That was the great part of the day. The horrible, fucked up, maddening part was that I broke my camera. Many of you know that my camera (an Olympus Camedia 720) is my favorite personal possesion. It's the one thing (except my car) that I cannot afford to replace and cannot really stand the idea of being without. So I'm pissed. Really really furious. But it is my fault, so what can I do. I am hoping that since it's mainly the lens and not the electronics, I can just pay for a new lens or they can repair the mechanism that moves the lens into and out of the body. So that was clearly a damper on the great fun of the afternoon.
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