The "Wildcat" Story

It was an ordinary day. I was just about finished working my shift at the Acme Supermarket. I ate my supper during my 15 minute break. I was a union member even though I was only part-time. I was required to be a union member, but while my friends were making $1.00 or $1.25 an hour, I was taking home $2.32 an hour. Of course, I have to pay union dues of $12.00 a month. On Fridays I usually work 4:00 to 10:00 PM. I come directly to work from Millersville University where I am a junior majoring in Industrial Arts Education. Going to be a shop teacher. Today is a really nice fall day and the temperature is in the high 70s. Weather should be great after work tonight. I am working tonight with my friends Terry D., Granville T., Jim B. and Jere S. We have plans for after work tonight. Jere has a Grandfather who works at Rocky Springs Amusement Park in southeast Lancaster. He runs the "Wildcat." The "Wildcat" is a wooden roller coaster. Not any coaster, but one that has two straight drops that are almost 75 degree drops. You first start out by going through a long wooden tunnel that at night is a little creepy, almost scary. Then the chain pulls you to the top of the first hill and you drop. FAST!! Another chain to the second hill and you drop. FASTER!! You can feel the movement of the wood as you move through the curves and straightaways. OK, back to the story. 10:00 PM and checkout time. We all punch the clock and hop in my 1968 Chevy convertible. Really neat car.......more about it in another story. Off to Rocky Springs. It is only a ten minute trip and I park the car in the lot and head to the "Wildcat." The park closes at midnight so we have a good hour and a half to ride. No one in line on the entrance platform. Great! We say Hi! to Jere's Grandfather and Jere and I hop in the front car and Gran and Jim take the back car. We fasten the belt across the both of us. The belt is a leather belt much like the one you wear around your waist. It fits across both of us. It hooks the same way. At any time we could take it off if we want. In the past couple of years that has happened and resulted in serious injuries. One time on one of the hills and another time the person stood before going through the tunnel. Through the tunnel and up the hill. Hands in the air!! Trip around seems like it takes forever, but probably isn't more than a minute or two. Heading back into the entrance platform we see Jere's Grandfather sitting on his chair waving us through again. Most times at this time of night we are able to ride multiple times or until one of us would start to feel sick and had to signal him to stop us. That's when it was always best to be in the front car. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary