 |
| "Dance is the hidden language of the soul." - Martha Graham |
Besides performing, I find delight in interacting and communicating with people.
I am more than willing to extend a helping hand when guests need it. I just find it hard to communicate sometimes when language barriers arise. But that doesn't hinder me from talking to the guests, most especially to kids. Though not until I experienced somebody being sarcastic to me and swearing.
It happened one late afternoon. I had to help out guests in taking their photos with the characters, assisting them where they want to go next and suggesting the things that you can't miss during your visit in the park. Skills, and I mean, "skills" are needed when cutting the line, when sets of characters get finished up. You should stick to the schedule and more often than not, a lot asks you to consider them for a last shot. So there was this family who went up to me and asked me if I could consider their son to see the characters together with a bunch of families asking for a last chance. And so, i was apologetic because I had cut the line already. plus together with them, more than 10 are asking the same "last chance".
Me: I'm sorry ma'am, but the line has been cut already.
Mom: Oh! Please, please, please, my son wanted to see them so bad.
Me: I'm truly sorry but you can see them in the hotel tonight. For now, the line here is closed.
Mom: Wow! It's very disappointing that you don't give a shit to a kid who've just had surgery.
Me: I can give this for him (sticker) .... reaching out.
Mom's hand on my face... : Oh I know that! A sticker wouldn't help and they just walked away.
She was very upset, no doubt... So, I told myself, what's the use of working in the happiest place if I can't make magic for the kid at all. So, I advised them to hold up where the characters would exit and both of the characters can walk with the kid as they go back. They were a bit hesitant still. Then I went to my leader, to let her know of the whole issue. My leader supported me. It turned out, the kid got to walk with the characters back with all of 7 greeters who were there behind them acting like bodyguards. And he had his moment to ask the characters if they can ride the park's taxi cab with him as they passed by it. They couldn't as they're passed they're last set schedule. But I still made the effort not to take the happiness away from the boy so I asked the cast member who runs the taxi cab if he can still run it but like us, he's done with the last trip. In general, the mom turned to me and apologized and thanked me for helping out their son, Luca. The thing is, he had his arm in a cast after a bad fall from playing on his tree house. After the surgery, when the mom couldn't help but comfort his son asking, "What can I do to take your pain away?", her son answered, "I want to see Mickey Mouse and hold his hand." And her heart melted. She knew she had to give it to him.
I am truly blessed with having opportunities like this - to literally make MAGIC for the kids. You can make your own magic too by being true to what you do, loving it and willfully making it. For sure you might find this very simple but to me, in seeing that kids happy face after hugging his favorite characters, and jumping up and down, is just but PRICELESS... and that's it for my DIY Monday.
