I am, Batman

Coin operated Kiddie Rides.



They were all over the place 10 years ago... But as modern technology expanded its territory to toy stores and malls... A lot of them were replaced by the ever-so popular video game arcades.

I remembered that when I was still a young pup, I would beg my parents for some coins... Just to ride them. I have ridden Mickey Mouse, a Donald Duck (which, looked nothing like Disney's famous duck), and a fire truck (too bad, not Firemen), a whale (sperm whale?), some dolphins, a lion, elephant and so many others... Each one of them had their own theme music. I never got tired of riding them, until I started my Elementary school.

Just couple years ago, at the tender sweet age of 19 (okay, that's more than a 'couple' of years...) - Upon returning home from San Diego (where I went to College), I went to a local shopping mall with my Dad and sister.

While wondering around on my own, I spotted a coin operated Bat Mobile. Memories from the past flooded my head... I wanted to re-live those happy times of my childhood. Also, being a die-hard Batman fan (Latex, baby!), I had to give it a try (ride).



I quickly hopped into the tiny Bat-cart.



With 50 cents in my hand, I reached over and inserted the ingredient that will make my ride come alive.

And it did.

First the little plastic Bat-cart started to shake. Yes. It was shaking, not moving back and forth. Probably I was a bit HEAVY for the Bat-cart to reach its full potential.

But it never affected the Music that came out from the bottom of the machine.

"Na Na Na Na Na Na... Batman~ Na Na Na Na Na Na... Batman~"



The Batman song was so real, but on top of a shaking plastic crap wasn't really the most exciting thing.

It's different.

Instead of re-living the joy that I once felt on a coin-ride, I felt dumb. It wasn't what I expected to be.

Where have all the excitement gone?

Then my Dad and sister found me. They both look at me. Speech-less.



That was when the music stopped, and the Bat-cart stopped trembling.

Sister: "Time to go."

Dad: ".........."

I grabbed onto the side of the Bat Mobile to level myself out of the tiny seat.

That was when I realized... The angle that my body was in the cart didn't gave me support for my weight. My butt heavily sunk at the bottom of the plastic seat. My lower back firmly pressed against the back of the seat. My thighs, they were so tight pressed against each other, as if I was hammered into the seat. (The shaking effect sunk my body deeply into the Bat Seat)

Wayne: "Uhhh..."

I moaned and struggled.

Wayne: "Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

I tried to summon up my strength, but there weren't any support.

Wayne: "Help me... Help me... I'm stuck..."

My Dad and my sister stood to the side, enjoying the lovely scene.

Wayne: "Don't stand there, come pull me out!"

My sister grinned.

Wayne: "What are you waiting for?! Get me out!!!!"

Maybe my voice was a bit too loud... We noticed there was a crowd of people looking down on us from the 2nd floor.

Wayne: "HURRY!!"

I felt embarrassed.

Then...



They walked away.