Dear Guy in the Matterhorn Bobsleds Line,
First off, I’m pretty sure you remember me. If not, let me refresh your memory for just a bit.
It was Sunday, May 7, 2017, around 2:30pm. The sun was shining, it was one of those picture-perfect southern California days. You, your wife and daughter were in line in front of my husband and me at the Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland. The line for the ride winded way around the mountain and all of us waited quite a bit of time to head down the bobsled run. In fact, I think the wait time for the ride was somewhere around 80 minutes.
Just as we were about to make our way into the final loop of the queue, all of a sudden, you welcomed a large group – nine people actually – to join you in line. These were people who didn’t stand in the queue with you at all! They may have been over at “it’s a small world.” They could have been eating a churro. They quite possibly were off having their picture taken with Mickey Mouse. Wherever they were, they weren’t with you the whole time we stood there baking in the sun.
Now you probably know who I am!
I’m the guy who said, “hey, you’re letting all these people cut in line?”
You’re the guy who looked at me like you were doing nothing wrong.
I’m the guy who said, “there is no way I’m letting all these people cut in front of us, so how about we cut in front of you?”
You’re the guy who said to the nine people you let cut in line, “let him go! Let him go! I don’t want to be near this nasty man.”
Yes, sir, I’m the “nasty man.”
Like I said to you in line, I would be fine if you were letting one or two people join you, but to bring in nine people and cut in front of others who waited a very long time in the queue, you’re way off base.
But I’m ok with being labeled the “nasty man,” trust me… I’ve been called a lot worse.
A lot worse.
I’m also ok with you asking the ride attendant to send you to the other track just so you and the 11 others in your party would not have to share a ride vehicle with someone as nasty as me.
Sir, common sense and courtesy are something that we should always display. I do feel a bit bad for your young daughter who, during her formative years, is being taught that cutting in line is acceptable. I was always taught otherwise. Maybe my parents were wrong. Maybe you don’t teach your kid about courtesy and respect for others.
Your daughter will probably grow up to be a fine, upstanding woman. One day she’ll reflect back on this brief exchange in the Matterhorn Bobsleds line when she’s at the supermarket and the checkout lines are backed up into the aisles. She’ll remember how you handled the situation on May 7, 2017, at 2:30pm and find a friend just one person away from the cashier, push herself through the line, cutting in front of all the others who have been waiting patiently to check out, and act as if nothing is wrong.
Just like daddy.
I can’t help but wonder how many other people you pulled this stunt with during your visit to Disneyland. Maybe others wouldn’t have called you out on it like I did, but I felt I had to. Line cutting, space saving, whatever you want to call it is acceptable if a parent had to take a child to a bathroom and come back. Letting a party of nine (grown adults) cut in… well, that’s just “nasty.”
I hope you enjoyed the rest of your day at Disneyland.
I certainly enjoyed mine.
Actually, I enjoyed mine even more after standing up to a jackass like you who thinks you can write your own rules and get away with it.
See ya next time, pal!