The Daily Bean: Bean meets Chuck E. Cheese

Last week our MOMS group had a social outing at a nearby Chuck E. Cheese. Thinking back, I can remember having been there only once in my life, for a sixth grade graduation lunch celebration. In my mind, I recall blissful, fun, hugely entertaining chaos. Flashing lights of games and consoles, spewing out hundreds of paper tickets while a huge alarm bell atop the machine signals the whole world that you sunk eight balls into some hole or another. The thrill of taking all those tickets up to the counter, only to realize that you need approximately 800 more to cash in for anything remotely worth carrying home. I remember a huge mechanical Chuck that would come out and sing and dance. Parents lounging at long tables filled with pizza and drinks, kids begging for more tokens and scouring the floor for extras. Departing, filled with adrenaline and elation at what an amazing day it has been.

Well, I don't know if it's Chuck E. Cheese who has aged, or me, but I'm guessing it's me. Maybe it's because it was a weekday morning, but this particular establishment was in serious need of an espresso. Aside from Bean and I, there were three other moms and their kids - and that's it. The rest of the restaurant was completely empty. What I remembered to be a pretty extensive menu now consists of a fast-food type counter, with similarly tasting fare. Attempting to eat healthy and also order something that Bean would eat, I ordered the one trip salad bar. I could just about fit three lettuce leaves, five kidney beans and a teaspoon of sunflower seeds in the bowl that they gave me, and I was lucky my fork didn't pierce the thin styrofoam. Not that Bean ate much of anything, anyway. Who wants to eat when there is so much to see?

But that's all beside the point. As I've said in previous posts - this is so not about me. Bean had sooooooo much fun! We rode the car. The train. The tractor. The horse. The slide. The other horse. The other car. And all I've heard since then is, "Chuck E. Cheese? Drive the car? Ride the tractor? Kiss Bob the Builder? Ride the neigh neighs?" without a breath. My mom says a Chuck E. Cheese has recently arrived in their town, which we will in all likelihood go and visit the next time we're there. I can't wait to tell Bean.