DAY SIX - F.O.P. & EPCOTDAY SIX - F.O.P. & EPCOT
TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 1997
The next morning, Bob and I were off again to International Drive to attend the second day of the National F.O.P. conference. My old body was feeling older and older. I didn’t bounce back from the surgery as fast as I thought I would. We had been playing until midnight every night since we arrived. This was my second morning in a row to get up before 6:00 am to go to the conference. But I was really enjoying meeting cops from all over the U.S. I was also learning quite a difference in our organization. In Texas, it is a fraternal organization only. Our members include officers who have just started their careers, older officers, sergeants, lieutenants, and even deputy commanders in our lodge. We work with and for charities in our community, work for the betterment of law enforcement, socialize, and provide insurance for our members. But in other states, particularly the Northeast, the F.O.P. is a union for its members. It was a learning experience on how they conduct their business and how serious they are about it. I also learned that in many states, once you make supervisor, you are excluded from the lodge/union. Texas is a Right to Work state and I am not really that familiar with unions. I’m not sure I would like working under a union. But if I had been born and bred in a different part of the country, I’ sure that my thinking would be different.
This night, the F.O.P. had bought out Sea World for a late party. I had purchased tickets for Christi, Amanda, and I to go there. Bob and Debbie also had tickets. But the girls didn’t really want to go. Christina said that there was a Sea World in Texas, why should she waste her Disney time doing it. I was having to force them to do it. I discovered during the morning session, that the F.O.P. had run out of tickets to the Sea World party. Many of the delegates still wanted to buy tickets for themselves and their families. I finally decided to just sell my tickets to someone else and take the girls to Epcot. Bob and Debbie went on to Sea World. They later said that the Sea World show was great. But it is true that we have a Sea World five hours from our home that we can go to anytime. So I didn’t really mind missing the show myself. When I’m in Florida, I want to "DO" Disney.
Bob and Debbie had told me about a Macaroni Grill near the hotel, just off the Disney property. I am a big fan of Olive Garden and Deb swears that it is better. So I decided to take the girls there for an early dinner, before Deb and Bob took the rental car to Sea World. The prices were a little higher than Olive Garden. The decor and waiter were nice. But the girls and I did not really enjoy the food that much. I won’t go back again.
We arrived at Epcot about 5:00 pm. After we entered, Christi told me to wait a minute and she went off to the gift shop. I didn’t know what she was going to do. She then returned with a wheel chair. It blew my mind. She told me to sit down. Christi told me that I didn’t look good and she was worried about me. Made me feel ancient and I argued with her for a couple of minutes. But I could have just as easily argued with a fence post. They had discovered some high blood pressure at the time of my surgery. Also we had been going non-stop for five days. So I gave in and off we went. I think that she really enjoyed pushing the chair. I also carried everything we had in my lap. Because I am not really handicapped, we did not take the wheel chair on any rides or attractions. Christi would just push me up to the building and then I would get out and walk. But one cast member at Ellen’s Energy Adventure did not want to take no for an answer when I said I could easily walk. We did end up riding on the back of the special car for that attraction. All in all, it was a good decision on the part of my daughter and I felt better the next day.
We did Horizons, Energy, Wonders of Life, and Innovations. Amanda loved Cranium Command. I could not do Body Wars and since there was a long line, the girls skipped it also. But we watched Goofy About Health and the girls took a turn each on the stationary bikes. The Horizon ride was interesting, but I guess it is time for an update on it. Christi and I had missed Ellen’s Adventure last November because the power went out the day we tried. So this was a first for all three of us. The show was really funny.
After time playing at Innovations, Christi took off pushing me at a fast pace for World Showcase. We stopped at Germany so I could buy more of the small Mickey police figures. I had bought ten of them in November and given them all away. So I needed ten more. It is a tradition now: If you work for Sgt. Brister on the Burglary Team, you have a Mickey policeman on your desk. (I also give some of them to friends who aren’t members of the team.) Then we headed to France for pastries from the bakery there. Wonderful, if you have never had them. We then found a great point by the lagoon and waited for Illuminations. After watching that wonderful show, we headed slowly for the front of the park. We knew it would be our last night there this trip. A stop for awhile to watch the dancing fountain. Then we turned in the wheelchair and walked out to catch the bus back to the Courtyard.