The Terror Trilogy (Episode 3)

The final chapter...or is it?


Terror in the Tunnel

EXPO, AICHI, JAPAN, THE GERMAN PAVILLION -- “This is gonna be good”, Dan Bell said to himself as he stood at the back of the snaking line. He was thumbing through the brochure of the German pavillion. A ride, interactive activities, potential for schnitzel. Yes indeed, it doesn’t get much better than this.

An hour and thirty minutes later, Dan and his family were at the front of the line. Time for the ride! They climbed into the futuristic plexiglass car with two old Japanese women sitting behind them. Rollercoaster style guard rails lowered over them, and the plexiglass door was closed.

After a couple of fast twists and turns Dan realized that this was not just a thrillride, but an educational ride as well. “This is edu-taining”…he thought to himself. He thought the better of saying it aloud lest he fall victim to Tony’s razor-sharp wit.

Ironically, just as the car passed a section on reliable German engineering, something went wrong. The car stopped.

“Oh Crap!” thought Joanne, who doesn’t do well is small spaces.

“Oh, No”, Dan thought to himself…knowing that Joanne is a clausterphobia sufferer. “I hope Joanne can handle this”. Dan gave Joanne a loving look of concern.

She returned his look with a smile and said, “It’s okay, I can handle this. I’ll just breathe deeply.”

It was at this exact moment that Dan felt the glass walls closing in on him. The roller-coaster restraint seemed to tighten around his waist.

“Oh Crap!” thought Dan, “I’ve got to get the hell out of here, NOW!”

He started pulling at his restraint. “Relax, and breathe.” Joanne said. Tony looked on, somewhat dissinterested.

Dan continued to struggle as the Japanese women grew concerned. Dan started banging on the glass, and shouting. But no one heard him.

Dan said, “I feel so hot! Is it hot in here?”

Joanne said, “Take your shirt off.”

“Oh Crap!”, thought the Japanese women even though they didn't understand English, they sensed something bad was about to go down.

Just as Dan reached to unbutton his shirt, a maintenance man came into sight. Dan’s banging and high-pitched squeals were able to get his attention, and the Bells left the German exhibit without even sampling so much as a schnitzel. All were relieved, perhaps none moreso than Tony. It still brings a smile to his face to consider how the Japanese women would have reacted to his father’s unwelcome strip tease.

P.S.

The Terror trilogy, actually has another chapter. We are in beautiful Singapore now and had quite a memorable morning.

More on that later.

Singapore is an UNBELIEVBLE country. If Canada is a first world country, I would put Singapore one notch higher. The quality of this city/country is unbelievable. Just don’t chew gum.

More on the city later.