Day 7, part 2- June 29th

I was in the color guard group, hurried the guys out of AK and found a bus to the Magic Kingdom with no problem. This morning the adults who were supposed to be "off-duty" found themselves deep in piles of smelly, wrinkled scout uniforms. They collected them all, washed, dried and folded them and brought them all over to the MK for the ceremony. ALL the scouts and adult leaders had to be in full-dress uniforms for this event. We let them out this morning in their scout shorts and t-shirts, and had them change and get spiffy in MK just before we started.

We arrived at about 3:20, found our laundry helpers and located the security guys who would help the boys with the proper way to do this retreat. The troop had selected 5 scouts for this honor- our Senior Patrol Leader, my older son (a Life Scout), 2 younger scouts (2nd class and full of enthusiasm) and the birthday boy (this was his 14th birthday). These 5 guys thought it was OK to be doing this, but they really didn’t have any idea what importance it held.
Scouts: "So, we're gonna take the flag down, right?"
Me: "Uh, yes, that's right... with a brass band playing, doves flying over your head and hundreds of people watching. Just take the flag down. You have 60 seconds to get that 10 foot by 6 foot down and folded- OK? "
Scouts: "Sure, no problem."
Well, then they met with the security guys and started practicing... and practicing... and we were over on the side groaning and thinking… Are they ever going to get this right? Can’t they stand up straight? Oops, the flag is twisted... And the people just sitting around in Town Square were totally confused as the flag came down... and up... and down... and up... about 5 times . They didn’t look quite as calm now... At some point they were pronounced proficient and were allowed to get cleaned up and dressed. They other scouts were all arriving and dressing and at 4:50 we were all out on the square ready for this ceremony. The color guard looked especially impressive in their spanking white gloves.

This isn't posting correctly so it must be too long, scroll down for the "rest of the story"...

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Linda aka: wendy*darling
Intercot Staff: Disney & Orlando Dining
[email protected]

DVC owners at the Wilderness Lodge Villas
WDW:
4/92 (MK day trip only); 9/93 (Poly); 10/96 (DL & BC); 6/98 (YC); 2/00 (Contemporary); 12/00 (BWI); 6/01(FW tent camping with the Boy Scouts!!)
Next trip: June 2002 (ASMovies and VWL)

[This message has been edited by wendy*darling (edited July 24, 2001).]