Schoolzout Blowout!

At the end of each school year in Kissimmee (beginning in 1996) we would kick-off our summer schedule with a big event, at first known as the Schoolzout Blowout and later as the Wonderama (and no, I can't really explain that name!).  With my son having final exams this week, it made me a bit nostalgic for such an event, so I am having one right here on the blog.  For the next six days I will be telling some of my favorite stories from my time at FUMC-K.  They are in no particular order, they are just stories that bring a big smile to my face!  So enjoy!

In March of 1996 we took a second group to New York City (see picture at left) and had a great time.  One evening we all headed over to Chinatown.  Chinatown offers quite a cultural education; all of the fresh markets with whole fish and chickens displayed for purchase, the trinkets you can buy, and all of the smells are not things you can find just anywhere.  I often took groups to Chinatown over the years, and a huge part of the reason was so we could eat at an authentic Chinese restaurant.  I had attended a United Nations Seminar as a high school senior, and we had gone to Chinatown to eat.  Until that point I had thought of Chinese food as the awful chicken chow mein they sometimes served as a part of school lunches.  I thought that I hated Chinese food.  But Neal Thomas and Wallace Sills ordered for all of us that night, and I discovered a whole new world!  I loved every bite.  I always wanted the groups I led to have a similar experience.  The only problem was I could never remember the names (they were all very much the same) of any of the restaurants we ate at, so each year we would wind up at a different place.  In 1996 the place I chose was very different...

We arrived right around 5 PM with our group, and the place was empty.  It was an elegant dining room, very authentic in its' decor, and I was excited.  I had arranged to order family style so that our students would get a chance to try a variety of dishes, and I could just tell this was going to be wonderful.  After a moment of waiting, I was told that we were being seated in a special room downstairs that we would have to ourselves.  Even better.  A private room, great food- this was going to be a night to remember!  They took us down the stairs and we discovered that our private room was, in fact, simply the basement.  The tables (see above) looked liked ones we might have brought with us from the church.  The room was crowded, and there was not a single Chinese decoration to be seen.  There was, however, on one wall, a lovely painting of the Eiffel Tower.  Yes- the one in Paris!  My expectations were immediately lowered.  When I began to order, we encountered another problem.  Our server spoke very little English, and everything I requested was met with the statement, "No, you want ______.  I bring you ______."  In other words, our server ordered for us.  Again, my hopes for a fun evening were sinking with each passing moment.

Everything got better once the food started to arrive.  There was lots of it, and it was excellent, even if we weren't always sure what it was.  One of the final plates they brought out was the house specialty, they informed us.  It was some type of chicken dish; that much we could understand.  It was covered when they brought it to the table, and with great pomp and circumstance they removed the cover to reveal a whole cooked chicken- with the head still on it!!!  This was more than most of the group was prepared for, and there were gasps all around the tiny room.  I don't remember eating any of that particular dish.  I do remember that at some point Courtney Moon removed the Chicken Head and began using it like a puppet (see picture).  The more the chicken talked, the harder we laughed.  I was now very happy that we were in our little basement room, because the group was hysterical.  I am certain that everyone who was present that night has their own memories of a very odd evening.  But the story of the Chicken Head does not end there.  Courtney wrapped it up and took it with her, and for the next day or so it toured New York with us, popping up on subways and in other restaurants to remind us of our adventure under the Eiffel Tower.  Legend has it that the Chicken Head eventually jumped from the top of the Empire State Building.  I can neither confirm or deny that story...

These days I eat Chinese food once or twice a week, and I have to tell you, I always think of that night in Chinatown and the infamous Chicken Head.  Some stories are like that; no matter how hard you try you cannot get away from them.  Like the time on a ski trip when our bus first froze, and then became a flame-thrower!  Come back tomorrow for that one.

Because of Jesus,