The Edge, a free fall ride at Marriott’s Great America in 1986

Standing in line

Waiting patiently

Watching the people

~

Short, tall, fat, and skinny

Hair of blonde, brunette, black, and red

Eyes of brown, green, grey, and blue

~

The line moves

Two spaces forward

Engage in conversation

~

Women, men

Girls, boys

Babes crying

~

Hispanic, Caucasian, Japanese

Chinese, African, Indian

And other ethnicities, I do not know

~

More minutes pass

Still waiting; shuffle feet

Look up

~

Shorts, pants, jeans, and skirts

Red, yellow, green, purple

Tank tops, halters, blouses, and shirts

~

Thunderous roar

Change flying

Orange steel

~

Move ahead, never back

Closer, but still so far

Patience wearing thin

~

Shoes of every style

Sandals, sneakers, and flats

Heels, boots, flip flops*

~

Finally, arrival

Push through the gates

Enter into the cage and wait.

~

Shoot into space

Clang downwards

Scream

~

Ride is over

Exit out

Follow People

~

Stand in line… again

~~~

Written by Beth Malbon

November 1986

In memory of the ride, The Edge

*Flip flops was changed in this rewrite as back in the late ‘80s, these types of sandals were known as thongs. But today, thongs are a type of underwear. Who would have known? LOL.