I worked at an amusement park for three summers and the only thing I have to show for it is a bruised ego and an empty soul.
I worked in the Kiddieland section, or as I like to call it, “legal pedophilia.” Actually, I’m not a pedophile. After lifting up multiple 200 pound, six-year old girls with sweaty armpits, I think even a pedophile would draw the line. They’d be like, “You know what? I think I’m cured. I’m going to find something else I can use to compensate for my parents not loving me.”

“Up! Up!”

“I quit.”
It was awesome though, because I wanted to work with kids, but instead of doing fun, stress-free, indoor activities like painting or having serious discussions about the Wiggles, I wanted to be spit and sneezed on for 10 hours a day in the hot sun.
The main rule we had was that parents were not allowed in the ride area to put their kids on the rides. However, parents were so protective that they would make up excuses as to why they were allowed in, like “My kid doesn’t like to be handled by other people” or “My kid is mentally challenged.” The thing is, all kids under the age of six are mentally challenged. They’re so dumb!
Another great thing about working in Kiddieland is that fathers would tell me inappropriate things because it’s been so long since they’ve been able to do that without being scolded by their wives. This one time, a mother and her daughter got on a ride, and then the father came up to me and goes, “I wish I had your job. You get to look at MILFs all day.” I don’t think there’s anything you can say to that without sounding like a creep. So I just said, “Yeah, especially your wife.”
Also, there was a ride that looked like a bus, so one time a black guy went to get on the ride with his daughter, and they originally sat in the back seat. Then, they stood up and moved to the front. The guy then looked at me and said, “Man, I’m sick of sitting in the back of the bus!” I think it’s sad that these guys resorted to telling lame jokes to teenage kids making minimum wage at an amusement park, but I’ll take it.

Rosa Parks’ favorite ride.
But in spite of the bad pay and stressful moments, there were also a few times I really enjoyed my job. Like the time a boy got his penis stuck in the carousel or the time I saw a man drop a baby and use it to brace his fall.
I really miss those moments.