Fear Reaches New Heights

(Mom and I are visiting this arcade, where they have the machines on the floor and a tightrope on the ceiling. You can tightrope walk around the heads of people playing, and it looks cool. Or course, there’s a safety harness to wear in case you fall.)

Me: “Mom, Mom! Let’s do that!”

Mom: “Okay, fine.”

(We get in line to do the tightrope walking, and they put the harness on each of us. Note that neither Mom or I have a fear of heights.)

Me: *dashing around on the rope* “Cool!”

Mom: *has horrified look, panics, and leaves*

Me: “Mom, what are you doing?! Come on, I paid for this!”

Mom: “No way! It’s too much!”

(I have my fun, and then after I get down on the floor again, I turn to her.)

Me: “Why didn’t you go?”

Mom: “Are you kidding? With the… and the… no way.”

Me: “But we had safety harness on if we fell. Which I didn’t.”

Mom: *shaking head no*

Me: *teasing* “Wimp! What about all the time the you made me go on roller coasters when I was six?! I was scared but you made me!”

(Mom was silent, looking away embarrassedly.)

Me: “I never knew you had a fear of heights.”

Mom: “…Neither did I, until just now!”