We the obese have several enemies in the real world and few are as ruthless as the turnstile. I’ve encountered only two in my little city. Canadian Tire has one. So does Blockbuster. I avoid both places when I can because of the turnstiles. I get through them both, but I have to go on my toes and twist my body just so if I want my passage to appear relatively normal. When we go to Blockbuster I usually say to Eddy, “You pick something, I’ll wait in the car.” He never questions it and I’m sure he has no idea I’m avoiding entry because of turnstile anxiety (I guess he’ll find out when he reads this, huh?) When I do go in with him I make sure he goes first so he doesn’t have to watch me.
My two worst turnstile experiences were at Walt Disney World where there are turnstiles, turnstiles and more turnstiles everywhere you go. Most are ok when I use my tippytoe/twist technique, but on two different visits I had trouble.
The first: 2007 as we boarded the Walt Disney Railroad at the Main Street station. It was far too narrow for me and I got stuck. I was horrified. I quickly managed to pull my body upwards and push through but the embarrassment had already happened. People saw. I smiled and carried on as if it didn’t happen. I’m good at that.
The second: 2010 going into the Carousel of Progress. Same thing. I got stuck. Dammit! Again! All the other turnstiles were manageable, but I guess the older, less spectacular, less popular attractions like the C of P still have older, narrower turnstiles that haven’t been upgraded to the roomier new models that take the population’s expanding waistlines into consideration. To get stuck in it was a nightmare. I wriggled out of it somehow but, once again, I was mortified. Thankfully there was a huge downpour at that very moment so most other guests were running for cover and not witnessing my humiliation.
So, I’m not a fan of turnstiles. Would you believe I feel anxious just writing about them? Next time I’m at Walt Disney World I’ll be my goal weight and I’m going to march right up to the Main Street Railroad station or the Carousel of Progress just to proclaim victory over the turnstiles.
Getting stuck in a security turnstile would surely be a horrifying experience especially when there are a lot of people watching. Good thing you still handled the situation with such grace and poise!
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