play-place = torture chamber

     My kids love the McDonald's play-place.  Most kids do.  However, Noah is terrified of the tubes.  yes, the essence of the play-place.  He pretends that he wants to go in them.  He runs up the little stairs, sits inside the opening of the first tube, chills for a minute, then runs over to the other set of stairs and does the same thing.
     This time, after being there for about 20 min and doing the run, stairs, sit, chill routine a number of times, he worked up the nerve to venture inside the tubes.....   about 15 feet in and around the corner--the crying begins. i can fix this.  i don't need to crawl in there.  "David, go back and help your brother.  Show him the way out."  "OK!"  little david ventures back to help his little brother.  "Go with David, Noah."  David tries to coax Noah farther into the tubes to get to the slide.  "Honey, go with David.  He's gonna show you the way out."  The crying gets louder.  More coaxing.  Louder crying.  Coax, coax.  Cry, wail.  
     F***!  I'm going in.  "Hold on, buddy!  I'm coming!"  sigh. groan.
     Kick off my flip-flops, (oh, yes.  I get to crawl through barefoot.  Lord,  please place a force-field around my feet to protect them from athlete's foot and ringworm.) and dive into blue, slightly smelly tubes.  Crawling hands and knees, I make it to my terrified little cryer.  I scoot him forward toward the slide exit---he screams!!  little farther--scream!!  we're in a tube, I can't pick him up and carry him.  With every little push and nudge his screams get louder and more frantic, and he begins to shake.  It was horrible.  he was so scared.  Finally we get to the slide where the tube is a little wider, and I am able to sit down and put Noah on my lap.  still terrified, but slightly better.
   We made it out of the torture chamber, and he clung to me.  Would not let go or get down.  So, I sat with him, and told David to go through the tunnels a couple more times.  We were leaving soon.