Keys to the Kingdom

2

"Wow. It's been a long time since I've been here. I didn't even realize they had these "Kitchen Sink" things!" Charlie exclaims as we sit down at the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. It's a personal favorite, as the area looks so playful and new with the light pinks, teals, and white all around us.

"They aren't too new. How long has it been since you've been here?" I ask, sitting down with my Brownie Sundae: a brownie with hot fudge, whipped cream, a cherry, and two scoops of chocolate ice cream.

"Ten years" Charlie quietly responds.

I stop for a moment and look at him. I almost exclaim out loud how that is so long and realize how lucky I am to have gone many times before landing this job here. "Oh wow. Well, welcome back! I hope everything isn't too different?"

Charlie laughs. "Thank you. Honestly, it doesn't look that different. Anyway, can I be honest?"

I wait for his answer, nodding as I eat my sundae.

"I have no idea what job they are talking about. What do you— I mean, we— do?"

I stop eating and explain. "I felt the same way when I was hired as caretaker for this job. We have been chosen to take care of each land here."

"At the Magic Kingdom?"

"No. All the parks. Mainly the Magic Kingdom, but there have been times I've had to take care of things in EPCOT and Hollywood Studios."

"Sounds boring," Charlie comments quietly.

"It's not. Trust me. Look."

I hold up my large rings of keys. Big and small. "Each of these is to a particular area or land. This one," I hold up one key that is older, more bronze colored with a wood design on the blade, and a boat on the bow, "Is for Adventureland. Each key is designed specifically from that land."

Charlie's brown eyes immediately go wide and light up at the sight of the keys. "Wait, is that one the Haunted Mansion."

I let go of the Adventureland one and pull out a key with a long silver blade, and a bat for the bow, and the initials HM engraved on it. "Yes, it is! This one's a favorite of mine. Not many keys I have are silver, and I love the engraving and how it fits the font of the sign in front of the ride," I stare at the key before dropping it down, the sound of the keys colliding together making a beautiful sound I never tire of hearing.

"Each key is how we get into each of the lands. Now, I'm going to answer you're future question because every single person I have worked with has asked this question: How does it work when we already are in the lands. In a way, we are, but these keys give us access to areas that other guests or cast members cannot enter. It also is a portal for others to leave their lands and enter others."

"What do you mean by others?"

Suddenly, my phone rings. I already know what its going to be about. I look down at my ice cream, sadly having only ate a few bites. "We gotta go. Duty calls I guess," I stand up,"I'll finish this on the way."

"Where are we going? Also what do you mean by others?" Charlie asks following me out of the parlor and into the busy Main Street.

"I'll show you," I respond, smiling, and then say to myself, "It's good to be back."