I was a sweeper. One of the guys and gals that wear all white, walk around with a dust pan and broom, and tell people where the restroom is about 5000 times during the course of a shift.
Main Street, USA was (and still is) the glamour assignment for a sweeper. It is the first and last land that guests see.
It needs to be kept immaculate (and the key to that is to clean under the benches).
And now here I am on the real Main Street, USA.
It is a little past 11:00 a.m. and things are really quiet in Marceline.
There's no background music or marching bands.
No characters or trains circling.
I'm the only sweeper here.
And my broom is retired.
I snap pictures for posterity of things that remind me of Disneyland.
It is just neat to be here.
I'm just outside the Uptown theater waiting for Kaye to arrive.
I feel a little weird. Like I'm intruding on whatever plans they had.
The large tour bus pulls around the corner and up to the theater.
Kaye leads a group of 40 seniors from Iowa into the theater. She waves me in.
We walk into the small lobby of the theater. It has that good, old smell.
It smells like history.
The owner of the theater is flittering around getting popcorn and sodas ready for the tour group.
Kaye tries to introduce me to her but it is clear to me that she's focused on the tour group.
Kaye invites me in to take a seat in the theater.
And I've walked back into time.
The theater probably seats about 250 patrons. The old curtains are still up and the clock that the local grocery store donated in exchange for ad space still glows to the left of the screen more than 50 years after it was given to the theater.
We have become so accustomed to going to multiplexes with Dolby Surround Sound and 3D effects, there is something to be said for seeing something in a small town theater.
This is wonderful.
Kaye has a handheld PA system and she introduces the owner of the theater, Dorothy.
Dorothy takes over and introduces two clips from Disc Two of Lady and The Tramp that highlight Marceline. I hadn't realized that Marceline was also the inspiration for the setting of that movie.
The two clips last a total of 10 minutes and the tour group is then led out to have a box lunch around the corner.
Kaye escorts them out and invites me to stick with Dorothy.
Dorothy offers me a soda and we walk next door to the bakery that she owns adjacent to theater.
"Would you like a chicken salad sandwich" sha asked. "Kaye and I were going to have lunch and you are welcome to join us!"
I hear myself say "Sure!" but I really can't believe this is happening. This is amazing.
I take a seat while Dorothy slices croissants and assembles the three sandwiches.
Dorothy shared with me that she owns the theater, the bakery, and the four room bed and breakfast in the building. They are also behind a yearly event called ToonFest where different cartoonists are honored here in Marceline.
As if on cue, Kaye returns right as the sandwiches are ready to eat.
She takes a seat opposite of me.
And we begin our conversation.
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