Every year, my brother and his family make a 10 hour pilgrimage to get to Disneyland. It has been their annual tradition for years and years. The best part of it all, of course, is that I get to spend one of their days loving my nephews, riding rides, standing in lines, grading the rides, judging the “cast members,” discussing important life issues like who my favorite Avenger is… what would I do if there was no gravity… what kind of scientific discoveries we need to make to help mankind… It’s a big deal… and a giant blast… and I guess, now it has become MY annual tradition…

Today was our day, as well as Walt Disney’s birthday… near the end of the night, however, we missed whatever extra birthday celebration activities might have been going on, in exchange for riding Splash Mountain… I was extra proud of my brother for negotiating the deal so they would let us keep going around and around without having to get out of the floating log… we made it four times in a row… a real record… each time around, singing new harmonies with the robots and the Brear Rabbit Soul Singers… each time, scoring and rating the final drop into the water… it was a huge thrill for my nephews… and a painful, aching trauma for me, as I had to pee soooo bad… “Can you hold it one more time, Uncle Mikey??” “Come on, Uncle Mikey! Hold it!”

Afterwards, we bolted straight for the bathrooms… mostly in silence, and with a shared, unspoken bond from our newly-achieved, life record and the pressing urgent mission at hand…

Finally, while standing in the stall, releasing the pressure valve and letting it all out… I knew it was all worth it… the waiting and holding… for Walt on his birthday… for my awesome nephews… as I boldly exclaimed “Ahhhhh oohhhhhh urghhhaagghh, Uncle Mikey just released his own Splash Mountain!” and my nephews cheered with Disney delight at my magical pun…