Written March 2008.

***

There is something poetic about the end of the day. After a “whatever” long shift, you can’t help but feel anxious to get home. You are counting down the hours, minutes, and seconds as soon as you came to work. But that does not make it poetic.

The anticipation of waiting to clock out, knowing you accomplished one more day’s worth on your paycheck, and one less day’s worth to go for your own Saturday to come [day off]. Seeing everyone you saw when you came in, exhausted as you are, and cracking jokes among jokes to ease off the exhaustion. But none of what has been mentioned makes this moment poetic.

Deciding to walk, instead of taking the bus, is what makes the whole “end of the day” ritual poetic. It takes a simplistic moment in time, into a picture perfect memory to reminisce years later, as you remember and even miss the single year you spent, working at Walt Disney World. Walking through the street ways that held a gazillion people a few hours prior is empty and peaceful. It’s dark as one AM invades the entire area with its calm and collect state of well being. Looking onto the water toward futureworld, seeing the beautiful imagery of that big golf ball standing proud to its Epcot cast members. The vivid colors projected onto that big golf ball [aka Spaceship Earth] is purple/blue-ish. Can’t tell what’s more a beautiful sight – the big ball itself, or the reflection in the waters. Perhaps, equal share of beauty.

As you look to the right of you, you notice the various countries, reflecting in the waters of the lagoon. All that your eyes can see is Germany to Japan. Of course, as you continue to walk along the pathway around the lagoon, you can set your eyes to every single country across from you. But remember now, you are walking to the office to punch out.

Most people take the bus, without even considering the beauty that awaits them. And most of the full-timers has seen this beauty all too well, that they forget that it’s beauty to begin with.

But from a naïve CPer, this moment of me walking from Canada to the custodial office behind Odyssey with the latest from Ayreon, blasting in my ear-drums through my nifty CP player, while taking a quick glimpse at this wonderful landscape. gives me a great buzz each and every time I take a stroll through the people-less streets. This is simply, the most beautiful place I have ever worked at. And that’s what makes the whole thing, poetic.