Mr. Ken met Wayne down in the hotel lobby for breakfast. The men had decided to let the boys sleep in. They knew the boys had a long day yesterday, and they wanted them to be rested for their second day out at Fantasy Fun Park.
When he got to the lobby, Mr. Ken took out the hotel manager's card and called the man and asked him if he was available to talk. The man came right out to the lobby. Mr. Ken asked the man if he could call ahead to their next hotel and see if they could get him a third hotel room as he had there. Mr. Ken explained that with four teenagers that third room was the best thing ever for them. The man said he would see what he could do, but wasn't promising anything.
As the Cover men ate their breakfast, Wayne Mitchell was reading the local newspaper and came across an interesting story. He read it through and then told his employer about it.
"Mr. Ken ... there is an article in this local newspaper I think you'll be interested in. It says here that four more lawsuits were filed against the Edgewood Amusements LLC, their owners and partners. It went on to say that the filing brought the number of lawsuits up to seven for the people injured during the Rocket roller coaster accident back over the Memorial Day weekend. The paper also said that the last five injured riders are expected to file their lawsuits beginning first of part of next week.
"I wonder how much those lawyers are suing the park for, you know, for their client's pain and suffering and whatever else they can get out of them. I also wonder if the park's insurance company ... will they try to settle with all twelve claimants first.
"I guess my biggest question is ... well, I wonder if Edgewood ... if they had enough insurance to cover something like that? Twelve people being injured and from that height and the speed I can only imagine what injuries they received," offered Mr. Wayne.
"Wayne, besides the employee pay, their medical insurance premiums, the payments on the loan note, the next biggest cost the park has is the insurance premiums. Hopefully, Edgewood has kept up their insurance payments and if so, they, ahh ... they shouldn't have too much to worry about.
"But, Wayne ... ahh, there could be something going on there. The way they didn't take care of the park, and ... and their asking price ... it was so high ... to me it didn't represent the condition the park and the rides were in when I visited. It just doesn't make sense to me.
"You should have heard what they said to me when I gave them my proposal to buy the place, after explaining what I had to spend to bring the park up to basic standards. You would have thought I was stealing the park from them," laughed Mr. Ken.
"Well, to them ... you probably were," laughed Wayne. "That was their 'baby' and you were offering less than what they thought it was worth."
"Wayne, you know the boys ... they want to visit the place, if we can fit it into our schedule. But with all these lawsuits and ... and their desire to get top dollar for a rundown park and no buyer talking to them, that I am aware of, I wonder.
"Wayne ... could you ... would you do something for me?" asked Mr. Ken, out of the blue.
Wayne said he would if he could. Mr. Ken then told him how he wanted him to visit Edgewood as a front man for a company looking over the property to buy it. He explained he'd tell them his company would sell off the rides and bulldoze what you don't sell and build your factory. Wayne asked his boss what that would do for him.
Mr. Ken said it would tell him how bad off the owners are for money, and if these lawsuits are what is going to break their backs and possibly their bank. Mr. Ken asked Wayne not to say anything to the boys, until he sets it up through his real estate group. The man said he would set it up with one of his shell companies he uses to buy properties, like he is using to buy real estate around Crystal Lake.
Mr. Ken told his Estate Master they would set him up with official credentials that they could verify and they could even call the real estate companies around Crystal Lake to see if that company was also buying in that area as well. Mr. Wayne smiled at the intrigue that would be behind the subterfuge.
The seven Cover boys made their way into the buffet area just past 10 a.m., but the buffet was already taken down. Robert asked his dad why they didn't wake them.
"And a good morning to you ... my Birthday Boy," teased the boy's dad.
Robert was a bit dumbfounded at first, but he quickly recovered. "Yea, you're right. Today is my birthday. I'm fourteen today. I've been so busy I forgot all about it. Thanks, dad, for remembering," replied Robert, who gave his dad a big hug.
'Did you bring my birthday gift with you?" asked the fourteen-year-old.
"No, son, I didn't. But I'll probably get you what I got Charles," answered the teen's dad.
Robert quickly went over to Charles and asked him what their dad got him for his birthday. Hearing what it was, the two teenagers went over to their dad.
"Dad, you didn't get Charles anything for his birthday," lamented Robert.
"That's right, and that's what you're getting, too," laughed the teen's dad.
Both teenagers said, "Daaaaad!"
"Well, with Charles' adoption, my last-minute trip and everything else that was going on, I totally forgot to buy him something. But, in my defense, I told him to let me know what he wanted, and he never came back to tell me. You two think about what you want, and when we get back remind me," said their dad.
"Now, as for why I didn't wake you. I figured you all needed your rest, but now that you are all awake, we'll stop at either IHOP or Denny's for breakfast, and then go out to the park. How does that sound?" finished 'dad' Ken.
The Covers' driver didn't mind stopping at a restaurant, as he was going to be with them all day, as he was the previous day. The boys were happy because they got a good meal, at a nice restaurant, before going out to ride the rides at Fantasy Fun Park.
When the Covers arrived at the amusement park the driver knew to stop at the employee entrance and drop them off before parking the van. The driver then caught up with Mr. Wayne and the boys as they headed to get their Fastest Passes.
Mr. Ken and Joseph Shartz continued talking about the park and its attendance and revenue figures, as compared to the previous two years of operation. The men were happy to see the figures showed an increase over the two previous years, and that the people were enjoying the three new rides.
Mr. Ken asked the boys to stay together, but if they wanted to head in different directions, he asked Billy, Charles and Matthew to stay with Mr. Wayne. Robert and Eric balked at hearing that. But their 'dad', told them the four teens were together last night, and now he wanted the younger boys to spend some time with their older 'brothers'.
The boys went out and used their Fastest Passes like conquering heroes. Robert, Eric, Kevin and Kyle enjoyed riding all the rides they did their first time there and yesterday and intended to do the same today.
Billy, Charles, Matthew, Mr. Wayne and the van driver went about doing what they did the previous day, riding all the rides they could and, as they did so, they traded off riding partners.
All of the Covers did make sure they rode their 'dad's' new rides, so they could give him some real time feedback. They decided to talk to the riders after their rides to get other people's insight as to how they saw the three new rides.
'Dad' Ken had the boys, Mr. Wayne and the van driver meet him at 7 p.m. He explained to the boys earlier they needed a good meal and then they had to pack their suitcases and get a good night's sleep before they headed off to catch their plane the following morning.
The boys were all OK with the early departure from the park. As the Covers drove to their restaurant, the boys began to tell their 'dad' what they thought of his three new rides. Their 'dad' asked them to wait until they were seated and then tell him. But Matthew said they'd have to use their 'restaurant' voice, and then he won't hear them. Everyone laughed.
'Dad' Ken agreed to hear about one ride at a time and, if they had time, they could tell him about all three. Since Matthew was the most vocal, he went first. The youngest Cover decided to tell his 'dad' about the ride called Super Flyer.
"'Dad', the Super Flyer ... they had you lay down on this mat type thing, then they strapped you in. They then turned on the power and the ride went around and around and then they took you up and down in the air. Wow!
"You have your hands out holding on to these handle bars, but it was almost like you were flying like superman. And the mat thing you were laying on moved in and out as it went around and it swung back and forth some, which made it feel really neat," finished Matthew.
The rest of the boys told their 'dad' how they saw the ride and how much they enjoyed it, too. Billy, Robert, Eric and Charles then told him they talked to other riders, and they told him what they had to say about it. The end result was the regular park attendees really liked the new ride and were happy the new owner put in some new rides.
The boys had time to talk about another ride and this time Kevin told their 'dad' about the Surfer Wave. Kevin told 'dad' Ken how they stand up on this huge painted surfboard and it spins around and around as it 'surfs' up and down the swells of the track. Kevin said it was the first ride he ever stood up on and he liked it.
The other boys chimed in with their take on the ride. The older boys said it was an OK ride for them. They said they liked it when they rode it yesterday, but today it wasn't as good for them. Eric said it was more of a younger kid ride that the parents could take their young children on and have fun together, as a family. Robert said the ride was alright for him, but it wouldn't be something he'd ride every time he came to the park, unless it was something one of his friends hadn't ridden and wanted to.
By then the van driver pulled into the restaurant parking lot and the conversation ended. Since they had reservations, the Covers, party of nine, the van driver was on his own for dinner, were seated within five minutes of their arrival.
The Covers had a very good Italian dinner that evening. All you can eat salad and breadsticks along with whatever entrée the Cover chose and their cold drink of choice. The adults had wine, while the boys had the raspberry-lemonade, with free refills.
The boys did discuss the third new ride at Fantasy Fun Park while at dinner. This time it was Billy who told his foster dad about the newest ride, the Tomahawk.
"Mr. Ken, that Tomahawk ride was over-the-top, no pun intended," laughed Billy. "That was a great looping ride, even if it was my first ever. I was scared at first that I would fall out, but after seeing the people ride it before me, and they didn't fall out, I knew I wouldn't.
"Today we put Matthew between Charles and me, so he could hold onto us. He told us he didn't ride it yesterday and he was scared. The over the shoulder safety harness and seat restraint were tight, but felt good and strong, and so I felt safe.
"The operator lowered the loading platform and then he began to swing the ride back and forth and each time it went higher and higher and eventually it went over the top and around and around we went. Then he stopped it at the top, and then we went in the opposite direction. I wasn't ready for that. Of the three new rides that one was the best, for sure," finished Billy.
The rest of the boys told their 'dad' what they thought about the ride and to a one they all loved it. Even Matthew, who was scared of the ride, thought it was great after he rode it. He said he was more afraid of being upside down than anything else, and when they went around and he hadn't realized it until he saw he was back around and saw the loading platform he began to enjoy the experience.
Robert told his dad that they all talked to riders after their rides to see how the people liked the Tomahawk. The teen said that everyone loved the new ride, and that they didn't mind waiting in line because it was such an intense ride. Charles said the people he talked to had told him they were happy the new owner is beginning to put money into the park.
The boys thanked their 'dad' for bringing them there and they said they were looking forward to going to Mountain Top tomorrow, and showing Billy around. Kyle said he hoped John and Bill could let them show Billy the inside of the Ghoul World, as they did the last time they were there.
Mr. Wayne said when they get there tomorrow, it would be sometime after 1 p.m. and all of the rides would be in operation, so the maintenance men wouldn't be allowed to shut a ride down just for them to walk around inside.
Kevin then said last year John and Bill told them if it hadn't been raining, they would have walked them to the top of the wooden roller coaster. He asked their 'dad' if they could do that this year.
'Dad' Ken said he'd ask Ben Walthers, his operations manager, if the men could do that, but he told the boys they would have to be out at the park early, maybe like eight o'clock. And, that Mr. Wayne would have to agree to be there with them.
When the Covers arrived at their hotel. They headed to their rooms to pack and set aside their clothes for tomorrow. The men told the boys to put their dirty clothes in the packing cubes they bought them, so their clean clothes wouldn't get soiled. Bedtime was 9:30 and wake up was 7 a.m., and for the boys to be downstairs by eight. There was no visit by 'dad' Ken that night.
The Covers met in the hotel lobby at 8 a.m., with all their bags. They weren't in as much of a hurry as they were back during the Holidays, so Mr. Ken allowed the boys to get something to eat. He told them not to stuff themselves as they would get a good meal when they got to their hotel.
After their ride to the airport and their flight time, the Covers arrived at the next hotel around twelve noon. Mr. Ken was pleased to learn he had three rooms again, and this time he had Bill, Eric and Charles share the extra room to the chagrin of Robert. 'Dad' Ken explained to the boys that he was going to move the boys around and for them to just go with the flow.
The Covers got settled in their rooms and 'dad' Ken had them meet in the lobby at 12:30. They then went out for lunch and by the time they ate and drove out to the Mountain Top Amusement Park it was going on 2 p.m.
Ben Walthers was anxiously waiting for the park's owner to arrive. Ken Thomas told the man he had something he needed to talk to him about, and he needed to talk to him face-to-face. The man had no idea what it could be, but he knew the man had bought another park and wondered if he was going to be moved to operate that one.
The van driver knew to take a back road over to the employee entrance, thus avoiding the main park vehicle entrance and being delayed. When Mr. Walthers saw the van coming towards the Operations building, he knew his guests had arrived.
"Welcome back Mr. Thomas," offered Ben Walthers, as Ken Thomas stepped out of the van. "And you as well, Mr. Mitchell and boys. I am happy you could visit and spend more time visiting us and enjoying our wonderful park."
"Ben, I want you to meet, Bill. He's fifteen and he is my newest foster son. And, I want you to meet my newest son, Charles. I adopted him about six weeks ago," was how Mr. Ken introduced the boys.
"Congratulations, Charles. I know you have to be very happy over your adoption. And welcome, Bill. I am sure the boys will show you around as best they can, and I know you will enjoy our wonderful park," offered Ben Walthers.
"Ben, do you have someone who can take them over to get their Fastest Passes? This way they won't need someone to escort them around to the rides," asked Mr. Ken.
But before Mr. Walthers could respond, Kevin asked, "Mr. Walthers, can John and Bill take us to the top of the wooden rollercoaster? When we were here the last time it had rained and they said they would have taken us to the top. Do you think they could do that tomorrow if we come early enough?"
Ben Walthers smiled at the question. He told Kevin that he'd have to talk to the men to see what they had on their maintenance schedule for tomorrow, and if they could even do that because of the boys ages, before he could answer that question. Mr. Walthers told the Cover he'd tell Mr. Ken what he finds out.
The operations manager went inside and got someone from the office and told them to take the boys and Mr. Wayne and the van driver to the FFF Pass Booth and get them all Comp Fastest Passes. The person silently asked who they were that they got them. Ben Walthers whispered to the person they were the park's owner's family.
At the FFF Pass Booth, the person from the operations office told the people at the booth to issue the nine people the Fastest Passes and to remember their faces. They added the guests arrived with the park's owner and were more than VIPs.
Mr. Wayne asked the boys to stay together and ride the rides as a group. But the older boys wanted to ride the bigger rides first, while the younger boys said they wanted to start slow and work their way up.
Mr. Wayne told Billy, Robert, Eric and Charles to go ahead and have fun, but first he asked them if they had any money for food and drinks. The boys showed him the money their 'dad' had given them.
The younger boys wanted to ride the dark ride, Ghoul World, first. That was the flat ride that John and Bill let them walk through with the lights on. The Estate Master and the van driver walked with the boys in that direction.
As the boys were out enjoying the amusement rides, and not having to wait in line very long, Ken Thomas and Ben Walthers were talking about the attendance and revenue figures as compared to the two previous years. They also talked about the guest feedback on the three new rides, which Mr. Ken said he wanted to visit before he left that day.
As the two men talked, Mr. Ken finally got around to talking to Ben about what he alluded to during their earlier phone conversation that he wanted to talk to him face-to-face about.
"Ben ... as you know ... I bought another park, Chrystal Lake. What you might not know is that I almost bought Edgewood, as well, but passed on it as they wanted more money for it than I thought it was worth," started Ken Thomas.
"I'll bet you are happy now you didn't, especially now after their accident," commented Ben.
"Actually, if I had bought that park I ahh ... the first thing I would have done was taken that ride off line. That one as well as the other three rides the State Regulators took off line last week. The maintenance on those rides was abysmal and that ride, I am sorry to say, was an accident waiting to happen.
"You may have heard that two people were questioned about their visit to Edgewood back in January and February and they may have tampered with the maintenance files. Those two people were Jason Zimms, Joe Shartz's right hand man, and now my Resident Administrator at Crystal Lake and ... me."
Ken Thomas then gave Ben Walthers the whole story of how he sent Jason to both Crystal Lake and Edgewood, to do a thorough inspection and file a report. He told the operations manager what he saw when he visited Edgewood and why he offered the price he did for the park, because of what he considered was the bare minimum being done to keep the park open while they asked for a high price for the property.
Ken Thomas went into the Rockets accident and his going over to Crystal Lake to help calm Jason down because of the accusations the Edgewood owners had made against him. The owner told Ben what the investigators asked and that they gave them their report and hundreds of digital pictures of all the rides, including the Rocket.
Ben Walthers then asked Mr. Ken if he was going to ask him to move to Crystal Lake and run that park. Mr. Ken laughed and said he wasn't. He told Ben that he had Jason there as the Resident Administrator during the contract period, and was happy with Jason's work and what he planned to do there.
"Ben, adding the fourth park has spread me thin, very thin. You know last time I was here I was talking about appointing a Vice-President to help me run the three parks. Well, I've decided to create Three Finger Entertainment, LLC with a President who will run all four parks, under me of course, and, Ben ... I want you ... to be that President," announced Ken Thomas.
Ben was flabbergasted by the offer. He knew the owner of the three, now four, amusement parks was looking to hire someone to help him run the parks, but now he was going to hire someone to actually oversee and administer them. That put a big smile on Ben Walthers face.
"Ben, it will mean you will have to move to the headquarters building I am creating, where you will have a staff that will help you with consolidating food and drink contracts and the coordination and purchasing of new rides and whatever else is needed to run the four parks.
"Take a few days to talk it over with your family. I know it is a big move. As for who will take over here well ... I hope you have your second in charge ready to jump in and take over. I would want you to make the move by the end of the summer. Two reasons, one the office building won't be ready to move into until the middle of August, and second ... your kids moving and being enrolled in a new school for the start of the new school term.
"But I won't hold you to that timeframe. If you, and your family, need more time ... well, that can be arranged. But I will want you there by Thanksgiving. There will be the new rides for the parks going in for next year that you will need to oversee and much, much more," finished Mr. Ken.
The first thing the men talked about was what would be Ben's new salary and what type of moving expenses they would have. They then talked about what his job would entail. Ben was concerned about what the other operations managers would think or say. Mr. Ken told him not to worry about them, but to focus on deciding on taking the job and forming a premier group that Six Flags and Cedar Point would be envious of.
Mr. Ken also asked Ben to not say anything to any of the other operations managers, as he was going to make the official announcement over a gathering, he planned to hold the weekend after the Labor Day weekend, at his new Lakeside Hotel. Ben said he understood.
Billy and his 'brothers' rode all of the Mountain Top's roller coasters before they rode anything else. The four teens were having a great time hanging together, riding the rides and just walking around the amusement park like hundreds of other teens were doing that day at Mountain Top.
Billy loved the fact that they had their Fastest Passes, and all they needed to do was walk up the Exit, show their pass, and get a time to return to ride the ride. They usually only waited ten minutes, and in some cases, less than that.
When they got tired of riding the bigger rides the teens decided to try the three new rides that their 'dad' had installed for that year. The rides were the same as the ones at Fantasy Fun Park, but were named and themed differently.
The first ride they rode was called The Skateboard. It was shaped like a skateboard and the people stood up on it and the ride was themed as if the riders were in a bowl and riding up and down the sides. The boys talked to the other riders to get their opinions.
The Covers then went over to the newest ride, Flying Around Town. This ride was the same as the Super Flyer, but it was themed to a person flying up and around tall buildings. The ride operator allowed the ride to go up and down as it went around and around, so the rider got a better feel for flying over the buildings in the backdrop theme. Again, the boys talked to the other riders.
When the teenagers came to the third new ride, The Hatchet, they looked it over and watched it go over its 70-foot height before going through the Exit to use their Fastest Pass. The ride was a favorite of the Season Pass Holders and the daily attendance goers, who paid to get into Mountain Top, so the queue was very long.
The younger Covers came up to that same ride as their 'brothers' were waiting to ride, so they got their time to ride, too. Their older 'brothers' decided to wait, so they all could ride at the same time. As they waited, 'dad' Ken and Ben Walthers came up to the ride as Mr. Ken wanted to observe the ride in operation. When the boys saw him, they pestered him to ride with them.
The Hatchet held 24 riders at a time, so the Covers and the van driver took up ten of the seats. There was some discussion as to who would sit next to their 'dad' during the ride. Mr. Ken made an executive decision and chose Robert and Charles, to the disappointment of the three younger boys, who wanted to ride next to him.
The crowd wasn't too happy when ten people came through the Exit to load onto the ride, but Ben Walthers went over to the line and told them that the riders all had Fastest Passes and were from the same family who just happened to meet at the same ride. Some people in the queue said they saw them all over the park riding other rides, and they did have the Fastest Passes and that calmed down many of the other people in the queue.
Kevin and Kyle sat on either side of Billy, while Eric and Mr. Wayne sat on either side of Matthew. The van driver was relegated to sit in a separate row and was joined by two other riders. Once the ride operator checked their restraints, he lowered the loading floor and the ride was ready to begin.
Just like the Tomahawk, The Hatchet went in one direction before stopping at the top of its arc for a few seconds, before heading in the opposite direction. The younger Cover boys all screamed when the ride stopped at the top and then laughed as the ride traveled in the opposite direction to complete its cycle, before the ride ended.
When the ride was over, the nine Covers all talked very loudly about their ride and they all thanked their 'dad' for riding with them. The people in line heard them call the younger man their 'dad' and wondered how that could be.
Ben Walthers heard some of them and told them the man adopted some of the boys, was the foster dad to the others and that he was the one who owned the park, and then he walked away to catch up with the group.
Mr. Ken decided that it was time to head out for the night and get something good to eat, so the group made their way to the operations building while Ben and Mr. Ken rode their golf cart back to the facility. The boys talked and laughed along the way and told each other stories about the rides they rode and the fun they had.
The van driver took the Covers out to a great steak place near their hotel. The van driver was on his own for dinner, as the van driver was the previous evening.
At dinner, the boys talked about the fun they had at the park and the twins said they were happy it wasn't raining. That reminded them about walking to the top of the wooden roller coaster, so they asked their 'dad' if he found out if they could do that.
Mr. Ken told the boys that John and Bill were only teasing them the last time they were there. The man told them that the park's insurance would not allow anyone under the age of eighteen to walk the steep and treacherous walkway to the top of the roller coaster, and thus they will not be allowed to do that. All of the boys were disappointed they wouldn't get to do that.
During dinner the boys talked about the three new rides their 'dad' bought for Mountain Top. They said the only good thing about them was the theming. The boys all liked the theming with the new rides at Mountain Top than they did at Fantasy Fun Park. But they all loved The Hatchet as much as they loved the Tomahawk, and they told their dad that even the people in line loved that ride.
Before they went to bed, 'dad' Ken told the boys he was going to break them up again for tomorrow, so the younger boys got to hang around with their older 'brothers'. He told the teens., today, they all were able to ride the amusements with their same aged 'brothers', but now it was time for them to spend some time with younger 'siblings'. The teens all understood what their 'dad' meant.
Tonight, there were goodnight hugs and they happened out in the hallway before everyone went into their own hotel rooms. The boys were also told they would be allowed to sleep in like they did yesterday, and they would stop for a good breakfast along the way out to the park tomorrow. The boys thanked their 'dad' and they all went to bed.
The next morning Mr. Ken and Wayne met in the hotel lobby for coffee and a light bite to eat, knowing they would get a good breakfast when they took the boys out to eat later. Mr. Ken asked Wayne if he saw anything more in the newspaper about the lawsuits against Edgewood.
Mr. Wayne said the only commentary was that the total of the lawsuits already totaled over twelve million dollars and there were at least five injured riders who haven't filed and that was not counting the people on the ground who were also injured by the flying debris.
Wayne Mitchell then asked his boss when they would hear about his clandestine trip to Edgewood. Mr. Ken said that they would probably hear by Tuesday, as they needed to create the phony identification cards, phone numbers and get the secretary up to speed on what to say if they actually called. Mr. Wayne was surprised his employer would go through that much trouble, but he figured if you're going to pull the wool over someone's eyes, you do it right.
The boys came down to the lobby at 9 a.m. all dressed and ready to go out to breakfast. Mr. Ken asked them to hold on for a few minutes, as he wanted to talk to the hotel manager. When the men talked, Mr. Ken asked him to call forward for him and see if they would extend him the same courtesy of a third hotel room for his boys, as he had. The manager said he'd let him know.
The Covers stopped at the pancake restaurant that Mr. Ken enjoyed, because it was bright inside and they had good food. The Covers ate at a leisurely pace, as they already had ridden all the rides at Mountain Top, and all they would be doing today was riding them again.
The Covers went and got their Fastest Passes as soon as they arrived at the amusement park, while 'dad' Ken went to talk to Ben Walthers about the job offer, and how he would build his work team, if he took the position.
The boys broke up into different groups today than they did yesterday, so the younger boys got to ride the amusements with their older 'brothers'. Robert, Charles, Matthew and Mr. Wayne made up the one group, and Billy, Eric, Kevin and Kyle made up the second Cover group.
The van driver thanked Mr. Wayne for the Fastest Pass, but said he just wanted to walk around by himself, as he'd been there a number of times already. Mr. Wayne made sure he had the man's phone number in case they decided to leave earlier.
Ben Walthers couldn't wait for Ken Thomas to arrive that day. When the park's owner arrived, he told the man that he and his wife, and the kids, talked about the new job, and they were all on board with it. Mr. Ken was pleased with that decision.
The two men then got down to talking about how Ben would go about building the team he needed to oversee the four amusement parks, start writing the contracts to buy all the foods, drinks, game prizes, etc. and decide on which new rides would be going in to the parks. Mr. Ken did tell Ben that he had already decided on the rides for next year and that he would have to follow them through their installation.
Mr. Ken told Ben that he should use his contacts throughout the industry and see who was interested in leaving where they were. Mr. Ken said it wasn't unheard of, that the industry hired workers away from leading companies, and that maybe Ben could find some mid-level people at Six Flags or Cedar Point who could bring their know-how to the job.
Ben was liking what he was hearing. Ken Thomas was telling him he could hire people away from other companies, with the experience he needed, to start up Three Finger Entertainment and get good cost saving contracts for all four parks.
The boys were out enjoying the rides, but as they did that, the clouds came rolling in and before long, they heard thunder in the distance. Mr. Wayne called the boys and told them to get together just in case they needed to make a mad dash for cover. Mr. Ken did the same to Mr. Wayne and asked him to gather up the boys, in case they needed to beat a hasty retreat.
The boys rode a few more rides before the rains came and they had to scramble for cover. When the rains let up some, the Covers made their way towards the operations building. They were a bit wet when they arrived, but at least they were all together.
Mr. Ken introduced the boys to his first President of Three Finger Entertainment, LLC and that he would be moving to their area and would run all four amusement parks, from the new office building. The boys congratulated the man and said they looked forward to seeing him later that summer, when he and his family moved to their area.
The van driver took the Covers out to a family restaurant nearby their hotel. The Covers took their time eating, as they had loads of time to get back to the hotel, pack and then get to bed for their trip tomorrow to their next park, Discovery Kingdom.
Before giving all the boys goodnight hugs, 'dad' Ken told the boys to meet them in the hotel lobby at 8 a.m. for a light bite to eat, and then they'd head to the airport for their flight to their next destination.
The Covers second amusement park visit was a success.
Comments are encouraged and appreciated. Just use the email address listed at the top of the page.