Hello Kitty

I spent two hours as Hello Kitty this afternoon.

If it were July, I would have refused. But since it was a chilly December day, why not?

Years and years ago, I dressed up as a character at Six Flags Over Georgia. I thought it would be a good story. It was, of course, in the summer because Six Flags is open in the summer.

It was when the Weebles were popular. I was the rabbit Weeble.

The costume was excruciatingly hot. The headpiece was huge. The feet were even bigger.

A Six Flags employee led me around because you really can't see with that headpiece on. It didn't matter that I had an escort. Kids, teenagers mostly, would pull my tail and knock on the head.

Did I mention it was hot?

By the time I finished my 20-minute stint, I had sweated at least 10 pounds away and had a horrible headache.

Today it was different. But the same.

The costume was not very hot. The headpiece was huge. And it was hot. I was not hot. Just my head.

After two hours, I had a headache.

But I had a fabulous time. Kids and adults both love Hello Kitty.

Two of the mothers said their girls loved meeting Hello Kitty more than meeting Santa Claus.

One little kept hugging me around my waist. She said she just turned six and she had a Hello Kitty birthday party. She kept saying she loved Hello Kitty.

Only two little children were scared.

There was a group of older teenagers who took pictures of each other on their cell phones. In fact, more than half of the parents took pictures with their cell phones.

There was on woman who stopped her car in the middle of the street, hopped out and had her picture taken with Hello Kitty. A police officer told her to move her car. She didn't have a camera, but the woman who was taking pictures of her daughters, took it. She said she'd e-mail it. The woman who was getting back in her car, yelled out her e-mail address.

I wonder if she'll get it.

I even walked over to where Santa Claus was and had my picture taken.

As soon as Gladys Griffin, who owns the Main Street Toy Shoppe scans it and e-mails it to me, I'll post the photo.

It was great fun.

Gladys said she'll have Hello Kitty back next year. She's a smart woman. She said she'll have Hello Kitty back around this time. She knows she'll never get anyone in a costume in the summer!