#FF — Step Right Up

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

“Cedar Point is a 364-acre amusement park located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, OH. Opened in 1870, it’s considered the second-oldest operating amusement park in the United States.”

Food there is expensive, so many families get their collective hands stamped to be able to re-enter then eat coolered picnic lunches at their cars.

After sunset, when customers and most employees have gone, parking lot empty except for litter, is when the entrepreneur ants set up their stations. In other places food would be swarmed, but parking lot ants are civilized. Fallen fruit always has the longest lines.

[99 words]

 

Source of first 2 sentences is here.

Cedar Point is a place my sons and traveled to every summer for several years when they were young and once when they were adults along with some of their friends.  For anyone who loves rollercoasters this is *the* place to go for them. 

Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the lively host of Friday Fictioneers.

76 Comments Add yours

  1. Neil MacDonald's avatar neilmacdon says:

    We could learn a lot from the ants

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Yes and thank you for reading and your comment, Neil.

      Like

  2. Dale's avatar Dale says:

    What a wonderful take on the prompt, Lisa. Civilized ants those parking lot ones…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks, Dale!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Dale's avatar Dale says:

        Pleasure is mine!

        Liked by 1 person

  3. I used to go there all the time as a kid. So many good memories. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Yes it is a beautiful and fun place. I remember being amazed by the landscaping they do there.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Crickey! The ants must be enormous over there! Great story!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      LOL. Actually this was taken with a zoom lens. Thank you!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Haha! That makes more sense lol.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. hanspostcard's avatar hanspostcard says:

    The last time I was at Cedar Point- was the day Jimmy Hoffa disappeared!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ron Rowland's avatar Ron Rowland says:

      He’s buried under the Blue Streak.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. hanspostcard's avatar hanspostcard says:

        LOL… I had nothing to do with it- I know nothing…. and I am sticking to that story.

        Liked by 2 people

      2. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

        LOL I didn’t see your comment before I just made mine. GMTA!

        Like

    2. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Now you’ve got me imagining he’s buried under one of the coasters… Good way to remember!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. hanspostcard's avatar hanspostcard says:

        Hoffa disappeared and I got the worst sunburn of my life that day.

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Ron Rowland's avatar Ron Rowland says:

    Thanks for the memories. I grew up in Toledo, so I’ve had numerous excursions to Cedar Point.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      You’re welcome. It is a place I never got tired of. I think we got on the toll road near Toledo but have never been in that town. I know it’s named after a town in Spain and a kind of steel iirc?

      Like

  7. Sadje's avatar Sadje says:

    Oh, I love the twist in the end.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      :) Thanks, Sadje!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Sadje's avatar Sadje says:

        You’re welcome 😉

        Liked by 1 person

  8. The parking lot ants seem to be much civilized than the humans too. Great take, Li

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks, Shweta! :)

      Liked by 1 person

  9. An ant’s gotta eat, ya know! ;)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      They’re a very well-fed bunch :)

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Ha! I figure as much! :)

        Liked by 1 person

  10. Dora's avatar Dora says:

    Lisa,
    We may think amusement parks are just for us, but, look again, right? Enjoyed this! :>)
    pax,
    dora

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Dora, exactly! Thank you for reading and your comment.

      Like

  11. Nobbinmaug's avatar Nobbinmaug says:

    Ants are true Communists. They take what they can carry back to the hive and share it with everybody. They’re much more civilized than humans.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Agreed. Thanks for reading and your spot-on comment.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. How disappointing that the food is so prohibitively expensive. Lovely image though. 🤓

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks, Gia!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. You’re very welcome, I can’t help but appreciate a goodm header image. 🤓

        Liked by 1 person

  13. It’s been 15 years since I’ve been there, but Cedar Point has the best roller coasters.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Natasha's avatar Natasha says:

    I almost thought I wont be able to comment on this sweet little tale. Struggled a bit to find the comments section.
    Cedar Point sounds like fun.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Sorry you had trouble finding the comments section, Natasha. Thank you for reading and your comment.

      Like

  15. Sandra's avatar Sandra says:

    Love the thought of those entrepreneurial ants!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks, Sandra! :)

      Like

  16. James McEwan's avatar James McEwan says:

    It is nice to learn that the ants were civilised, maybe those who drop litter may take a lesson from them.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. memadtwo's avatar memadtwo says:

    I had many a trip to Cedar Point as a child myself, as until age 12 I lived in and around Cleveland. I’m glad it’s managed to survive. (K)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Amazing how long it’s been in operation. I looked at the list of rollercoasters they have now and see several new ones have been built since I last went. I’m glad it’s survived also.

      Liked by 1 person

  18. GHLearner's avatar GHLearner says:

    I would love to listen in on the ants’ conversation while they stand in line. Fun story.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      :) Thanks, Gah!

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Badfinger (Max)'s avatar badfinger20 (Max) says:

    I never went there…but I love that building…I would love a house like that. I love amusement parks.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      I’m guessing Nashville has at least one big amusement park? That building would be fun to put wall-to-wall trampolines in (if it is made out of rubber, which it probably isn’t…)

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Badfinger (Max)'s avatar badfinger20 (Max) says:

        NOPE…we are the largest city in America without an Amusement Park. We had Opryland which was great but they tore it down in the early nineties to build a mall…a mall…yes a mall.

        We put in a bid on a Geo 70s house…it looked like two half inflated basketballs with a glass hall way that connected them. It was awesome…someone beat us and entered the bid in earlier.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

          That is truly amazing you don’t have one, and I smh when I hear they tore down Opryland to build a mall. We had a downtown with buildings 150 years old and they did the same damned thing. Now even the mall is gone, and all that is left is the old buildings they didn’t tear down, now being repurposed into shops, bars, and restaurants, and apartments.

          Very neat on the Geo 70s house too bad you didn’t win the bid.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. Badfinger (Max)'s avatar badfinger20 (Max) says:

            You go to Europe and you would see buildings old old…here they don’t think twice about tearing something down…
            That is sad…history is important to me…I just don’t get it.

            Liked by 1 person

  20. Daer Lisa,

    Very clever story. Civilized ants indeed. ;) Love it.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Rochelle, I wonder sometimes where these stories come from. They seem to drop in from another place. Glad you liked the story, thank you.
      Shalom,
      Lisa

      Liked by 1 person

      1. That’s the beauty of the exercise. It helps keep our creative minds intact. You’re quite welcome.

        Shalom,

        Rochelle

        Liked by 1 person

  21. draliman's avatar draliman says:

    I do like a well-organised ant.

    Liked by 1 person

  22. plaridel's avatar plaridel says:

    lesson learned, don’t ever ignore the manual. it’s there for a reason. :)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Plaridel, I don’t understand the connection of the lesson to the picture. Please help me understand.

      Like

      1. plaridel's avatar plaridel says:

        oopps! the comment should have been addressed to someone else. so sorry. :(

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

          No worries, glad the mystery was solved.

          Liked by 1 person

  23. Entrepreneurial ants – lovely idea!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      :) Thank you, Liz!

      Like

  24. bearmkwa's avatar Bear says:

    Food is expensive at Kings Island (near Cincinnati, Ohio), too. We always packed lunches and did the same. I’ve never been to the point, though. I don’t ride coasters so I never saw a point to it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Nowadays just admission costs so much who wants to double it for the food? You’re right, no need to go to the point if you don’t ride coasters.

      Liked by 1 person

  25. The nightly ant food-fest must be something to behold! Nice one Lisa.

    Here’s mine!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      I bet it is Keith, thanks!

      Liked by 1 person

  26. I love the perspective of the photo from the eyes of the civilized parking lot ants! Lovely story.

    Growing up, I remember eating in the parking lot with my four siblings, friends, and parents. The food has always been way to expensive inside the parks. Though I never made it to Cedar Point, I’ve heard of it. We had fun times at Kings Island park in Mason, Ohio when I was a teen. Take care!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thank you for your lovely comment, Brenda :)

      Like

  27. pennygadd51's avatar pennygadd51 says:

    You draw a good picture of the crowds of visitors picnicking by their cars.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks, Penny!

      Liked by 1 person

  28. Laurie Bell's avatar Laurie Bell says:

    Oh I love this. Such clever ants! Making an ant amusement park foodbank.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks Laurie!

      Like

  29. granonine's avatar granonine says:

    Civilized ants. That’s an intriguing concept.

    Liked by 1 person

  30. Asmin's avatar budhathokiasmin997526 says:

    Nice

    Liked by 1 person

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