I can't help it, but these two things totally intrigued me!
It was real-in my mind at least!! I know it was mechanical and electronic, but I couldn't stop watching it. Even the old man's fingers trembled from the weight of the mean old donkey.
The kids finally wanted to move on, but I was glued. Then I really freaked them out when I started talking about how sorry I felt for the old man. : - )))
The really frightening part, though, is how Peta would absolutely love this!!
So every time we went into Gatlinburg I had to go back and watch this for a while.
Then I really surprised myself, because I even loved Stumpy the Zombie! Unlike the donkey riding the old man, a real guy played the part of the Zombie. The guy above, whose real name we later learned is Jerry, was really a great actor. Jerry was very quick witted and really got into his part. I was very disappointed when a different guy showed up the next day to play the part of the Zombie. I don't know what they pay each different person playing the part of the Zombie, but Jerry should be making 10 times what the other one we saw is making. Can you tell I'm NOT a socialist! Even Zombies should receive merit based pay.
I made the older kids sit on a bench with me and watch him. The could tell the Zombie wanted to talk to us. I'm sure hours up there got boring. We asked him a million questions from how does this work to where does he "really" live.
One night after his shift, Jerry came down and talked to us. He said he had never actually come down and talk to people on the street before. He acted like he was in shock he did it. Ahhh...Jerry liked us--he really liked us. Actually, I'm pretty sure it was just because of Lael, Arden and Bret. We four were having a girls night out. Mike made the other kids take a hike up into the mountain with him.
When Jerry was playing the part, the Zombie would say mean things to people as they walked by--especially the ones who tried to ignore him. Things like "Hey the 70s called and want their shirt back"; or to certain men he would say, "Hey, stop puffing out your chest--no one is half as impressed with it as you are." We asked him if people ever get too upset, and he told us that there have been a few guys threaten to climb up and shut him up, but then they quickly realize how foolish they look and that they'd probably get arrested.
