Today my family when to McDonald’s for breakfast with my parents. After we ate we took our kids to the play area. The funny thing was that my daughter Joy ran up to a 7 foot statue of the Ronald McDonald clown that has been there probably before I was born. I remember going there for eggs and pancakes as kids then later trying to reach up to hang off one of Ronald’s hands (the hand that is up in the air waving).

Now days they also have slides, video games and other toys. Back in my day it was only Ronald and a little fountain/pond. The pond was a wishing well that kid’s (like my little brother) would reach in for the pennies people “left behind”. They have since removed the pond, probably because too many kids fell face first in to the pond (like my little brother). Then had to be stripped naked and wrapped in there mother’s pink jacket (like my little brother).

My brother had some other unpleasant experiences at McDonald’s so I don’t know if it was one of those “happy” places for him. But for the rest of us, the 30+ year old Ronald is still grinning and wave welcome to all the kids for eggs and pancakes.