The Gillespie Family: Funny Incident at the PA Exhibition

So last night we took in the Prince Albert Exhibition. It is always more fun for the kids and both Anisha and Samantha had a blast. Anisha can go on most rides, so it was hard to find rides for both girls to go on at the same time, but we did find a good number for Samantha to ride. One such ride was a beluga fish ride for little kids. The policy of the fair is that the kids have to be at least two years old for the everyone rides. Samantha was quite excited to be able to ride a good number of rides this year.

Anisha and Alison took off to try some of the big kid rides and I kept Samantha to go on the tot rides. She rode the Beluga Fish ride many times then wanted to ride something else. As any tot would like, she wanted to go back to the Beluga Fish ride. When we got back, there was a new Carnie running the ride, apparently relieving the previous Carnie for a break. As I approached, the man looked at Samantha and I and here is how the conversation went:

Carnie - How old is she?
Me - Two & a half
Carnie - She needs to be 2
Me - (after a pause) She is 2. She's 2 and a half
Carnie - Sorry, she can only be two.
Me - Really. So it's everybody's birthday on the ride now? That's amazing.
Carnie - Look, those are the rules. Read them, or would you like me to call security
[Note: this dude was maybe 17 or 18]
Me - No, its ok, I'll find your management myself. [As I walked away, loudly] Sorry Samantha, you can't ride on the fishy ride again. It has to be your birthday to ride.

I then wound my way to the customer service where I met another amazing encounter. The lady there asked what was wrong, so I explained the situation. Here is where she came in:

Lady Carnie - Well, there are height restrictions. We have rules to follow.
Me - There was no height restriction. This was about her age.
Lady Carnie - Sir, there are always height restrictions [Note: Which there isn't for the Choo Choo Charlie ride or the Monster Truck ride]
Me - Ok, there was a max of 42" I think, but I am complaining about the age issue.
Lady Carnie - Well, if there was a height restriction, he is within his right to refuse the ride.
Me - (I am flabbergasted by this point, don't change the argument on me!) [I place Samantha on the ground] My daughter is NOT 42" tall. Look, can you just call your manager please?

THANKFULLY, the exhibition manager on duty came out and heard my now TWO complaints and he apologized for my bad experience and said he would take care of it. I was happy to deal with someone who knew how to understand a situation. He went to the ride and "had a chat" with the male Carnie. No idea how he dealt with the Lady Carnie.

I must say, I have never had issue with Carnie with any exhibition I have gone to (Edmonton, Calgary, PA), so only one real complaint about Carnies after 20+ years of Exhibitions is pretty good. Now, the behaviour of the other attendees of the fair, some of those guys are morons. I would get too tired ranting on them.