Stories by Grumps

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JURASSIC PARK

Jack and Julia loved the movie Jurassic Park.  Why?  Because dinosaurs were really cool and as big and strong as they were, they knew that although they had roamed the earth hundreds of years ago that now they were just for movie fun---not real but fun to look at and fun to think about.

Then one day they learned that there was a movie being made near their house in Georgia at a movie place near Peachtree City where they used to live.

“I wonder what the movie is about,” Jack said.

“I don’t know, let’s ask Momma if we can go where they’re making the movie to see what’s up,” Julia said.

Then their dada, who was a pilot had just flown in from a long flight (from Hollywood, California, where most movies are made) said, “Well, I don’t know for sure, but one of the pilots that I was flying with said that the people on our plane were actors and all coming into Peachtree City to make a movie.”

“What kind of movie?” Jack asked.

“Well, one of our pilots thought he heard one of the actors say that it was going to be another Jurassic Park movie!”

“Wow,” Julia said. “That means there will be dinosaurs and jungles and all kinds of fun stuff.  Can we go watch them make the movie?”

Then their momma said, “Well, I think Grumps has a friend named Townsend, who works on movies here. Maybe we could call Townsend to see if he might be able to help us with this visit to the making of a Jurassic Park movie.”

And that’s what they did.  And just by luck Townsend was working on the movie as one of the directors, he was the guy who told the actors how to behave around the huge dinos that would be roaming the movie set.

So about a week later the phone rang and it was Townsend who said, “Liz, bring Jack and Julia to my trailer on the Jurassic Park movie set at the Pinewood Film Studios. But I’m afraid if they’ve seen the other Jurassic Park movies that they might be a little bit disappointed when they see what this one’s about.”

Liz told both Jack and Julia and they both said they wanted to go anyway so off they went.

They were sure that the movie would be about a theme park located on Isla Nublar. And about scientists who are surprised to see the island park's main attraction are living, breathing dinosaurs, created with a mixture of fossilized DNA and genetic cross-breeding/cloning.

“I know it will be about the dinos running around and some of them escaping and running up and down the highway here in Peachtree City,” Jack said.

Then Julia said, “Yes and the men will have to round them up and take them back to the park and make sure that they are okay!”

“What else could it be about?” Jack said.

Julia shrugged and said, “Jack, we’ve seen these movies before, that’s it. That’s what this will be about!”

So off they went to meet Townsend and when they got to his trailer on the movie set he said, “Now remember kids, what you see today will be a secret, we don’t want this story to go to anyone until the movie appears on your TV screens or in the theater. Do you understand?”

They both understood and so did their dada and momma who were frankly very interested in what lay ahead as they walked though a fake jungle to see the dinosaurs in action.

“Kids are probably right,” Liz said.

“Just another Jurassic Park movie with the dinos escaping and scaring the people as they tromp around someplace maybe like Atlanta,” their dada said.

But when Townsend pushed a huge tall jungle green back, they were suddenly all staring at something they couldn’t believe.

There was a big cement parking lot, full of cars, with a whole bunch of actors dressed as dinosaurs, all wearing Jurassic Park caps and little aprons with pockets to hold money.

“The dinosaurs were all yelping and shouting, ‘Right this way, pay the Parkie, pay to park. Bring your cars right here only two dollars to park all day at....”

“Jurassic Park?” Jack said.   

“Yes, Townsend said. I think they needed a new story so they came up with the idea of making a movie about a guy who owns all this land and needs to make money with it so he decides to turn it into a parking lot!”

“So, he dresses up actors as dinosaurs and has them charging people like my mom and dada to park our car in his parking lot?”

“Yes, and calls his business Jurassic Park!”  Townsend said. “Not much of a story is it, kids?”

“No!” said Jack. “No!” said Julia. “No!” said Liz and “No!” said Dada.  “Not much of a story!”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to go back to the house and watch the first movie,” Jack said.

“Me, too.” Julia said. “The one where the real dinos escape from the real park and scare real people!”

“And have to be rounded up and taken back to the theme park,” Jack said.

“I’m with you, kids,” their momma and dada said.

And just then as they parted the high green jungle and walked back to their car, which they had left by Townsend’s trailer, what do you think they found?

A fake dinosaur with a little Jurassic Park hat and an apron with his green hand out.

“Folks, that will be two dollars if you want the car back please. They don’t call this Jurassic Park for nothing!’ the fake dinosaur said.