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Abstract

McDonald’s conference.</p><p id="6cf0">Not what we were expecting, but okay.</p><figure id="a7a7"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*LtUh8zUpAeffbUhdHnrIlw.jpeg"><figcaption>Author and her girlfriend in Las Vegas — Photo by <a href="https://medium.com/@withkathrynlee">Kathryn Lee</a></figcaption></figure><p id="6333">We continued walking and <i>finally</i> spotted a sign pointing the way to the conservatory.</p><p id="2b0c">Before we got there, however, we turned a corner only to find ourselves face-to-face with none other than Ronald McDonald himself.</p><p id="ba9d">For those who are lucky enough to not be familiar, Ronald McDonald has been McDonald’s mascot since the 1960s.</p><p id="6d84">He is a clown whose skin is painted white, eyebrows arched so high they perfectly resemble the famous McDonald’s arches, and a bright red mouth stretched many inches too wide to form a maniacal smile.</p><p id="b73e">And there we were, standing right in front of him.</p><p id="308e">Long story short, we both froze for a few seconds and then bolted down the hall, only stopping when we reached the conservatory.</p><figure id="91f2"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*vLFLbDe7MhinR9f8"><figcaption>A painting of Ronald McDonald — Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@abenteueralbanien?

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utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Abenteuer Albanien</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><p id="473c">The rest of our trip passed without any other terrifying run-ins and gave us exactly the type of stress relief that we had been hoping for.</p><p id="6589">I can say with full confidence that I will never, <i>ever</i> forget the time we ran into a clown in the beautiful Bellagio gardens.</p><p id="d924"><b><i>Not a Medium member? Support me and other writers by <a href="https://medium.com/@withkathrynlee/membership">becoming a member</a> for only $5/month!</i></b></p><p id="14d5"><b><i>Enjoy this story? Here’s another one you may like:</i></b></p><div id="092a" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/celebrating-the-gift-of-travel-35180d493223"> <div> <div> <h2>Celebrating the Gift Of Travel</h2> <div><h3>Travel is a privilege and should be treated as such</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*CISWGHGPE0jiEl0Goq9UIg.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Travel

The Terrifying Tale of the Clown in The Bellagio

The one travel memory I wish I didn’t have.

The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden — Photo by Kathryn Lee

This past October my girlfriend and I needed a break from work and the general frigidness of Minnesota, so we booked a quick two-day trip to Las Vegas.

We stayed at the Luxor, right on the southern end of the strip.

We wandered up and down the strip with no care in the world other than to enjoy our time together and appreciate the warm 60-degree weather.

While trying to find our way to the Bellagio Conservatory to see the Autumn exhibit, we suddenly found ourselves passing banquet halls and conference rooms.

We were clearly not in the right place.

There was a conference going on and everyone we passed had a matching lanyard around their necks with a nametag hanging from it.

After walking for a few more minutes we saw a large sign that finally explained that we were walking through a corporate McDonald’s conference.

Not what we were expecting, but okay.

Author and her girlfriend in Las Vegas — Photo by Kathryn Lee

We continued walking and finally spotted a sign pointing the way to the conservatory.

Before we got there, however, we turned a corner only to find ourselves face-to-face with none other than Ronald McDonald himself.

For those who are lucky enough to not be familiar, Ronald McDonald has been McDonald’s mascot since the 1960s.

He is a clown whose skin is painted white, eyebrows arched so high they perfectly resemble the famous McDonald’s arches, and a bright red mouth stretched many inches too wide to form a maniacal smile.

And there we were, standing right in front of him.

Long story short, we both froze for a few seconds and then bolted down the hall, only stopping when we reached the conservatory.

A painting of Ronald McDonald — Photo by Abenteuer Albanien on Unsplash

The rest of our trip passed without any other terrifying run-ins and gave us exactly the type of stress relief that we had been hoping for.

I can say with full confidence that I will never, ever forget the time we ran into a clown in the beautiful Bellagio gardens.

Not a Medium member? Support me and other writers by becoming a member for only $5/month!

Enjoy this story? Here’s another one you may like:

Celebrating the Gift Of Travel

Travel is a privilege and should be treated as such

medium.com