The kids are the best part. Their excitement grows with each moment. They constantly ask when it will happen and how long they have to wait. By the time the first jets of water shoot out, they’ve worked themselves into a frenzy of anticipation. They can’t help but explode right along with it, their excitement pouring out in a cheer.

Some people take it seriously. They sit with the intense focus of someone who came to experience it. They refuse to let anything stop them. They know the exact minute it is predicted to go off and count the seconds like banker counts coins.

Others seem completely lost. They don’t even know if they are looking at the right thing. They aren’t sure when it will go off and they wonder what all the people are gathered for.

Some don’t care at all. They’ve seen it before or were dragged there by someone against their will. They look around, more interested in where people are getting the ice cream cones than anything else.

But when it happens, everyone looks. Cameras snap to attention. Cheers fly through the crowd that has built itself into a giant semi-circle of people. I can’t help but smile and cheer it on myself. The kid inside of everyone escapes for a moment.

We are all transfixed by Old Faithful.

Then the water fades, the crowd disperses into restaurants and gift shops, and the process begins again.