My dream job was to teach children and I knew younger kids would suit me best. I had volunteered in high school at a preschool as part of my senior year project. Once I officially was hired as an aide, things fell into place for me. I was majoring in Early Childhood Education and learned so much from all the teachers at different centers. They had themes throughout the year and every spring a “pretend” grocery store was set up in the large activity room. I was in my second year as an aide in the early ’90’s and getting a new game started was one of my responsibilities.
I can still recall summers as a child playing grocery store outside with the neighborhood kids. We loved collecting all the boxes, plastic bottles, and anything else unbreakable our moms would let us use. Everyone would contribute in some form with a toy cash register, play money, and shopping baskets. This was such a fond memory and I was so excited to be part of it years later at my job.
The directors made their way to my building holding several garbage bags filled with all sorts of goodies the kids would love using in the store. They were pressed for time so the delivery was made like a drive thru at a fast food restaurant! I took all the bags and told the teachers that our grocery store would be set up soon. The kids were so excited and past memories flashed in my mind.
I took all the bags down to the room and started to unpack each one. When I was almost done, I pulled out a cereal box with the Ultimate Warrior on the front! I know these were made and in the stores but still shocked to find it in my hands. I did set it up with all the other groceries but watched it like a hawk all week. Warrior was still active as a wrestler then so these cereal boxes became very popular. I seem to remember a few of them with others on the front but this one made me think differently.
I knew I was meant to keep this but needed to wait until the week was over and our grocery store had ended. Don’t get me wrong—I am not an advocate for stealing ever but this was a donation and nobody would even notice. I would take it home and treasure it always. I do get a little nuts with Warrior items but it’s not that often!
The grocery store had ended for the week and I told the teachers that all would be bagged up and ready for the next school. They just didn’t know that one item wouldn’t be going to another school. It would be going home with me. I brought a pair of scissors hidden in my pocket just in case anyone would come in. We shared this room at times with the church in the building so I had to work fast. There was a part of me that couldn’t believe I was doing this and another part that didn’t care at all.
I worked fast to cut off the photos on the box that I needed and sped out of there! This is so vivid in my mind many years later and I laugh thinking about my actions. The truth is I wouldn’t change a thing and those pictures off that cereal box are part of my collection today. ✂️📦
P.S. This story happened many years before I found the Action Figure mentioned in a previous blog post! Two Warrior items at both of my preschool jobs, what synchronicity for me! ❤️
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