Prizes and Surprises

Besides a steady diet of wholesome oatmeal, our parents would bring home boxes of cereal that were considered a step up from the usual gruel. The boxes were a coup in marketing with their boasts of "fortified, and already sweetened"; a wonderful enticement for children. These enticements centered around prizes inside the package. Although Cracker Jacks has already embraced this idea, the cereal boxes competed with each other and also had cut out masks, games, and trivia on the back of the cereal box. From a children's perspective it was a must have situation. Those 50's cereal boxes held miniature cars, and farm machines, usually molded in plastic. They were placed inside the box in a little wax paper bag. There were also farm animals, cowboys and Indians. On the back of the box you would often find cut outs of pirates or state license plates. They just were a package of fun, no matter how you looked at it.
Now as the story goes, there we were lined up at the old oak table, spoons in our hands, milk in a pitcher and a box of cereal standing tall and promising in the middle of the table. The problem was there was only one prize and there were always a minimum of 6 children with their eyes riveted to the box. Of course the democratic solution was we would take turns. In a child's mind, waiting for 6 boxes or more to be finished was like asking us to wait until we grew up. It required great understanding on our part. Like any group in the animal kingdom, we looked for the softest among us. Invariably when it came to our kindhearted brother Geoff we would bellow "Could I have your turn?"; Geoff always said yes, and I don't know if he ever got one of those prizes. The good news is that our interest in the toy, in short time,faded and eventually everyone had a turn at the treat of the day. There is a lot to be said for collective sharing. It's a lesson that could be beneficial today in a world of "it's mine and mine alone."