I used to love Cracker Jack when I was a kid. I liked the sweet popcorn, of course, but I looked forward to the prize at the bottom of the box. If I was lucky, it would be a ring or some little plastic animal that I could add to my collection.
Sometimes I’d get one of those transfer tattoos. You’d have to get the paper wet and leave it on your hand for a minute. The transfer was terrible and I usually ended up with a pink smudge on my hand for all my effort.
It was the coolest thing ever!
One of my kids left some snacks here at the house after a visit, and I helped myself to a bag of Cracker Jacks. What happened to the cardboard box? I wasn’t too disappointed, though. It tasted just like I remembered! Better, even, since I usually eat air-popped low sodium (read: bland) popcorn these days, Yummy! And there was a prize!
Now you can cue the disappointment: there was no plastic prize. No ring. No little green dinosaur. I shook the bottom of the bag to loosen up the crumbs and spied a little square paper. Yes, I thought, there’s a kitschy tattoo for me! I wonder if I’ll have better luck applying it now that I’m older and have a steadier hand.
Nope. Welcome to the 21st century. It was a game to play on an app. I won — but it’s not the same.