COLLECT THEM ALL

by Kimberly Jensen

When my son, Bennett, hears the words on the television "collect them all," he takes it to be truth. He is a collector of sorts. He has collected all the Bionicle figurines (at least until the latest series was released,) Lego Star Wars sets, Power Rangers, Lego Batman sets, Transformer Toys, Godzilla movies and figurines, Tom and Jerry videos, Happy Meal Toys etc. I believe we have bought a small mansion for the toymakers with our frequent trips to the toy store to "collect them all."

I also think the managers at McDonald's and Burger King cringe when I drive up to the drive-thru asking for a list of figurines and on what day they will be released so that my son can "collect them all" as they direct in the commercials. I have even been known to ask a manager or two to "look again" causing one kind manager to bring out the box of Happy Meal toys to prove to me that she didn't have the Red Power Ranger. She smiled as Bennett rummaged through the box and apologized as he sighed and wailed after not seeing what he needed to complete his collection.

Bennett's most recent collection has come on the heels of the movie, "The Dark Knight" that we have not yet decided if we will allow him to see. He may not need to actually see the movie because of all of the shameless advertising of products that came with the movie's release. He is now collecting cereal boxes that include plastic figurines of Batman and the Joker. There are four in all (at least for now) and as cereal prizes go, there is no way to find out what toy is on the inside of the box.

I took him to the store the other day to pick up a few items for dinner. I was being firm when he insisted on going inside the store with me.

"I am only getting lettuce and hamburger buns. That's it," I said. I had had a long day and was ready to get home.

As we entered the doors to the store, Bennett b-lined down the cereal aisle and had two boxes of Batman cereal in his arms before I had even passed the bubble gum machines.

"I told you not today. Next time. Now but them back," I said grabbing the lettuce and buns while trying to ignore my pouting son that was shoving cereal boxes into my backside.

"I said no," I said again as I wiped my card, paid for my two items and quickly walked toward the doors.

Bennett followed behind me huffing and puffing. He refused to get in the car until I threatened to take away his Godzilla collection that was in the backseat.

I was proud that I didn't give in to him, and my other two children were happy as well, since they think that Bennett always gets his way.

When I arrived home, Bennett pounded his feet on the stairs and went to his room. A few minutes later he came down and was smiling.

"Dad will do it," he said as my daughter trailed behind him.

"He used my cell phone and called dad to get him the cereal," my daughter said.

I smiled at his ingenuity and was okay with dad playing the hero to him on this day.

Less than an hour later, my husband walked in with the beloved Batman cereal in his arms. Bennett jumped up grabbed the cereal, hugged it and claimed, "I'm rich, I'm rich!"

Bennett carefully opened the boxes and took out the toys they contained. He pushed the cereal boxes aside, put the toys on the counter and then said, "Grandma will get me more Batman cereal," knowing Grandma is a push over and that she will buy as many boxes as needed for him to complete his collection.

As for me, I'm off the hook for the day and I'm relieved that I didn't have to buy 49 boxes of cereal.

Kimberly Jensen was born and raised in Sandy, Utah and graduated from the University of Utah in 1991 with a B.S. in Communication. She worked as a radio news anchor for KBOI/KQFC and as a public relations specialist for the Idaho Transportation Department in Boise, Idaho. Kimberly and her family moved to Battle Ground, Washington in 2001 where she became a full time mom and writer. Her first children's book, Always the Elf by Cedar Fort Publishing came out in Fall 2007. Two of her stories have been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children With Special Needs. She is an avid cyclist and loves spending time with her family and taking them on outdoor adventures. She now lives in Utah with her husband Mark, her three children; Tasia, Clayton and Bennett and her two dogs Simba and Ruby.