So I sent the URL to this essay to my mother, and she read it. I asked her if I was remembering things correctly. She said that the prize was $25, not $100, and it was a gift certficate to F.A.O. Schwartz. So the catalog I remember was the F.A.O. Schwartz catalog. I also remembered the lack-of-wait correctly. Because my father worked near New York City, he was able to go there directly, instead of ordering by mail, and so the popcorn-popper did come home the day that I chose it.

My mother asked me, begged me really, to allow her to send a copy of this essay to the C.E.O. of Jack in the Box. I didn't really need persuading, but I told her that it was a rather silly waste of time on her part. There was no way that her letter would get to said C.E.O., and if it did, he wouldn't read it. But my mom is my mom, and so... well...

So two weeks later the C.E.O. of Jack in the Box called my mother, to thank her for sending this essay. They spoke for about a half hour about Jack in the Box, and coloring contests, and how I got a Ph.D. and how proud she was of me, and the C.E.O. told her what she already knew, that she must be a very good mother to raise such a nice boy, and all that. My mom didn't ask him if he still has the picture framed in his office, but I'm sure that goes without saying.

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© Douglas J. Shaw,  2002