Every morning was the same. I went down the stairs to the kitchen and popped raisin-bread into the toaster. Peanut-butter was hard to come by, and in a family of five children, only the earliest got the treat. Being the youngest, I was never able to beat my four siblings in the mad rush to the toaster. I was clever though, and devised a plan that would secure my peanut-buttered toast for at least two days.

Late at night, I crept as silently as any 10 year-old could into the kitchen. I plucked the juiciest raisin I could find from my raisin bread loaf, and hurriedly put it in the peanut-butter jar. In the rush to the kitchen the next morning, I was outwardly stoic but inwardly doing cartwheels since my plan seemed to be invincible. With his eyes peering into the jar and the lid on the counter, my oldest brother looked puzzled. I quickly weaseled my way to the front and cried, “Oh no! Theres an ant in the peanut-butter!” My two sisters were immediately appalled and my two brothers competed to get the cream-cheese out of the fridge. I was overjoyed! The creamy, tasty peanut-butter was finally mine! Knowing that eating from the jar would look suspicious, I put it in the shelf’s corner and skipped upstairs to read.

I predicted 30 minutes was enough for everyone to finish breakfast. My book lost all meaning as I continually thought about my peanut-butter. When anticipation threatened to kill me, I dropped my book and ran down the stairs. Nothing would come in between me and my peanut-butter now.

I hurriedly walked into the kitchen, too excited to see my mom coming in from the back door. My peanut-butter, it, it wasn’t on the shelf! I knew it must be, but it was no were to be found! I was distraught and tears welled in my eyes. “Mama”, I cried, “where did the peanut-butter go?”. Coming near to me she said, “Sister told me there was an ant in it, and since there was only a bit left, I threw it out.” Seeing my mortified face, she wrapped me in her arms, having no idea of my plan. As she set me down and walked away, I thought, “Wait, isn’t that peanut-butter on her lip?”