I Lived With An Eight Foot Inflatable Tiger

Back in my high-school mom hay-day, Andrew, and his Cheeto Life, provided plenty of awesome content for this blog. But I couldn't write about every fantastic Cheeto event without the risk of creating a one-topic tribute to all things orange-powdered and deliciously cheesy. But here we are, four years later, and this one is begging to be told. Because this gem just slays me. But first, be sure to catch up on the first two Cheeto stories here and here. 

Back in the height of Andrew's Cheeto-life-spectacular, he came home from school with an adorable 8-foot inflatable Chester, the Cheeto mascot.  Like a 4-year-old experiencing his first inflatable bouncy house, Andrew was beside himself with glee. Indescribable Joy even!  

Apparently one of his teachers, with killer observation skills, noticed Andrew's obsession with all things Cheeto.  I mean... how hard is that when the child shows up in one of five Cheeto hoodies EVERY. DANG. DAY? And the entire school knows him only as "Cheeto Guy"?  

So on this magical day, this amazing teacher sent Andrew into sheer bliss, when she presented him with this folded "thing" she had drug out of her garage, which had been placed there, likely, before Andrew was even born.  Apparently, Chester was a relic of her sister's days working for the Frito-Lay company in decades past. When Andrew got home, he went straight for the electric pump from our inflatable air-mattress. (translation... He scoured our black hole garage for the required tool in which to bring his newest best friend to life.)  Please enjoy the images below:

 

Delight. Elation. Euphoria. Ecstasy. Textbook joy

I'm not sure what is happening here, but it looks like a 

Cheeto Sith Lord is about to take Chester out.

Now, when I say I lived with an 8-foot tiger, I mean that booger left Chester up there, on the bridge, for a few months. Chester, staring at me morning, noon, and night, made me smile... in a sort of annoyed-but-joyful kind of way. It wasn't until the Christmas garland came out that I insisted Chester needed to move along. Where does Chester live now?  I have no idea.  Likely he was neatly folded shoved into Andrew's closet, never to be seen again.  Honestly though, I do hope Chester will make a re-appearance at some point down the line. And if I know Andrew... he's saving that fantastic blast-from-the-past for a day when I least expect it.  Andrew loves to surprise me like that. So fun, this kid.