Best job I ever had

The first time I ever walked into a temp agency was during a summer home from college after sophomore year. I didn't have a summer job nailed down yet, so I went down, resume in hand, to see what I was qualified for. I was thinking some sort of office position, or maybe manual labor.

The woman asked if I was looking for something full time, or for individual project stuff. I told her I would take either one. "Hmmm....well, looking at your resume, I see you've done some theatre work. And you look about the right height. I think I might have the perfect job for you. It's a one-shot thing - two days worth of work. Would that be a good start?"

Absolutely, I said. What does it entail?

"Well, you would be Tony the Tiger."

"Wait - the Frosted Flakes character?"

She nodded. "It's a promotion that's going on at a couple of summer camps over in Oakland. You show up at breakfast, shake hands, hug kids - takes about three hours for each day. The representative will be there with the suit - just make sure you where light clothing, because the suit will get hot."

"Do I need to start working on my "They're..."

She cut me off. "No, you don't. If fact, you aren't supposed to say anything. It will 'ruin the magic' if you do."

Got it. Show up at the summer camp, wear the suit, get paid. Sounds like fun.

"Oh, and the dates aren't until late July."

OK, fine. I marked my calendar, and in the meantime I got a job distributing books for the Maine State Library. But I got the reminder call, made arrangements (the guys at the warehouse got a kick out of why I needed the mornings off), and I drove to the camps.

I was met by a woman probably only a couple of years older than I was, smiling and cheerful. "So, you're all ready to put on a fur suit and be animated and cheerful in 90 degree weather?"

"The weather was a lot cooler when I agreed to this, but sure."

She nodded. "I'm Barbara - I'll be with you the whole time, guiding you around, since you'll have limited visibility in the suit. We'll only be in there for about fifteen minutes at a time, and then you'll get water breaks - don't want Tony the Tiger passing out from heatstroke and traumatizing the kids, now do we?"

I laughed. "No, that wouldn't work out well."

"I also have to stay with you anywhere you go because the last guy who did this said he just had to go to the bathroom, and he took off with the suit." She laughed. "Not into the bathroom with you, of course, but still standing nearby."

I had a mental picture of Tony the Tiger sneaking off into the car, and then hightailing it for the highway. Hard one to explain if you got pulled over, I'm sure.

I started putting on the suit. It was actually sort of soft on the inside, but I could feel the sweat starting in as soon as Barbara zipped up the back of the costume. I took the head, and looked at it for a moment.

"Fifteen minutes only - you don't have to put it on until we get into the dining hall."

Barbara opened the door to the dining hall entrance, and found only a counselor standing there. "Kids are all in?"

"Yep - should I annouce the guest of honor?"

"Sure - we'll be here on your cue."

The counselor went in, and I heard her say, "Remember when i told you today we were having a special guest?"

Barbara nudged me. "That's us - pop on the head."

I put the head on, and instantly the sweat started pouring down my neck. My glasses fogged up, then cleared.

"And here he is!"

I walked through the door, shuffling since I really couldn't lift my legs in the heat in the suit. I heard a wave of applause and deafening roar of shouting kids. Out of the eyeholes of the costume I could see the frantic waves of arms and legs. I was a rock star - the myth, the legend, the breakfast cereal.

I waved, opened my arms up, shook my hands around. I even did the "They're Grrrrrreat!" fist pump, which got HUGE applause. I felt running thumps onto my legs, followed by pressure - kids running up to hug me. I gave high-fives to the older kids, patted the kids who hugged me on the head. "I love you, Tony!!!!!" I heard over and over.

After just a few minutes, I felt Barbara tug my arm, and we walked out of the dining area and into the hallway.

"Okay, no kids, you can take off the head."

I pulled it off, and nearly fell over from the rush of relatively cooler air. "Oh wow - how long was I in there?"

She laughed. "About 20 minutes. I should have pulled you earlier, but you were having so much fun hamming it up in there I gave you a bit longer."

"Felt like about five - that was fun!"

She handed me a bottle. "Here - drink water. Lots of it. But slowly - we'll take a few minutes, and then go back in for another round."

I nodded. Now that I was out of the head, I could feel the sweat, and that my clothes were soaked. I felt light-headed, a bit swimmy. After a moment, everything went clear, and I felt ready to put the head back on.

The next 20 minutes were a repeat of the first - roaring crowd, hamming it up, hugging kids. The woman at Kelly didn't need to worry about my talking - I could barely breathe, let alone talk.

At the end, I stripped out of the costume, dripping. Barbara smiled at me. "So, you all ready to go for it again next week?"

"Sure."

She signed my time card for three hours, despite only an hour and a half of work. I cranked the windows for the drive home to dry out. I could definitely get used to this.