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In case you didn’t know, horned toads—often called horny toads—aren’t actually toads at all. They’re lizards, and catching them as a kid once earned me a prize I’ll never forget
Hidden along a side wall in an old-fashioned general store, there was a kaleidoscope that I coveted. Looking back, I realize it was probably just a cheap cardboard gimmick—but I loved it so.
From the first time I held it up to my face, I was enthralled, even though I doubted I’d ever have enough money to buy it. My parents didn’t give allowances. The only way I could earn money was by collecting old pop bottles from the roadside. Most fetched five cents, and occasionally, ten. I don’t remember ever having more than fifty cents at a time.
The owner of the store knew how much I loved that toy, so he let me enjoy it, often several times in a single week. He did have his limits, though. Around week three or four that he informed me that I had to either buy the thing or leave it alone. But he was kind, and in the same breath as that disappointment, he let me know that he would pay me a quarter (A WHOLE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS!) for a live horned toad. I was a smart kid and quickly figured out that if I could come up with nine of those lizards, the kaleidoscope would be mine. (I didn’t know about sales tax and such at that age, so I suspect the owner took care of it for me.)
It took me less than a week to return with a yellow shoebox lined with grass clippings and crawling with nine live horned toads. I handed it over, heart pounding with excitement—and walked out with that kaleidoscope in hand.
The kaleidoscope stayed with me through several childhood homes—and even followed me into adulthood. Eventually, my toddler son pulled it apart and began chewing on it, and that was the end of that.
Still, I’ve never stopped loving kaleidoscopes. I’ve even thought about buying one of those fancy wooden ones, though I’m still too frugal to actually do it. But for me, it’s more than just a toy. It’s a reminder of what beauty can emerge from broken pieces. Much like us humans, you know?