Losing “Krusty” – by Cara Potapshyn Meyers

“Krusty”

My son and I went on a little excursion this past Columbus Day weekend. We decided to stay at this quaint, cozy, beautiful Bed and Breakfast Inn in New York City. A Bed and Breakfast in New York City is an attraction in and of itself. 

I stayed at this Inn by myself during the summer when my son was away at sleep away camp. I fell in love with it and the surrounding area. Each room in this Inn (there are only 14 rooms) has a different theme. I stayed in the Cabin Room since it was the room I knew I would be staying in with my son this past weekend. It was amazing. It was also rustic enough that I felt secure knowing that the many antiques and collectibles would be minimal. When you have a ten year-old boy, you don’t want to have to “Boy proof” the room while you are there to relax and unwind.

When I packed for my son and myself, I remembered that my son loves to fall asleep with his plethora of stuffed animals…especially one he has had since birth: “Krusty.” This lovey has had at least five “surgeries,” was “bare” in many areas from all the love it received over the years and very floppy from compressed stuffing. Still, my son adored Krusty. We purchased other Krusties to have as back-ups in case we lost the original Krusty on outings when he was young. We never took Krusty on vacations. He was too “valuable” to risk losing. My son didn’t understand why Krusty had to remain at home during our trips. But we always brought one of the Krusty “back-ups,” even though my son could clearly tell the difference.

As I glanced at my son’s animal collection on his bed, I took a fairly new animal for my son to cuddle with at night while we were away. Then I spotted Krusty. I debated taking Krusty or not. I thought to myself that this was a small, intimate Bed and Breakfast. If we misplaced Krusty, he could easily be found. I grabbed Krusty and packed him in my son’s luggage.

Upon arriving at this Inn, I opened my son’s suitcase and showed him Krusty. My son was ecstatic! He grabbed Krusty and hugged more stuffing out of him. He was thrilled that Krusty was with us. But he requested that Krusty remain in our room so that he didn’t get lost. 

The housekeeping staff were just as adoring towards Krusty. At the end of each day, we saw Krusty perched on my son’s pillows awaiting my son’s arrival. I was certain that Krusty would be loved and cared for during our stay.

The morning of check-out, I threw our belongings back into our luggage and hastily did a once over of the room. I left the room certain that I had collected everything we brought with us. As I was leaving the room with the last of our luggage, I closed the door but the door didn’t shut completely. If you pushed it, you could open the door again. I took that as a premonition. Most hotel doors slam completely when you let the door swing shut. This door stayed atypically open. I wondered if I should have gone in again to double check the room. I decided against it as I was late checking out to begin with. 

That night, as my son was getting ready for bed, he asked for Krusty. I went to his suitcase and saw the other stuffed animal, but didn’t see Krusty. I opened my suitcase and flung things out of it. No Krusty in my suitcase either. I looked in the bags we brought back with us. No Krusty. I took some deep breaths and retraced my steps as I was packing up that morning. I had a vision of Krusty wrapped up in the bed sheets. The one place I hadn’t checked. Then the vision of the slightly open door appeared. I didn’t pay attention to my instincts. I should have taken the extra 60 seconds and gone back into the room again. My heart sunk. I had to break the news to my son.

He was so angry with me. My guilt led me to start crying. I promised my son that I would call the Inn first thing the next morning. My son was so angry, he turned his head when I tried to kiss him goodnight.

The first thing my son did when he woke up the next morning was ask whether I called the Inn. I explained that the Inn was not open yet but that I would call as soon as they were. I called two minutes after 9 am. Thankfully the same Receptionist who had been working most of the weekend remembered me and my son. I explained my problem. I even told her that I had a feeling that Krusty was left tangled in the bed sheets. The receptionist personally scoured through the room herself. She spoke with the housekeeping staff. She even called the laundry service they use to locate Krusty. At the end of the day along with numerous follow-up calls, Krusty was no closer to being found. 

I am imagining Krusty being found by someone in the laundry service and haphazardly being tossed in a garbage bin. There would be no way of identifying which hotel he was from since they service multiple hotels in the area.

I cried all day. I am fighting back tears as I write this. If my son took something of mine that was highly sentimental or valuable in any way, without my permission, and lost it, albeit accidentally, I would be furious too. There is no way to rectify the situation. Krusty cannot be replaced. I lost a certain amount of trust in my son’s eyes, and I should have known better. My heart is broken for my son.

Several Mom’s I know advised me to chalk it up as an important life lesson. But they are not the ones who have to look at their child with anger in his eyes. Nor do they have to deal with his distrust in me as his Mother. The same one who has protected him and all of his special possessions for a decade.

Yes, this is a “life lesson.” One that will not soon be forgotten.

Addendum: KRUSTY HAS BEEN FOUND!!! Some kind soul at the Laundry Service found him, bathed and dried! He will be home with us in a couple days!! My prayers have been answered!! My lesson thoroughly learned…my son beyond ecstatic!

Tags: "Krusty", "Life Lesson", Bed and Breakfast Inn, Cara Potapshyn Meyers, Lovey, New York City, son