Every morning for 14 years, I have stared at Spider-Man swinging his way past Doc Ock.
I cannot give you a good reason why. It’s more by chance than something I sought out.
As one of the oldest pieces of kitchenware in my household, my Spider-Man plate has stood the test of time. It has miraculously survived more than a dozen moves, and hasn’t been thrown out by sheer chance.
Its graphic style mirrors the “Spectacular Spider-Man” TV show of the 2000s. The graphics are remarkably intact after thousands of washes.
I cannot remember if it was just that one plate, a set or any other details about its origin. When I tried searching for more information on Google, I couldn’t find anything that matched.
It has been with me so long that when I get breakfast each morning, I don’t question why I eat out of a plate adorned with Spider-Man cartoons marketed towards children. I just do it.
To me, it’s always been my breakfast plate, something I fish out of the top cabinet each morning without a pause. The action of swiping it out from under a stack of small white saucers is ingrained inside of my hands.
But as high school comes to a close, and with it my regular mornings at home, I realize I won’t be eating toast off a red and blue web-slinging icon anymore. No longer will I wipe the crumbs off its cartoon cityscape background with Dawn dishwashing liquid in the kitchen sink.
Looking back, that plate has been the start of my every day for as long as I can remember. Honestly, it’s earned its spot as a foundational part of my overall support system.
But in a few months I will bid farewell to it as I haul myself away. It seems weird such a cornerstone item won’t sit on the dining room table at 7 a.m. anymore.
Instead, I will probably be eating breakfast off of a shiny white plate. A plate that hasn’t seen my breakfasts change or my hands grow. A plate that hasn’t been across the country through Michigan, Washington and Texas.
In fact, I’m not sure about the ultimate fate my plate will face? Will it disappear? Will it just sit there as always? There will be no guarantee that I will see it below the saucers on the top right cabinet above the bananas as I always do.
Alas, I have learned to appreciate its service as I step out towards the future. It could certainly use a break.
Follow Yug (@YugTalukdar) and @CHSCampusNews on X.
