Memory Lane

For twelve years Jason and I ignored a storage unit that we rented. We, well mainly Jason, packed that unit full. I will admit that I am not one for hauling around too much extra stuff. When I cleaned out my tackroom at my parents’ farm a few years ago I downsized from 12 bridles to two, 8 martingales to one standing and one running, etc. I was a bit softer on my bit collection, but I still went from 30 bits to probably 10. I am a cleaner and a “purger,” it runs in my family via my mom’s side. Over the years there has been a few things I’ve regretted purging, but my life goes on with no real loss.

Jason is the opposite, he is neither a cleaner nor a purger. This is a family trait on his side as well. I had brought up cleaning out the storage unit from time to time for years, and Jason always got irritable and had 200 reasons why he didn’t have the time. I finally drew a hard line with Jason and told him either he could go through his stuff and clean it out, or the owners of the storage unit could inherit it all because I wasn’t paying the bill anymore after this month.

Yesterday was the day that we entered the time capsule of Jason’s life. We had some interesting finds. I opened the lid on a rubbermaid tub and sitting on top was Jason’s Dukes of Hazzard coloring and activity book. We found his dad’s cassette tape collection. We found two of Jason’s original stuffed animals from when he was a little boy. We found the show halter from Jason’s first cow that he showed. We found his two Rubik’s cubes (apparently he wasn’t very good at solving them). One of my favorite rubbermaid totes was due to the label; “Christmas decorations and decorations not necessarily associated with Christmas.” I’m not joking, that was how he had labeled the tote. We found his skis, his toy tractor collection, his bag of marbles, every certificate or award he ever won from middle school on, and all kinds of stuff I’ve already forgotten. An entire 12′ x 10′ unit filled to the ceiling with Jason’s treasures.

In a hot, sweaty and way it was kind of fun to look through the tons (literally tons) of stuff Jason has been storing for the last twelve years.

Jason’s tractor collection and Rubik’s cubes