A cheetah with orange fur with black spots roamed the hallways with two family-sized Cheetos bags in hand. He had a backpack, sunglasses, and acted like a normal student. Why was this cheetah spotted outside of its natural habitat and attending a day of school? September 11was not Halloween or even a spirit day — so students were understandably confused seeing the Chester Cheeto wannabe traversing not a safari or a Cheetos factory, but the halls of Hillsborough High School.
After school Chester was spotted by a teacher, running with a few students from the cross country team. The cheetah had running shorts and a shirt on top of his costume. Mr. Christopher James, a science teacher, said that he first saw Chester in the 600s and then running opposite of Amwell Road. He noted that Chester looked like a crazy person, but he was driving and couldn’t make out the rest of the team’s reactions. “I thought Cheetahs ran faster,” James said.
Hamza Haider who ran alongside Chester the day of his appearance detailed his encounter. “I first saw him in the Hillsborough High School Cross Country Locker Room. He was carrying many Cheeto bags and eating them. He also joined the Cross Country team and ran with us for the day,” Haider said.
Haider explained Chester’s motivations. “He is usually riding a skateboard around, as shown on the Cheetos bags; however, I think he decided to run because he wanted to show everyone that he is athletic, even though he eats thousands of Cheetos each day,” Haider said. “He acts very confident, making sure every action involves Cheetos. He also helped and learned from the people around him.”
Eventually, the Cheetah was found and consented to an interview, but responded in a vague, mysterious way. Though obviously a character in costume, the cheetah claimed his identity as Chester Cheeto. He said he would not reveal his true identity just yet, though his classmates could likely figure it out. To explain his visit, Chester said he “likes to have fun.” He also shared his future plans. “I’m probably going to come here once or twice a month. Mostly once. It’s all about the Cheetos ya know? No harm, just Cheetos,” he said.
