The Schwa Was Here

Manny was the unbreakable dummy that Antsy's dad, the Vice-Executive Vice-Vice-President of Product Development for Pisher Plastic Products, gave to him and his friends to try to destroy it. On one of the attempts to destroy it, Antsy, Howie, and Ira notice the Schwa for the first time.

The grocery cart represents when the Schwa's mom disappeared in the grocery store. It also represents the journey Antsy and the Schwa go on to find out what really happened to her. It turns out, she ran away with the butcher!

This phrase is very important to the book, specifically the end. The Schwa rents a billboard (for half price!) that reads "Calvin Schwa Was Here!". However, what he doesn't know is that the highway that he rented the billboard for is closed for construction so few people will ever read it. Then, near the very end of the book, Ansty starts a chain. He writes The Schwa Was Here on everyday places he went, such as bathroom walls, benches, bus seats, etc. Soon enough he starts seeing little Schwas all over the place and he finally knows that the Schwa will be remembered.