Chocolate... Please?

When I was a little trick or treater, my four bothers and I went house to house getting a piece of bubble gum here and a sucker there.  I have always had a sweet tooth and was grateful for every gram of sugar I ever got. Suckers and bubble gum were great, but what I really wanted was chocolate.  Chocolate has always been my favorite.  After a night of trick or treating, my brothers and I each had a pillow case full of candy. Even so, we still begged momma and daddy to let us go to just one more house. They gave in as most parents do and we walked up to the final house for that year’s event. I was expecting one or two more pieces of candy to help with my tooth decay. What I wasn’t expecting was the full size Baby Ruth candy bars that they handed to each of us. You talk about putting a smile on my face. I talked about that one for... Well, I still talk about that one.

Our doorbell rang with two trick or treaters.  I gave them each three Crackle candy squares. “Thank you.” They said, as they started down the steps. One called back, “Crackle is my favorite. I love them the most.”  “Come back,” I said motioning them with one hand while holding the bowl of chocolate in the other.  At first they were hesitant, but they then walked slowly back to the door. You can imagine the smile on their face when I divided the entire bowl of chocolate bars into their little pumpkins.  I only thought for a moment about tooth decay when I saw their small teeth that had just pierced their pink gums.  

It is hard to believe, but there are a few things I love better than chocolate. One would be the smile of an innocent child when you empty a bowl of chocolate into their pumpkin. Two is creating a memory for them that I hope will last a life time.  As for me and chocolate, I have two bags still in the pantry and a tooth brush in my bathroom.  

Just Sayin’

Phyllis Westland