Penny candy holds special memories for me.
I rarely eat candy. Now put a plate of cheese in front of me, or fruit, quite the treat. Candy, no.
I grew up with a father in the United States Army. We traveled quite a bit. We even moved three times in a matter of two years within the same large army base.
I really cannot remember where my father was stationed at at the time, he was definitely not home. That summer my mother would give 50 cents a month to my brother and I. She would walk with us to the Ben Franklin store, off base, and we would spend what seemed like a joyous hour finding all the treats that we could spend our wealth on. We would walk out with a little brown paper sack bulging with candy.
But wait...there were other things in that sack. Do you remember the little girl's fake watches? They had a metal face and a piece of elastic for the band? I loved the pink ones! My brother would buy little painted metal cars and still buy candy with his 50 cents.
And I believe the bubble gum was two pieces for a penny.
Fake lipstick candy. Candy necklaces, which I see children still enjoy.
But see, it isn't about the candy. It is about the memory. It is about taking that tiny amount of money and so carefully spending it. Maximizing it. Making sure it was not spent on something that went away in a few hours. And the memory of my mother, surely it was good for her to take that walk, and I would imagine it made her feel good to see her children happy. None of those things I was aware of because I was a child. As a child should be!
So...do you remember penny candy?
8 comments:
I don't remember that but I do remember candy cigarettes! lol I loved those things, but I never grew up to smoke.
I liked them too, Jennifer, LOL!
I have been thinking about that part of my life a lot this week, more stories to come. Trying to relate them to the present, and many I can. Ha.
Mary, I remember it all! Wow, what fun it was. But things were different back then. Easier. I can't wait for the next story!
We were BOTH Army brats! My whole childhood was lived in one Army base ( fort ) after another and I do remember the candy you posted about. Woolworths' was where we bought ours, or the corner store at Grandmas, when we visited. Those little corner stores and Woolworths' were magical!
I got the soap I ordered from you today, and the scent was heavenly. There were a few that appealed to my husband. I gave him a choice and he chose the Ocean Breeze, which surprised me as I had picked out other scents I thought he would prefer. He liked the others very much, but the Ocean Breeze won out, so ladies, take note...my manly man likes that one! ( I thought he would prefer the lemon grass or clary sage or sandal wood )
Arnita, things were simpler back then. I feel concerned for children that were not raised the way we were. They know so much more, so much younger, too wise in my opinion.
Kathy, I never knew you were raised as an Army brat too! With the pulling up of the rugs so often, and with us seeing so many places, so frequently, it definitely was a part of weaving us into who we are today. I have stories to tell...notes all over my desk!
My husband and I had a conversation a few days ago about Woolworth's! Remember how good that placed smelled? And, yes, it was magical! I love it when someone else expresses that they felt the same thing. It was not the mall, anything glitzy, a simple Woodworth's (or Murphy's). I love it!
Oops...missed a few things (got too excited)...I am so glad you received your soap. My husband also loves the Ocean Breeze scent. But he is a Zest man, and that is a fresh scent too...however, I cannot get him to switch. He uses unscented goat milk lotion, but has used Zest for 20 years.
The manly man passed on the sandalwood? I wondered if he would like that. You just never know!
I remember the penny candy... and while visiting a cousin in Branson, Missouri, we came across a store called Dick's Five and Dime. (At least I think it's called Dick's)... at any rate, they carry all those fun candies! Granted, they're costing a bit more than a penny these days, but it is a place that takes you back to that time. The whole store takes you back... I forget many of the names of that candy, but you remember those small sucker-type ones with taffy stuff... they were either banana, chocolate or strawberry. bam bams? I just wonder how they still get all those things, but they don't seem to be available elsewhere???
Oh yeah, I most definitely remember the trips to the little store by our church. My Mom would give me a dollar or so and I would squeeze every penny I could get out of it.
Now, I watch my son squeeze every dollar out of a twenty.
My, how things have changed.
Post a Comment