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Trick ‘r’ Treat
Well, well, well, there’s just over seventy days until Hallowe’en and the candy countdown has begun! Most grocery and variety shops have those ginormous boxes of sweet treats on their shelves. Right now l’m wondering if I’ll take another dip in the pool, hoping we’ve got enough propane in the tank for a few more burgers-on-the-barbie and enough dry wood for a bonfire. I’ve got a bag of marshmallows waiting to get toasted. I’m not ready to worry about clearing enough space in the pantry for boxes of bite-sized KitKats when marshmallows are taking up so much real estate. The truth is, if I bring even one box of those wee chocolate bars home I can’t be trusted to leave them for October 31st. I’ll be in immediate danger of not being able to fit into my lack-ofshape, unflattering tank suit.
Today (Sunday), as I clutched my G.T. list along with my reusable shopping bag and my wallet, I found myself strolling down the “seasonal aisle” because what’s a trip to G.T. without hitting all of the aisles? You never know, right? I am aware shower curtain liners, bathtub anti-slip mats and toilet bowl cleaner cannot be found on the “seasonal aisle,” but there I was deep into seasonal aisle. With my hands firmly gripping the shopping cart and I was just itching to reach out and accidentally knock a box of Hallowe’en yummies in amongst the actual list items. Go on, guess how many times I walked down the Hallowe’en aisle. If you guessed three times, you’d be spot-on. I came that close to bringing home a box of candy which, both you and I know, would never see the end of the week intact. One person actually had several boxes and bags of spooky deliciousness in their cart. It was as if I were being tempted to do the same and prove myself wrong about the likely outcome. WWLOMLD? LOML wouldn’t have gone down that aisle. This much I know. If he had the list and was tasked with picking up those items, he would have stayed in his lane, having anticipated my laughter and mocking tone when he returned home. I am convinced there may be people, who live amongst us, who could stock up on Hallowe’en candy, seventy days early, and not crack open one container. I’ve actually heard from people who claim to have this superpower. These people are not my friends nor are they related to me. The Durnings are diehard when it comes to eating treats well ahead of the occasion for which they are intended. My poor mom actually had to hide holiday treats from us.
As I mentioned, I’m sure there are those who could stock-up on Trick ‘r’ Treats, for all of the little ghosts, goblins, the Barbies and Kens, and not eat one thing from those boxes ahead of time. I could even name names, but I won’t. I just know on Hallowe’en Night LOML and I have seen anywhere from one hundred to close to three hundred Trick ‘r’ Treaters and one box of goodies wouldn’t even begin to cover the crush so we always bought oodles of boxes, and extras for the pre-event nibbling. I do try to be prepared for the onslaught of kiddies and their adults, but stocking up too soon isn’t a good idea. I have learned to do the Cadbury Math—the “how many boxes of treats will make it to the occasion, math”.
And then?
Well, and then I didn’t give in. I left GT with everything I put on the list plus a carton of ice cream. Of course ice cream wasn’t on my list. Anyone who saw my list would know it was an impulse buy. Ice cream isn’t little wee Hallowe’en treats, but the ice cream I picked up does have bits of chocolate bars in it. I see nothing wrong with how I handled the situation. Did I mention I saw Festive Holiday Stuff on the other side of the Spooky Evening Stuff aisle?
I wonder when the candy cane ice cream hits the freezers?
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