The long line at the grocery store is usually where I remember a list of things I forgot to grab, but not this time. I got everything I needed, and then some extra. As I wait for my turn to pay, I stare at the colorful array of bright wrappers filled with goodies almost too good to resist. I consider myself a victim of impulse merchandising as I reach to grab the vivid green, circular container labeled, “Sours.” Watermelon is my favorite flavor, and I cannot wait to get the taste of lunch out of my mouth. As a reward for not forgetting anything on my list, I place the little package on the belt with my other necessities. The cashier swipes my items across the scanner and asks, “Would you like this in the bag?” while he holds up my small treats. I instantly smile and insist on putting them in my purse for easy access as I leave the store.
The walk to my car is short, but there’s just enough time to pop open my little burst of flavor. The little container has two openings on each side. One side says, “MANY” while the opposite side reads, “ONE.” I pry open the tab that says, “MANY” so I can find the watermelon flavor. Each flavor has different little specks. Tangerine has orange specks, green apple has green specks, and watermelon has pink and green specks. I easily spot the green and pink freckles and pick one out of the container. The white, chalky tablet instantly refreshes my entire mouth and starts to coat my tongue with the sugary flavor of watermelon. The initial flavor of the watermelon is sour as the package suggests. As the sugar dissolves, it soothes the sour flavor and becomes a perfect balance of both. I’m all the more confident that my breath won’t bother anyone and I’m reveling in the lasting flavor. I can’t help but reminisce about my youth whenever I enjoy this little temptation during my drive home. It’s funny how flavors can bring memories rushing back to you. Sneaking these onto the belt while my mother wasn’t looking is something my family laughs about today. I like to offer these to her from time to time, just to make her giggle.
The refreshing little piece of sugar is thin at this point, and I decide to chomp down on it. A burst of flavor is released as little pieces disperse in my mouth. My first instinct is to reach for another one, but I remember that I’m an adult. I leave the container in my purse for a future craving, or the next time I’m out to lunch. These tasty little memories will come in handy soon enough, and I’ll be glad I didn’t eat all of them. I can’t wait to offer my mother one and laugh with her again over my “rebellious” phase which cost her $2.00 nearly every time she took me to the store with her.
I picked the same mint as you did it and it was good to see another viewpoint about it. When you first started off with the visual of you being at the grocery store it was easy to visualize all the way to the end. I loved the comical side to it with you saying "my first instinct is to reach for another one, but I remember that I'm an adult". The fact that it made me chuckle overall made it an enjoyable read.
ReplyDeleteI love how you explained your store experience also, It was very interesting to read.
ReplyDeleteNice job of writing about these mints within a familiar context to make the experience relatable to the reader.
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