The Treasure Hunt

Before I write anything today I would just like to say that I pray for those whom I love best that they are safe and well from the recent and terrible storms that we have had. I keep watching the news and trying to listen carefully to reports from the areas where the people I care most about live. It isn't that I have no concern for others... even for those I have never met I feel terrible for them and the hardships they are experiencing as well. It is just that I am always most concerned for those I love. Especially for “those”...I hope you are safe!

With all of the tragedy around us in the world and with an election fast approaching I thought that this morning instead of writing about those topics, I would (instead) write about something really important... gum balls!

This morning I picked Rachel and Hallie up and drove them to school: although they are mostly home-schooled, today they were going to CRBS because their class is taking a field trip. While waiting for Steph to pack their lunches I sat down and was holding a sleeping baby (Trinity) as Hallie sat down beside me. I'll explain how the smell of my sweatshirt led to a conversation, and that, in turn, led to me learning some important truths about gum balls (:

She wrapped her arms around my left arm and leaned in close to me, before saying, “Papaw... does your shirt smell like where you work?”

Now, I wasn't exactly sure where she was headed with that question... I mean, I had just showered before going to their house and the sweatshirt I was wearing I had pulled from one of my drawers, so I assumed it was freshly laundered? So, I said, “I don't know honey... what does it smell like?”

“The laundry mat,” she said. Whew... I was relieved (: We talked a little more and then it struck me... the laundry mat? I mean, they have a washer and dryer... maybe it was broken? So, I asked her when was she at the laundry mat?

She thought for a minute and then she said, “Oh, it was at the old house.” Good, a long time ago and apparently no trouble with their machines. Now, to the gum balls.

“Yeah,” she said, “Mom said as long as we had our own quarters we could put them in the machine and get a gum ball. They've got red ones, and pink ones, and blue ones...” Now, as she is telling me about the gum balls she is working her mouth in an exaggerated fashion as if she is remembering their texture, and (or) perhaps taste?

Then, Hallie asks “Do you know what a mystery flavor is Papaw?”

I shake my head sideways and say, “What?” (Now, apparently foolishly, I am expecting an answer as to what is a mystery flavor? Instead, I get what follows.)

She stares at me a few seconds before asking, “... What?”

I had been holding Trinity in my right arm and glancing back and forth between her sleeping face and Hallie. Now, in case I missed something or maybe I am an unwitting participant in a knock-knock joke I give Hallie my full attention... shrug my shoulders, and repeat, “What?”

Unsmiling now, she looks hard at me and her brows are knit and she repeats, “... What?”

Now I feel like I am in an Abbot and Costello “Who's on First?” skit. Just about the time I am ready to try and clarify and instead of just repeating what I would ask Hallie plainly, “What is a mystery flavor?” … Instead, she breaks in as if there had been no misunderstanding and she says, “Well, a mystery flavor is where you don't know what's in the gum ball that you're eating.”

“Is that right?” I query.

“Yes,” she continues, “if you get a red one, or a pink one, or a blue one... well, you know what you are eating. But the white ones... they are a mystery, and I guess they just want you to figure it out?” After that she thought for a few seconds and then she said, “But you know Papaw, I don't think a bacon one would be very good?”

At that point I see her gaze turn up and away from me. Although her eyes were toward the ceiling, I don't think she was really looking at anything? I believe she was trying to imagine the taste of a “bacon gum ball?” The reason I think that's true, after a few seconds I saw her give her head a short shake left and right. (Apparently she imagined it, tasted it... and didn't like it!)

She turned back to me and said, “Is Grandma going to go with us?” I guess she was through imparting her wisdom about gum balls.

So, I thought I would pass on to you, any who reads this morning's blog, some important information about gum balls. In summary: if you eat a colored gum ball... you ought to already know what it is that you are eating. However, if you eat a white gum ball... those are a mystery flavor and it is up to you to figure it out? Finally, if you ever happen to stumble across a bacon flavored gum ball, well... it probably wouldn't be worth eating (: