Sweet Legacy

I have always heard people tell stories about their parents and grandparents, stories that teach a lesson in moral or ethical behavior.  Lately I have heard a few stories that make me cringe to think about what stories will be told about us when we are gone. Crystal started a new job on Monday.  She is now getting to know a new group of people and sharing her family stories with them. Here is a conversation she had with one of her new co-workers: Crystal is speaking to a gentleman she feels is a lot like her dad.  I will use a  different  name for now. Crystal:    Tim, I don't want you to take this wrong, but you are a lot like my Dad.  Not that you are old or anything like that.  Just the way you do things reminds me of him.  He loves sweets and you seem to be right up to his level.  But I need to ask you a few questions to be sure you are on the same level with him.  First , do you know what a circus peanut is? Tim: Yes I do, but I can only eat one or two of them. They are really sweet.

Crystal: Well. you are lacking in that area.  Do you know what candy corn is? Tim:    Oh yes!  I love them! But I can only eat a few of them at a time.  They are really, really sweet. Crystal: Well, Tim you may be able to keep your colon.  You are not anywhere near the sweet-a-holic my Dad is.  You just don't measure up the way I thought you would. My Dad has a bowl, a very large bowl.  It is his own special bowl.  He is the only one who is allowed to use this really big bowl.  Mom broke one of his bowls years ago and went out ASAP and replaced it before it was even known that it had been broken.  This bowl is to be used by no one but my Dad.  You have heard of unspoken rules.  This rule was a much spoken rule.  "Who used my bowl?"   "Who did the dishes and put my bowl away? I can't find it anywhere!" "Did you girls use my bowl to feed the cat?"  These questions would be asked each and every time our Dad could not find his bowl.  We learned to make sure his bowl was always in it's proper place in the cabinets.

When our Dad fixed himself a bowl of cereal, it was unlike any bowl of cereal we, or any of our friends that might me staying over night, had ever seen.  He would get out every box of cereal we had in the pantry.  This might be six or seven different types.  Cheerios, Special K, Raisin Bran, Honey Bunches of Oats, and several others.  He would pour some of each box into this bowl.  Then top it off with a banana and, if we had them, nuts.  He would go around to each of us trying to get us to try some of this great mixture of his.  He was in cereal heaven.   Tim, Have you ever seen the movie ,Elf?  Tim:   Yes. Crystal:  Do you remember the scene where he has the large bowl of spaghetti? Tim: Oh, Yeah! Crystal : Picture that bowl, but instead of spaghetti, picture ice cream. Now put two chocolate pop tarts in the toaster and when they are done, crumble them up and put them on the ice cream.  Once you have the hot Pop Tarts on the ice cream get out the whip cream, chocolate syrup and nuts and put those on top.  This is what my Dad does just about every night before bed.  Now, when you can measure up to that, let me know. Tim:   Pop Tarts?  That sounds interesting!  I think I might try that tonight.

Crystal said that several times throughout the day, Tim would repeat the same statement, "Pop Tarts?  I am going to try that out!" Now I have to wonder just what kind of effect we are having on the general population.  If this goes the way I think it will, I need to buy stock in Pop Tarts. After hearing this story, Randy had to make a correction he felt was misleading to Tim.  You must use S'mores Pop Tarts.  They are much better than regular Pop Tarts . email from Jeff