Who can forget the candy shops around every corner? The sweet
treats displayed in colorful spender behind a glass showcase. There we were,
with a few pennies in our pocket and we felt ridiculously rich. There was a
large assortment to choose from and some of the sugary delights were even two
for a penny.
We looked them all over in careful deliberation: Mary-Janes, jaw
breakers, waxed lips, waxed mustaches, dots, liquorish, red or black, sour
balls, wax bottles with juice, fake cigarettes, honey bars, root beer barrels,
bubble gum; row after row of delectable treats. We took our time and made our
selections with substantial consideration.
There was power in our dainty little hands, power to choose, power
to satisfy our sweet tooth, power to swap. We had our first, albeit, tiny
experience of power. Who knew where it would take us.
The shopkeepers must have had an inordinate amount of patience as
we pondered over our choices, and discussed it with our friends and siblings.
The word rush did not enter our childhood world. We were the valuable consumers
keeping the business thriving, perhaps a penny at a time.
After our shopping excursion we would skip home, stuffing our
mouths with our booty. Just like in the real world, some of us would save some
for another time, but most of us were into immediate gratification. Funny how
those characteristics followed us into adult life. Some live for today, some
save for a rainy day, and a few find that delicate balance between the “enjoy
now and enjoy later.” Some of the skills we learned in those early days of
penny power were bartering, persuading, sharing, and doing extra chores to earn
extra rewards. They were good skills to hone and bring into our adult life.
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