Candy to cry for

We went to a specialty store to get a Tasmanian Devil cake pan (for Thomas’s birthday party). The store also happens to have a wast assortment of original English candy. Of course, Thomas begged me to buy him some, and I gave him 2 dollars and told him to pick one that he would like. He looked at the wall full of glass jars containing candy of all kinds and finally settled on “Sour Cherry”. He got a little paper bag of the candy, and paid for it. Right outside the store, he popped one in his mouth.

”Yummy?” I ask, watching my son as his eyes widen, and fill with tears. He gasps, “Mommy, OMG, mommy, they’re so sour!!!”

Tears are now streaming down his reddening cheeks. He opens his mouth and starts gagging.

“Ok, spit it out then,” I suggest, and he runs to the next garbage can. Luckily we have a water bottle in the car and he drinks a few huge sips. With a small voice he proceeds to tell me that they are too sour to eat, and that he is now so very sad because he has no candy at all. Unfortunately, I am out of cash, plus the candy was his choice, and although it breaks my heart, I have to tell him that there will be no other.

“But”, I suggest, “you could share the candy and see how your friends like it.”

There is an idea!!

He breaks out into a broad smile, and we are hashing out a plan. We don’t want to trick them into eating this terrible stuff, and then possibly get in trouble with the parents later. We just have to tell them the truth.

“Just tell them how terrible it is, and that you weren’t able to eat it because it was soooo sour.”

In my experience, the boys won’t be able to resist the temptation and they will want to try.

When we get home, he’s out the door like a flash. While I am making dinner, I can hear hollering and laughter outside, and a little while later, my son comes inside, gleaming.

“Mommy, this is the BEST CANDY EVER!”

“Is it really?” I say carelessly, “How so?”

“Well, Zack tried it and it made him cry. And Josh couldn’t believe it but then he tried one and he cried too. And the other kids just screamed and were too scared to try them. But then I ate one and I kept it in my mouth and toughened it out and if you just wait long enough, they’re super sweet and awesome!”

He smiled his biggest smile, and he was gone again. As a mother, I live for those moments. When sadness turns into the opposity. Moms can make everything better. Even sour candy.

When his dad came home a half an hour later, I told him the story. And of course, he wanted to try one, too. Now my husband is no weakling. Spicy, sour, hot, cold… he has no issues with anything. But this stuff, these Sour Cherries, made his eyes pop and sweat beads appear on his forehead. And I could swear there was a little bit of extra moisture in the corner of his eyes. After a few minutes he could finally speak again.

“Only the English can come up with something like that, seriously.”

There are still a few left. And no, I will not try them for myself. I like my candy sweet, thank you very much. :)

Btw, just in case you are wondering: the cake turned out great.