Threats of Candy

A little backstory: Yesterday, we went to the Asian food & gifts store in town and bought some goodies with our food stamps as a thanksgiving treat to ourselves. Keeb bought some white gourd juice and shrimp chips, Littlebit got a lemon soda with a marble in it and some eastern version of poppycock without the caramel, Ladybug picked out a read bean cake and some banana flavored soy milk, and I grabbed some Thai tea and Thai tamarind candy. We bought real groceries too, but I loves me some tamarind candy!

I called my eldest into the room tonight.

When I do this, usually Littlebit follows along behind, despite the fact that she was not called and we do not want her where we are at that moment. (Else wise we would have called her too.)

To prevent tagging along, I hollered to Littlebit in a semi-threatening tone; "You better not come in here, 'cause then I'll give you some candy, and you might not like it!".

With a view into the hallway, Keebler saw Littlebit try to figure this one out. She stopped, then stepped forward, then stopped, looked quizzically at him and her sister, stepped back again, then followed along behind, sure that all candy would be nice to her.

After all, it's never betrayed her before, right? Except for that one time, when mom made her try that Mexican dulce de tamarindo... It has been years since that incident, the memory gracefully faded to something far less traumatic than it was at the time.

Even if she did remember it, her safety net was seeing the package that that dreaded candy came in, a little red and white tub, with a dipping stick.

Yes, the candy would be safe, and she would be rewarded for her disobedience. Her confident stride and wide smile were proof of her surety.

So I opened up my little box of Thai candies and handed her one. "pop the whole thing in your mouth and chew" I instructed.

Then I waited. She chewed happily and did a little dance of glee, tasting first the salt, then the tangy-sweet tamarind, victorious.

Then it hit her. The red pepper. I saw her think "But mom, this is Thai candy, not Mexican!" The change on her face was priceless, like an infant's first taste of a real lemon wedge. Squnched eyes, then bugged wide in horror, her mouth open in an oval of shock, she spun on her heels and ran for the bathroom.

Oh sweet bathroom, rescuer of people everywhere who have tasted something revolting. Her sister chased her and ordered her to finish the candy instead of spitting it out.

Not sure why, really, she's bossy, that one.

A few seconds later though, out came Littlebit, showing off that she had indeed finished it, mouth wide, tongue waggling side to side, like they do on TV reality shows.

Yep, we train them for Fear Factor early 'round these parts. *snicker*

But ya can't say I didn't warn her!


*Image drawn with a touchpad mouse and my finger in Paint Shop Pro 6.

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