Sweet Memories

Freddy sat in the lobby of The Franklin Hotel, the oldest establishment in Busby, Wisconsin reading a Busby Tribune that was 2 days old and bored out of his skull.  He could not understand what was taking Marjorie so long to come down, she was 15 minutes late, already and nowhere in sight!

He noticed a bowl of candies popular in his youth, some 60 years ago, and picked up a Bit-O-Honey!  The company might be old but the candy seemed fresh and Freddy popped it into his mouth.   He was immediately transformed to the age of 21 and the 2 week sea journey home from Germany aboard a round bottomed troop carrier.  He could actually feel the sea breeze and hear moans from some of his fellow foot soldiers who did not acclimate to the rolling of the ship in the rough seas as he did.  The candy tasted just as good now as it had then.

Freddy reached into the bowl and picked up a Chocolate Covered Cherry.  He looked at it a moment remembering this one as his Mother’s favorite treat.  As he bit into the candy, his Mother appeared in their old kitchen, complete with apron and one of her famous pound cakes in hand ready to pop into the oven.  Freddy’s mind smiled at the memory!

Next, from the bowl, he took a piece of horehound, not his favorite, but his Dad’s.  He sniffed the piece, a brown, translucent lump that, when touching his lips, transferred him to the farm where his Dad grew up and the family had visited on occasion.  Dad was feeding the pigs, feed corn and cucumbers, which Dad had always remarked to the family, when Mom put any cucumbers on the table at mealtime, “the pigs would not eat those cucumbers, and I won’t either”!

Lastly, from the bowl, Freddy took a Maryjane, his favorite, a nougat like candy infused with peanut butter that he had always loved.  As he bit into it, there stood Marjorie, 23 years old, beautiful and glowing as only a 23 year old in love can look.  Freddy reveled in this memory til shaken by the current Marjorie who had finally gotten ready and touched him on the arm.

Freddy looked at her, his wife of almost 50 years and his face lit up.  “You are certainly worth waiting for and always have been”, he said as he drew her into a warm embrace.

“What have you been down here, you old coot?” she replied, as Marjorie smiled and kissed Freddy on the cheek.