How Many Licks Does it Take...

Last Monday, September 1st (which happened to be Mama and Daddy's 35th wedding anniversary), Mama, Josh, Bennett and I walked up the street to join Douglasville's finest at the Labor Day parade. We thought it would be a neat experience for Bennett. It turned out to be one of the events that Josh says is just for the adults' amusement, not the child's. We just figured that since Bennett so loves to watch cars go up and down the street from our front porch, what better thing for him to observe than a parade full of cars and floats. All was good and well until one of the trucks going by rang out its extremely loud and obnoxious train horn. Bennett did not like that at all, and he screamed as the very colorful and crazy clown approached him to give him a piece of candy (that Josh swiftly intercepted). Well, we (Mama) were (was) determined to stick it out and have him enjoy the parade. So, we calmed him down and tried our best to avoid any very loud noises or very scary clowns. I should mention that it was very close to his nap time, so he was very tired.

I don't remember whose idea it was to give him the Tootsie Roll Pop to play with, but one of us did. It was still in the wrapper, and it was just supposed to occupy him and keep him happy while he (we) enjoyed the rest of the parade. Well, silly (stupid) us didn't consider the fact that the little man already has 8 teeth and that the wrapper was not made of steel. It wasn't long before Bennett had his first taste of sweet, sweet candy. He hardly ate any of it; just enough to make a mess of himself and me. But what better item for it to be than a Tootsie Roll Pop?

For any of you that don't know, the Tootsie Roll Pop has been a staple in the McLeod household for a very long time. I can picture Daddy (whether it be 10 years ago or last night) sitting on the sofa with his feet propped up on the ottoman, watching a movie with a Tootsie Roll Pop in his mouth and about 3 balled up wrappers next to him. The very first time I saw him on my wedding day, there was that little white stick in the middle of his proud grin. Just today, I looked out the window and saw him over at Grandpa's house on a lawnmower with one sticking out of his mouth. I think rather than putting a handkerchief in his hand or a rose on his chest, we'll put a Tootsie Roll Pop in his mouth at his funeral.

ANYWAY, the point is, that was the perfect first sweet for Bennett, and if he didn't enjoy anything else about that parade, he enjoyed his first (and second) Tootsie Roll Pop.