Reflections of A Candy Girl

This adorable sign appeared on the sidewalk of
The Candy Factory
of Lexington last week

My father sparked my passion for candy

by taking me to

preschool with a brown bag filled with sweet goodies.

As Father's Day approaches, trips to the Candy Factory bring back fond memories of our time together.

I don't write about my Father often; although I shared a column about our candy adventures back in

January 2013.

"Daughter reflects on life lessons."

I try to be health conscious now but considering

the average American consumes 24.3 pounds of candy a year-

I think my monthly candy splurge is perfectly healthy. 

Plus The Candy Factory stocks a plethora of sugar free options

(the turtles are my personal favorite)

So all month long I've been thinking back to my childhood, 

writing about my Pop

and recalling  

a time when I was known on the preschool block as

The Candy Girl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=83&v=qAFg2TQk9v0

The New Edition song "Candy Girl"

was popular back in 1983

A excerpt from my 2013 column explains my nickname the best:

Pop once scribbled the words, "Be quiet if you want candy" because I was talking too much at one of his weekly card games. He regretted spending that afternoon teaching me how to read his marked cards. But I could easily be bribed with candy. He wrote the note left-handed with one of his "funny work pencils." They were flat, wide and ugly. He sharpened them with his knife before giving them to me. Unlike the pink and purple pencils that I bought from The Strawberry Basket, Pop's pencils reminded me of his hands, which often smelled like dirt and saw dust.

I've always treasured hand-written notes. In particular, my father's note was evidence in case he forgot to stop on our customary trip to the gas station. There he would reward me by allowing me to fill a brown paper bag with an assortment of candies. Of course Pop always filled my bag with candy before returning me home to my mother.

...

I never cashed in Pop's note. That day was one of the last times I spent in his home before he suffered his first stroke. It sent him to a nursing home, and the third eventually led to his departure. I have kept it close by ever since."

I picked up a brown bag of candy for myself last week

in loving memory of Pop 

I have always been and will always be his "candy girl."

Happy National Candy Month!