Picture and Story 12

Giant jawbreakers. Or, if you had the money to spend, the high-end brand name Willy Wonka Everlasting Gobstoppers®.

I probably spent $100 on these as a kid, and paid dearly for the pleasure with a special sort of pain you only get with this particularly candy.

I don’t know how to describe the pain other than to call it a tongue abrasion. I couldn’t bring myself to stop licking until the pain was unbearable. I think I even remember having my tongue bleed a couple times.

Do you remember? What fun.

I introduced my kids to these this past summer on our mega road trip around the country. We found them in a wooden basket sitting on the floor of a little old fashioned gift store. I got so excited I called for the girls and showed them. They each plunked down $1.50 for their choice and the fun (and the days of sore tongues) begin within the hour.