Five Cents

Do you remember when candy used to cost 5 cents or less? I do, which actually makes me feel old. But nevertheless, its another good family memory. I think being home for a wedding this past weekend is what spawned my overabundance of childhood memories. But it's always good to remember happy times from the past. My grandma had a little shore house in Sea Isle. Once a year, my family would stay down there for a few days. I have a lot of memories from that shore house. But my favorite memory is the little convenience store that was about 5 blocks down the road. There was nothing special about it, unless you were a kid. The had this bin full of candy for 5 cents. All year long, my sister and I would save our nickels and pennies. Then we'd walk the 6 blocks together, with our styrofoam cups filled to the brim with coins. My favorite piece of candy to buy was those atomic fireballs. They were all shiny and bright red in color. They lasted long, and left that fire taste in your mouth. This tradition probably started when I was about five. Once I was 10 we stopped going to the shore every year. I went back for a day or two when I was 16. Things sure had changed. None of the candy cost 5 cents anymore. Everything was 25 cents or more. The candy was different too. Of course life had changed a lot since the last time I had been there, but a part of me expected the little convenience store to remain the same. Of course, that store is just one more memory to look back on and smile. Until next time, this is Kandy K......stay sweet! Red and Shiny!