While in 7th grade Pre-Algebra, the highly irritating boy behind me would rub chalk across his hand, than slap me on the back, leaving a handprint I had to walk around with for the rest of the day. To get back at him, I would make fun of his favorite striped shirt. It had stripes in various widths and was the exact same color as lime fruit stripe gum. So I called him "Fruit Stripe," and he stopped chalking my back.

 

The following school year I didn't have any classes with him, but I did run into him at the horrid Junior High Christmas dance. He asked me to dance and I said yes. When we finished with our awkward prancing, he asked if I wanted some gum and pulled out a pack of Fruit Stripe. "I've been carrying it ever since you started calling me Fruit Stripe because it reminds me of you." I melted and accepted a stick. Lime, of course. It's now ten years later and we're getting married in the Spring. ~ Molly from Pennsylvania