Black Jack, Beemans and Clove gum memories... As a child, every summer or two my family made the drive from Virginia to rural New York to visit my great-aunt and uncle who owned a small farmhouse in the country. The 19th-century farmhouse still didn't have electricity, and we'd spend the days fishing at the nearby lake, or roaming the surrounding woods. Frequently, we drove to the small nearby town of Walton to swim in the pool and play in the park. Once, while swinging in the park, I fell out of the swing and cut my knee. My mother went into the drugstore across the street, and returned with some bandages. After she had finished cleaning and bandaging my knee, she brushed away my tears and showed me what else she had found in the drugstore: a pack of Black Jack Chewing Gum. I was only four or five at the time, but I remember popping that piece of Black Jack gum into my mouth. It was so delicious! I stopped crying and went back to playing. Every year after that when we returned to the farm, I always bought a pack or two of Black Jack chewing gum in that same drugstore and enjoyed it back at the farm while fishing, walking in the woods, or reading scary stories at night by gaslight on the farmhouse front porch. Now, whenever I see Black Jack, I always buy a couple packs. It brings back fond memories of my great-aunt and uncle, and those family vacations to the farm. ~ Brian from Virginia When I was a Brownie Scout in Second Grade(1963)my troop put on a "Talent Show" for our families & friends. We each had to make up our own skit. While other girls could sing, dance and maybe play an instrument, I had no such training. Mine was a small walk on--with my favorite Black Jack gum well chewed and ready to go. Back stage, nervous as can be, I firmly stretched and pressed my favorite gum against my front teeth, and with all the moxie I could manage, I walked on and announced, "Look Ma, no cavities." Of course from the stage it looked as though I had no teeth and I drew huge laughs and applause from the crowd. It's still my favorite! ~ Karen from New York I remember I used to get Clove Gum for 10 cents and I loved the taste of it. I would run to our local drug store and there it was on the candy rack waiting for me. I would chew one piece after another till I had a wad in my mouth. Never could get enough of this Gum taste! I got my Best Buddy Ronnie hooked on this Gum and we would fight over it when there was 1 left. Them memories are so fun to think about. ~ Michelle from Michigan |
