Mamba On My Mind

On our way to Las Vegas for Summer Roadtrip 2012 we decided to stop along Highway 58 in Tehachapi, California for a gas station break.  Pump some gas, stretch the legs, use the facilities ... browse the candy aisle.  It was a small, dilapidated Shell gas station situated across the street from a stretch of amazing train track that runs along Highway 58 and literally through the Tehachapi Mountains.

As Lewis and Evan watched the train, Julian and I headed back inside for some cold drinks and snacks.  Go healthy or go candy?  Before we left home I packed plenty of healthy snacks and we were on vacation, right?  Julian, always the eclectic connoisseur opted for a glass bottle of Fanta and a huge pack of Mamba's to split with Evan.  We paid for our items, readjusted the mound of stuffed animals, pillow pets and blankies in the back seat and were on our way.

Back on the highway while the kids divided their Mamba-booty Lewis and I marveled at a passing train (four engines pulling at least fifty cars), the varying sizes of electricity-producing windmills (too cool) and the high desert scenery (never-ending Joshua trees) until Julian and Evan started complaining about the taste of their strawberry Mamba.  The complaints: it's too hard to chew and it tastes "funny".

Of course my natural response was, "let me taste one".  Why?  Do I really not trust the sugar palette of my candy-loving children?

I peeled the wrapper from a stiff rectangle of strawberry flavored Mamba and stuck the candy in my mouth.  As I began to chew I told them, "It is pretty hard, maybe it's just a little old. Look and see if there is an expiration date".  As we jockeyed the absurdity of expired candy the after-taste of the Mamba filled my mouth.  It can only be described as sucking on a stick of chalk. 

Expiration date 8/2010.  Just shy of two years old.  Bleh!

We laughed about how long the Mamba's must have been waiting there.  Was all the candy that old?  Before I knew it they were all eaten.  Pause.  Wait.  What?  <Gulp>.  All of them?  

I am pleased to report that no one got sick.  Yay!  But I don't know if there are any more Mamba's in my future.

Lesson learned: Simply telling your children the nasty, disgusting, chalky candy they are eating is expired will not cease their consumption of said candy.  Or maybe it's just my kids.