cherry, grape, and orange

As I have mentioned previously, my mother and I did not get along very well - largely because I never did what she wanted and she had no sense of humor about my independent nature :)

But she had one secret weapon that I was defenseless against, as stubborn as I was. (or in her words; willful, challenging, disobedient...well, you get the idea.)

Whistle Pops.

I don't even know if they still make them, if it was just a southern thing, or if anyone else in the world will know what I am talking about. For those of you who don't know what they are, I will describe...
It is the most delicious lollipop that man has ever created since the invention of the lollipop. There were 3 perfect flavors; cherry, grape, and orange. Occasionally I could even talk my older brother into getting one (which he and I both knew he would never eat) and I could have 2!!!! And if the sugary confection of perfection was not fabulous enough, it was also a really loud whistle. (hence the name) It had a stick that was hollow with a mini trombone style slide build in that would change 'notes' (and I use that term very loosely) - how great is that-right? Right!

So, I could be hopped up on food coloring chemicals (it was the 70's), sugar, and really noisy all at the same time! Is that not the goal of every child?! Well, it should be!! :)

Oops, sorry, got a little off track there...anyway, my mother could get me to do anything for the promise of a whistle pop.
- be quiet in church
- go to bed early
- eat my dinner
- clean up my toys
- jump naked into a pit of water moccasins (poisonous snakes)
anything!

The last one I remember having was ... (sniffle) (sigh) ... (misty eyes) ... oh my, I miss those things!!
Where was I?
Oh yes, my last whistle pop...

I actually don't remember what my mother wanted me to do but I remember she bought the glorious whistle pop of awesomeness on Friday and I could not have it until Saturday morning. Plus, I was under strict instructions that I had to have it - outside. (why I just can't understand- hahaha)

So, in a rare moment for me as a child, I had managed to be super good at whatever I was supposed to do and I knew on Friday night before I went to bed that the whistle pop was mine in the morning! As discussed in previous musings, mornings and I do not like one another...but this morning I was awake at 6:00 a.m. and ready for my divine whistle pop (it was cherry, by-the-way).

I must pause here to let you know that I am not what you would consider a patient person (to put it mildly) and when I was a child ... well, let's just say - it was worse.

Now having met my end of the bargain we had struck, I felt extremely entitled to my 6:00 a.m. whistle pop.
but no...
6:00 a.m. was too early for my mother to get up on a Saturday (imagine!) and I could not go outside by myself if no one was awake. I felt the injustice intensely!

I had to wait...
I hate waiting...(shameless "Princess Bride" reference)
until 10:00 a.m. --- do you have any idea how l-o-n-g four hours is when delightful enchantment is in sight but just outside of attainment?!?
and you are a child...
a REALLY impatient child...

Eternity is shorter

But finally - it was mine!!

I stepped outside with my cherry whistle pop - the sun was shining, the angels were singing, small woodland creatures were coming up and talking to me...
oh-wait, that sounds more like an LSD trip...
So they didn't talk to me - but they were on hand in case I needed to burst into spontaneous song to accompany the dulcet tones of my Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious whistle pop.

It was perfection! Ahhh!! :)