Whatchamacallit and the lingering power of suggestion

Whenever I'm at a drugstore and decide to treat myself with a candy bar, I always get a Whatchamacallit, if they have it. I don't even much like them save that they're crunchy. The chocolate is subpar. But I still remember seeing the ads on tv when I was growing up in Idaho. Two older men drove Laurel-and-Hardy style through the bread basket of America in what I remember being a Model T. One asks what the other is eating, which sets off a "Who's on first?" argumentative dialogue. (The last time I remember an advertisement using this technique was for Nuts 'n' Honey.) I don't remember the ending, but I would imagine it ends with a crash. I remember really wanting one in the past, which still informs my present.

Once, when my family went fishing with friends, Shirley showed us the stash of lollipops her parents kept in their Winnebago. She distributed them equally to each of us, and we stuffed ourselves and our pockets. My parents found out when they heard the rustle of plastic as I walked. They weren't convinced that I had collected pebbles by the river, and made my brother and I return all the candy we had carefully packed away. We should have eaten more when we had the chance. Posted by eku at January 21, 2004 3:07 PM