For as long as I can remember my grandmother has had a candy drawer. As a kid I was always sneaking candy out of the candy drawer. Visiting grandma was one big fun sugar rush. She keeps mostly old fashioned candies in it like Mary Janes, Peppermint Patties, Hershey bars, and of course licorice. Occasionally she'll have some newer stuff, but mostly she is consistent and that candy drawer is like coming home to me. All I have to do is open the drawer and inhale and I am a little kid all excited to be spending time with my tender loving grandma.
My kids figured out the candy drawer early on and now it is their first stop after the hello kiss. Always. Going to grandmas goes something like this "Hi!" kiss kiss kiss "Can we have something from the candy drawer?"
When we went to visit her last weekend the kids and I were shocked to find absolutely nothing in the candy drawer. There wasn't even an old hard piece of licorice in the corner. For me it was a sad reminder that grandma is not the woman she always was, although that is already painfully obvious. I also accidentally came home with her keys after locking her door for her. Yesterday I went to the drug store and bought about 12 dollars worth of her favorite candies and had the candy and keys delivered to her today.
When she got the package she called me on the phone on the verge of tears, thanking me for the candy and telling me how wonderful I am. She was incredibly touched that I had taken the time to send candy. Candy was always her thing, and I guess the candy reigns are being passed to me now. I never thought I would see the day when grandma didn't or couldn't stock the candy drawer. It makes me realize how much she does need me to look out for her and just keep the little things the same. We all know that it is the little things that mean so much, but today I cried a little when I saw how true that is. Now I will be the keeper of the candy drawer and you can be sure grandma will be getting more candy packages from me.
I would like to participate in the candy drawer - can I? I too have really good memories of the candy drawer - but the thing I remember most is no matter what Grandma always had something yummy in her pocketbook.
Posted by: lilsis | January 26, 2006 at 05:20 PM
Yummy?? I remember chicklets and handkerchiefs.
Posted by: clickmom | January 26, 2006 at 05:32 PM
Remember I wasn't the "candy" kid . Chiclets rocked with me - when I buy them even today I feel a bit nostalgic (sic?), Another funny story about Gram is when I decided to start smoking at 14 she (who didn't smoke) would walk around with a cigarette in her mouth when I was around and say "if it was okay for a little kid to smoke then it was okay for an old lady too" Talk about the guilts!! She knew exactly how to get to me - then and now....
Posted by: lilsis | January 26, 2006 at 06:15 PM
My mom has a gum drawer, and even tho my kids are 24, 20 and 18 that's the first place they go. My grandma had a crystal candy jar but it was ucky gramma candies, the hard, striped ribbon kind. You could never eat it anyway cause if you tried to take a piece off the top, they all came out together in one big lump.
Posted by: danelle | January 27, 2006 at 12:40 AM
I think it would mean a lot to your grandmother for you to "take over" and let her know how much that always meant to you and then to your kids. You will be the wonderful candy grandma that the grandkids will be dying to see!!
P.S. my grandma? A rosary and Doublemint gum.
Posted by: Debbie | January 27, 2006 at 07:11 AM
this post is the quintessential definition of bittersweet!
Posted by: chris | January 27, 2006 at 06:54 PM