Ah, my favorite candy…I nearly did time for M&M’s…As a child I was often sent to pick up an item or two at the A&P (The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company) on Peachtree at Brighton, next to the Rexall (later Crain Daly VW and Cloudt’s). On one of these shopping excursions I was sent to buy several items, pasta, we called that spaghetti noodles, and salad fixins\u2019 and given funds nearly equal to the cost of items: we were taught the value of money back then, with scant change remaining after purchase. For some unknown reason (likely I hadn’t done my chores and been paid my allowance), I didn’t have any money besides the grocery funds in my wallet. Waiting in line to check out, I stood next to the candy displayed in neat rows to my right, and I caught the smell of chocolate, the wafting scent of amorous delight, the anticipated pleasure of soft dark chocolate melting on my trembling lips, the pungent overwhelming bitter sweetness of sensuous mouth candy…and…I grabbed a big bag of M&M’s off that Circe’s shelf knowing full well I had not the dime to pay for it. I furtively stuffed the treasured condiment in my right pocket, knowing it would melt in my mouth, not in my pants. I checked out, paid for the pasta and fixins’, and clutching the grocery bag, headed right toward the door. Just a few feet to ecstasy, I was looking out, craving heaven on Peachtree\u2019s sidewalk. Oh God! \u201cYou are one of the Sullivan boys, aren\u2019t you?\u00a0 \u201cYes sir\u201d \u201cI believe you haven\u2019t paid for all your groceries, have you\u2026? \u201cUh, uh, what do you…\u201d \u201cI mean the candy in your pocket, didn\u2019t you mean to pay for that, let\u2019s see it\u201d I was shaking so hard, tears welling up, my face flushed red, my skin white, drained of blood. He took the dark brown bag of M&M\u2019s from my hand. \u201cCome with me.\u201d The manager of the store had caught me, and he led me, sobbing, to his office. As I recall the event now, I had no fear of his punishment; I feared the belt, I feared being laid upon my bed and I feared the sting of the lash. But most of all, I feared seeing my mother\u2019s face, the disappointment, the grief, the sadness I would cause her. \u201cYoung Mister Sullivan, do you know you have done wrong?\u201d I thought how to get out of this mess, I thought to tell him I intended to come back and pay for the candy, I thought to lie to save my butt, to make a deal. For a moment, my lips started to move to calumny, I would save myself. \u201cSir,\u201d I looked up at him through tears, \u201cSir\u201d, his face pained with the expectation of my words, as if he knew what lies would follow, \u201cSir\u201d \u201cSir, I\u2026I.\u201d I caught my breath. \u201cI stole them, I am so sorry, I took them, I didn\u2019t have enough money and I wanted them so bad, I\u2019m sorry,\u201d I sobbed. I felt his hand on my shoulder, first the left one\u00a0 and then the right. Was he going to shake me, slap me, when would he call my parents? \u201cYoung man, look at me. Look at me, look at me now.\u201d I turned my head toward his face, I opened my eyes wide to see him smiling. \u201cWhat you did was very wrong, do you know that?\u201d \u201cYes sir\u201d\u00a0 \u201cBut young Mister Sullivan, you admitted it, you know what you have done is wrong, and I know you are sorry.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cYes sir\u201d \u00a0\u201cHere\u2019s what we are going to do.\u201d He handed the bag of candy back to me. \u201cYou come back tomorrow and pay for these. Go to the cashier, and tell her you forgot to pay yesterday.\u201d\u00a0 I held the crumpled bag in my hand. \u201cYoung man, never steal. You will grow to be less a man if you lie and steal. You know its against God\u2019s law, and it is He who will finally punish you if you go through life lying and stealing\u201d \u201cYes sir\u201d \u201cDo you understand\u201d\u00a0 \u201cYes sir, thank you sir\u201d \u00a0\u201cYou had better get those groceries home.\u201d \u00a0\u201cYes sir\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 There are two morals to this story, one, never get caught stealing, and two, M&M\u2019s may not melt in your hand, but they sure as hell will melt in your pants, especially if you do get caught stealing. I can truthfully say I never knowingly stole anything again, that is, if you don\u2019t count my time as a US Military Defense Contractor\u2026www.bullsullivan.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ah, my favorite candy…I nearly did time for M&M’s…As a child I was often sent to pick up an item or two at the A&P (The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company) on Peachtree at Brighton, next to the Rexall … Continue reading