The "An Old Favorite Gum!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Shopping at our local Stauffer's of Kissel Hill grocery store near the small town of Lititz, Pennsylvania.  Carol and I used to laugh at my parents when they would tell us they were at Stauffers one day, Weis Supermarket another day and then Oregon Dairy another day.  They had specific items they bought at each supermarket and therefore had to make visits to each location each and every week.  Well, that day has arrived for Carol and I!  Yesterday we made our weekly visit to our Giant Supermarket for the majority of our groceries and today we visited Stauffer's where I love their small brown ceramic dishes of Creme Brûlée.  Stuff is addictive and the little ceramic dishes make great dishes for our cats.  They also make great apple dumplings, baked oatmeal as well as containers of tapioca pudding.  As the years go by I feel more like my mom and dad all the time.  Well, today while we were standing in line using social distancing, I noticed some of my all-time favorite chewing gums on the racks next to the check-out counters.  

Gums such Chiclets, Juicy Fruit and even Black Jack filled the small boxes on the shelves by the cash registers.  Was tempted to buy a pack of Black Jack, but some of my 70 year old fillings might complain a bit if I did so.  For those of you who might have never heard of Black Jack, it is an aniseed-flavored chewing gum that is currently manufactured by the Geritt J. Verburg Co.  America's chewing gum industry began in the 1850s when Thomas Adams was secretary to General López de Santa Anna so was living in New York and plotting a return to power in Mexico.  Santa Anna had arrived in New York with a boatload of chicle, a latex substance from the sapodilla tree, and the idea of selling it as an inexpensive alternative to rubber.  Never materialized, but Adams realized chicle could be made into chewing gum.  So, Adams bought the load of chicle from Santa Anna and began adding flavorings.  Wasn't long before he was selling "Adams New York Chewing Gum" in drug stores.  In 1884 he introduced his first big seller, licorice-flavored "Black Jack" chewing gum.  

Thomas Adams ad for Black Jack Gum

Five years later he introduced Chiclets as well as the vending machine from which he dispensed his gum on New York subway platforms.  He eventually added flavors like Clove and Pepsin, but the company closed in the 1970s due to poor sales.  The company was eventually purchased by British confectionary company Cadbury and is again manufacturing gum once again.  And, one of these days I will have to buy a pack of Black Jack just to bring back the memories from my youth. Now, tomorrow we have decided to head to S.  Clyde Weaver's for a few of their great sand tart cookies and some of their sliced ham loaf for sandwiches.  Mom and Dad would be proud!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.