This morning while we were taking our walk, I wished out loud that I had some Gummy Bears.

It reminded me of something from our once-upon-a-time…..THE STORE. 

But before THE STORE, there was THE PHARMACY.

When we first began to road-trip travel, we often found ourselves always needing something.

We did lots of pharmacy stops for things like; Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Tums, cough drops, indigestion pills, gas pills, allergy pills, eye drops, band aids, triple antibiotic ointment, sun tan lotion, ear plugs, Icy Hot pain relieving rub, Sudafed, floss, a miniature sewing kit, you know, all the stuff you wish you had at one time or another while on a trip.

And, of course, the most important item in The Pharmacy…..the corkscrew.

Eventually there were too many little bags of stuff in the back of the car so that’s when The Pharmacy came to be. 

The Pharmacy was an old soft, red and yellow material, insulated lunch container that probably belonged to one of our girls once.

The top zipped open and it hand a thick ribbed material handle.

Everything fit perfect and for the rest of our travel days, The Pharmacy came to our resuce hundreds of times.

THE STORE

One ocean-life evening shortly after we’d crawled into bed,  got all comfortable under the covers,  got the TV on the right station and were ready to enjoy that part of the night….I wished out loud that I had  some Gummy Bears. 

There was a moment of quiet and then my sweet man asked me did I REALLY want some Gummies?

Yes, I really wished I had some.

Bobfone being Bobfone, rolled out of his comfy spot in bed, got dressed and went out and found me some Gummy Bears.

He did!

And, I DID tell him NO I was just foolin’ but he knew I wasn’t.

He was back in a heartbeat, it’s not like it was 1 a.m. probably more like 9 p.m. 

After he was back in his spot, he rolled over, gave me a kiss and handed me a bag of GUMMIES! 

He doesn’t like them so I didn’t have to share but he DOES like M&M’s with peanuts!

I heard the bag tear open and I heard the crunch!

The next time it happened was the next night.

I again wished for some Gummies.  

This time Bobfone rolled over and in his soft voice asked, “you wish you had some Gummies?” 

“Ya, I wish I had some Gummies.”

“Well you just hang on a minute,” and he hopped out of bed and left the bedroom.

He was back in a flash with a bag in hand.

“Where’d you get those?” I wanted to know.

“At THE STORE” was his reply.

“THE STORE? 

YOU HAVE A STORE?”

“YEP!”

I asked no further questions.

It went on for a few months.

Sometimes when we got into bed, he’d ask me if I wanted something chocolate from the store like maybe M&M’s with peanuts?

YES! That’s what I wanted.

And a few more months.  

Eventually THE STORE was moved from its original location the garage, to the bedroom.

Not one time did I snoop!

I never looked for the store even once.

It was more fun as a surprise.

THE STORE never ran out.

Eventually the bathroom scale began telling me that I should stay away from THE STORE so I asked Bobfone to please CLOSE THE STORE.

He did…..

I thought…..

…..until one evening a few weeks later I was craving Gummies.

“Is THE STORE still closed?” I whispered one night.

“You need somethin’ from the store?”

“Ya, Gummies.”

“Hmmmm, let me check.”

I heard the drawer of the dresser opening, then rattling paper and then the drawer closed and there they were…..a bag of Gummies!

THE STORE, once again was open for business.

This time after about a week, I asked the owner of THE STORE to please shut down for life.

Get rid of it!

Sell it!

Abandon it!

And…..sadly he did.

So today while walking, out of nowhere I was hit with a GUMMY ATTACK.

“Hey Bobfone…..do you remember THE STORE?”

“Ya, why?”

“Is it still open?”

“Maybe, why whadda’ya need?”

“Nothin’………..

I was just wonderin’”…………………………………………………………………..