Monday, July 19, 2021

Chewing Gum

 Tuesday was just dead around here. It rained hard most of the day, so no ride or getting out of the house for us. We had no desire to go anywhere. We did nothing here, either, except for loading the dishwasher. 

I lay down twice to call about two issues at Amazon and Belk's. The issues were resolved and things went in my favor.  I only lay down to talk on the phone and did not want to sleep. So, my knee-resting sessions were just that. 

When I went into the Hated Big Box, I stayed so long. I got candy for us to share and ate it all waiting in line for 45 minutes to check out. So, I grabbed a 10-pack of Juicy Fruit chewing gum for Tommy, thinking I might have a stick or two. I did chew two pieces before he got it all in his mouth, not all at once on Saturday. But, now, all 8 sticks are in his mouth! 

On Sunday, he said he had chewed it all. Okay. Then, all day long I saw him chewing really hard. Every time I thought he was eating something. Nope, gum. I asked him why he told me he had chewed all the gum. Same thing on Monday. Then, we had a talk. 

It seems that he saves the gum from one day or chewing to the next and adds a stick and keep chewing. He takes it out and leaves it out overnight or while we are gone and takes it up to chew later. I am really grossed out by this habit. 

When I was 18 or so, a dentist told me not to chew gum or anything hard or tough. It seems he thought I might have Temporomandibular Joint problems. TMJ I never have had problems. However, I only chew gum for about three minutes and throw it away.  Now, I rarely buy gum. 

He has been sitting over here chewing on 8 pieces of Juicy Fruit for at least an hour. All of it is from previous days. He said when he was young he saved it on the top of the back of his chair by his bed...lol. 

Do you ever save gum for another day after it is chewed? Did you ever? Juicy Fruit has always been my favorite. Did you have a favorite gum when you were a kid? What is your favorite gum now?  I suppose all that gum under desk tops was being saved for another day. What happened in your life today?

13 comments:

  1. Look on You Tube for a 1961 hit song by Donny Lonnegan called Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight. It' a silly song, but I remember it and it came to mind when I read your post. I think you and Tommy will get a laugh out of it with your discussions about gum chewing for the past day or two.

    I chew gum much of the time. Trident Purely Peppermint sugar free. I have had a pretty severe case of dry mouth ever since I was treated for Graves disease. I break the already small sticks into 1/3's to be able to afford my Trident habit.
    Also it's such a small piece it doesn't give very much of a cow-chewing-cud effect when I am out in public.

    One time in some science class I had, they took a piece of gum that had been chewed and put in in a petri dish with agar and you should have seen all of the stuff that grew on the agar around the gum. It was pretty yucky.

    My husband brought some carry out burgers and fries for us to have for supper. At this time I am not driving because of the vision problem in my eye which I still need to get surgery on.
    Also my husband and I are not going out very much together because we worry about our little old Fuzzy Pom. He is 17 years old and our vet said he most likely only has a couple of months or so to live. His liver is failing and he has a heart murmur. Fuzzy has a few bad days now, but mostly he just has his arthritis that makes him walk somewhat slower, but he is still bright and loving, and most days his puffy Pomeranian tail is curled up over his back. When his tail is drooping down that means he is having a bad day. We had to be out a little longer one day for a doctor appointment. When we got home he was in the bedroom acting like he was lost. He always waits at the door for us. That was scary for him and us.


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    Replies
    1. I will look up that song and comment back here. Oh, I can just imagine the germs grown on old gum. I am just horrified he does it. Later.

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    2. susie,
      Yes, he has heard it. I think I have heard of it. I did look it up on you tube. I am sorry about your dog. I know it is hard for you both.

      Delete
  2. Juicy Fruit was always my favorite chewing gum until the day in high school chemistry class when Mr. Steelman, the teacher, said that the smell of Juicy Fruit chewing gum reminded him of the smell of a pair of someone old, dirty, ripe, smelly socks. That was way back in 1957, and from that day to this I have never been able to put another stick of Juicy Fruit in my mouth. Maybe you should read this comment to Tommy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. rhymes,
      It is my favorite gum. He will chew anything. Weird description.

      Delete
  3. I've never saved a piece of gum to chew later. I wonder why he doesn't just start a fresh piece!

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    Replies
    1. SAM,
      Once gum is out of my mouth, I don't want it! I asked him that and he said he just adds the new stick to the old wad. ???

      Delete
  4. I would never have saved gum for another day! The very thought galls me. I used to be an avid gum chewer, until one day when my parents took me out to lunch at a fairly fancy place, where we encountered a waitress who was snapping her gum. The sound made me want to crawl out of my skin. Since that day, my gum chewing was relegated to the privacy of my bedroom. The only time I broke this rule was during reading days during finals week, and even then, I was very careful to keep my chewing quiet, so as not to disturb others in the library. Gum snapping, lip smacking, chewing with one's mouth open, talking with one's mouth full and licking one's fingers are behaviors which I cannot stand, and do not allow in my presence. Like you, I chew a piece of gum for about 3 minutes, then spit it out on a tissue, and toss it in the trash

    I used to Beech Nut Spearmint gum, (which I would get from the college library's vending machine to see me through studying for finals.) My kids don't chew gum much, probably because they had braces, AND they know how I feel about the sound. When they do chew it, their favorites are Black Jack, and Stride sugarless. Daughter used to like me to get her the gum in plastic containers, which was as good as currency in middle school!

    One memory you jogged: Waaaaay back when, if a screw had become stripped, say in a drawer pull, my mother would hand my younger brother and I each a half of Bazooka, which she would ask us to chew until the flavor was gone. She'd use the gum to tighten up the screw hold, as it would grow rock hard as it dried. I attempted that trick some years ago on youngest's dresser, but, the gum doesn't ever harden like that anymore.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meg,
      Oh, I cannot stand the open mouth gum popping either. Disgusting. He is chewing fast and hard but no noise and no open mouth, thank goodness. It is interesting you used it to study. the gum-chewing kept your brain alert.

      I have never chewed any of those brands. Interesting about gum getting hard back then and not now. I wonder what was the difference. I never heard of this attribute. Thanks.

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  5. I never chewed gum and hate to see people doing it too. I remember at a cousin of my husband's wedding, her mom chewed gum all through the service and I was both transfixed and horrified. I don't think gum is that big a thing in England although some bugger always seemed to "save his" under the desk at school so you'd get it stuck on your skirt!

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    1. Treaders,
      I am quite sure I would have been horrified and transfixed, too. I never got it on my skirt, just put my hand on it. That was so gross. Yuck!

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  6. It’s called parking you gum. A common practice in our family. Jean

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    1. Jean,
      I asked Tommy if he had ever heard it called "parking your gum." He has not. He and his brother both parked their gum. I am not aware if my siblings ever saved gum. I am quite sure mishaps would have occurred that I would have heard about. Thanks for that term.

      Delete

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