"Two dollars isn't a lot of money, unless..."
You are in a candy store in 1996. That was the year the Canadian 'toonie' was released. And I remember it. Well, not really. I was 16 then and already $2 wasn't much money. But I do remember when it was. When I was little, and we stayed at my Grandmas house, I would get a two-dollar bill from my Dad and go down the street to Gene & Ernie's corner store. We would all go. My cousins and I. And on most occasions that meant the store was filled with at least 9 Hopaluks (although there were more of us). I remember buying Garbage Pail candies. They were my favourite, they were little hard candies, shaped as fish bones, shoes or tin cans. And they came in a little garbage can. I loved them.
One of the trips that I remember the most was also one of the most brilliant 'cons' that us Hopaluk kids ever pulled off. There were a lot of us that day: Myself, Kendra, Carmelle, Keray, Paul, Jenna, Lacee, Leya, Brittany, Melissa, Tyler, Joelle, Ryan, Dana and the boy who lived next door to Grandma. What was his name? He had a really great sandbox... Anyway, the con came about accidentally. I was voted to be the one to ask my Dad for money to go to G&E's. So I did, and he gave me $50. Enough for all of us!!! I was excited. That was more candy than any one kid could ever even imagine. But at the same time that I was asking my dad, Jenna was asking her dad, Uncle Casey. He forked over come cash as well. When we realized what had happened....well, that's when the con started. Leya asked Uncle Neil & Dana asked Uncle Don. The cash was rolling in... And I was the oldest (next to Joelle), or maybe just bossiest, so I carried it all, naturally. We had close to $100. And off we went. And we spent every last cent of it. I remember the bags & bags of 5 cent gummies. I remember Big League Chew, Bubble Tape (in grape & bubblegum flavour) & other 'expensive' candies. I remember Popeye Cigarettes (back then they were still called cigarettes & had red tips), sour soothers, Lik-em-aid, Pop Rocks, BottleCaps & Ring Pops. We were stacked. But no matter how bossy I was, there was no way that my cousins were letting me carry the whole stash. So after arguing for a block or two we stopped at a park (the one by the campground) and dumped out the bag. $100 worth of candy. I still remember it. And we ate it all (we had to, or we might get caught) right then & there in that park.
Well done Hopaluk kids. Well done!
One of the trips that I remember the most was also one of the most brilliant 'cons' that us Hopaluk kids ever pulled off. There were a lot of us that day: Myself, Kendra, Carmelle, Keray, Paul, Jenna, Lacee, Leya, Brittany, Melissa, Tyler, Joelle, Ryan, Dana and the boy who lived next door to Grandma. What was his name? He had a really great sandbox... Anyway, the con came about accidentally. I was voted to be the one to ask my Dad for money to go to G&E's. So I did, and he gave me $50. Enough for all of us!!! I was excited. That was more candy than any one kid could ever even imagine. But at the same time that I was asking my dad, Jenna was asking her dad, Uncle Casey. He forked over come cash as well. When we realized what had happened....well, that's when the con started. Leya asked Uncle Neil & Dana asked Uncle Don. The cash was rolling in... And I was the oldest (next to Joelle), or maybe just bossiest, so I carried it all, naturally. We had close to $100. And off we went. And we spent every last cent of it. I remember the bags & bags of 5 cent gummies. I remember Big League Chew, Bubble Tape (in grape & bubblegum flavour) & other 'expensive' candies. I remember Popeye Cigarettes (back then they were still called cigarettes & had red tips), sour soothers, Lik-em-aid, Pop Rocks, BottleCaps & Ring Pops. We were stacked. But no matter how bossy I was, there was no way that my cousins were letting me carry the whole stash. So after arguing for a block or two we stopped at a park (the one by the campground) and dumped out the bag. $100 worth of candy. I still remember it. And we ate it all (we had to, or we might get caught) right then & there in that park.
Well done Hopaluk kids. Well done!
So many parts of this made me laugh! It was like we were pulling the same scams when we were kids. Oh and garbage pails ... LOVED THEM and completely forgot about them :)
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