PENNY CANDY AND BIKE RIDES

Every summer, my brother, sister and I traveled on bike rides in the city with our dad walking behind us. Circling down the street to a ball field and playground, riding on the sidewalk next to a factory that manufactured rubber tires and returning back to a small market that sold penny candies.

Before these incredible bike rides we were tasked with household chores to complete each week. Washing dishes, doing laundry, dusting and vacuuming, taking out the trash, each one was carefully completed. At the end of the week we received our allowance starting at $0.25 and increasing every year to $1.00.

Once a month we would stop at the tiny market before finishing our bike rides and purchase penny candies. We spent as much or as little as we desired. I remember analyzing every purchase to maximize the most amount of candy with the least amount spent. My sister was much better and more frugal with her spending than I was … at the end of the day we all enjoyed the candy we purchased.

Those bike rides were absolutely incredible! The faster you peddled the more the wind would blow on your face on a hot summer day and it felt so good! We would stop at the intersections and wait for our dad to catch up with us. While there, pausing and resting, my brother and I would chit chat. Sometimes pretending we were motorcycle officers like Ponch and John on the show C.H.I.P.S. looking out for the bad guys lol

I confess, the best part was the penny candies. The incredible variety you could bag was fantastic! From Tootsie rolls, hard candies, Charleston Chews (5 cents a piece for those) jelly beans and so much more!

Today we work and receive our weekly paychecks but how often do we take the time to reward ourselves with something wonderful that makes us happy? Those childhood memories were simple and delightful. We need those days back in our lives, what do you think?