Toothpick Dilema

It's getting into corn on the cob season here. Right now it is still shipped in. The way the weather is going, our fresh farm market corn may be late coming in.

With corn season comes the need for a very important table accessory, the toothpick. These were a very important tool when I was growing up. They were so important, they were kept in a special holder. They were never put away in the cupboard after every dinner, but maintained their rightful spot on the picnic table. We only ate at the picnic table through the summer.

We always had a separate plate of oleo to roll our corn in. That was placed next to the toothpicks before each dinner. Dad even taught us the proper way to roll our corn through the oleo. We couldn't run it through with it's full weight, but had to roll it with just the lightest touch so we wouldn't waste the oleo, and it would last longer. Life was so simple then.

Becoming an adult is not an easy task. Then we have to face the toothpicks that were always just there.

Do I buy flat or round? Mom and Dad didn't teach me this important stuff. Well, I began with flat. That was a big mistake. They would break between my teeth with part of the pick stuck there. I had 500 of them, so I just had to deal with 500 before I could change to round. I couldn't just throw them all out.

Then the flavored toothpicks came out. oooo, cinnamin was great. The taste was so good, but not after a meal. These toothpicks were made for chewing on half a day. Well, it sure didn't look good for a girl, even a tomboy, to be chewing a toothpick.

Toothpicks came out in multiple colors. I bought some before I even thought, compulsive shopping. Who wants to use those and have their teeth become blue, or green? Those did make it into the garbage.

Ok, so I only use round toothpicks. You know how difficult it is to open a box of toothpicks. For the first time in a very long time I opened a box of 800 being ever so careful. I remembered with dread everytime I opened one of those boxes. This time would be different. I'm old enough now to have complete control over the toothpicks. Really!!!

I opened the box ever so carefully on the side. I couldn't find an easy opening. There was an easy open that came apart after I opened the side of the box. Jeez Louise, it happened again. There were toothpicks everywhere.

There were toothpicks all over the floor in no easy order to pick them up all together.

What fell all over the counter was in the same dissarray as those on the floor.

None of what was still in the box were lined up.

What was on the floor hit the garbage after numerous attempts to get them all at once. What was on the counter was put into the holder til it was full. This was a time consuming process. Then there were the picks that were still left on the counter.

Have you ever noticed how what ever is left of those toothpicks will not fit into the box? I gave up to the toothpicks. They went into a ziploc bag instead.

The whole time I was cleaning up this mess, all I could think of was how important it was that, as a child, I learned how to play pick up sticks.