Grandma Fisher chewed the most delicious gum ever invented — that marvelously sweet and delicious smelling stuff called Juicy Fruit. It tingled my young nose and pleased my palate. My earliest memories involve Grandma and Juicy Fruit gum and church. I must have been age 4 or 5 – a wiggly red haired child, and I liked to sit with Grandma. She tolerated my wiggles more than Mom did although there was a limit to the speed and force of leg swinging that even she would tolerate. Grandma smelled like baked biscuits and Juicy Fruit. She chewed only half a piece at a time – Grandma still carried scars from The Great Depression when she couldn’t afford the luxury of chewing gum – and that half piece must have lasted her days. But the most savored image of Grandma’s gum is the sight and smell of her getting a piece from her pocketbook – her purse – during church. She whispered to me as she tore the gum in half and pulled off the wrappings, “You be a good girl, now. Sit quiet with me.” I knew to chew with my mouth closed and yes, I sat still. If I’d wiggled Grandma wouldn’t give me a piece of gum during the next service. Savoring that gum carried this child through the tedium of the sermon – that 30 minute interval of time when the preacher spoke mysterious words to the adults and we kids had to forebear. The adults understood, “Be still and know that I am God.” I knew to be still, and Grandma would tend to me.
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Joyce….I loved reading about you & your Grandma! Brought back many memories of my grandma, as well. She taught the Beginners Sunday School Class at BearThicket Church for many years. After our class was over & before going to the church service, Grandma would give a stick of gum to each of us kids & oh, what a treat that was! Of course, juicy fruit gum was the most favorite for all of us!! I too remember having to sit still & not wiggle during those services!! Sometimes I thought I coudln’t sit one more minute, but knew better than to get too antsy!! Haha. What beautiful memories of yester years & of our wonderful grandparents!! Thank you for bringing those memories back! “God Bless You!” It is wonderful you are bringing back to life so many memories!!!
This is great! I remember those half-pieces of gum, and I was many years removed from the Depression. I remember placing my gum in a saucer on the kitchen counter and going back it the next day. I shudder at the memory. These days, when I indulge in that rare piece of gum, it lasts maybe 30 minutes before going into the trash for all eternity.
This story brought back many “Good” memories of my grandma and me at church when I was 4 or 5. My first public appearance to sing was at my grandma’s church. I was 4 and my sister, Celia, was 6. We sang “In the Garden,” if my memory serves me.
However, it was crackers that quieted us instead of Juicy Fruit.
My Aunt Nellie was the Juicy Fruit lady. I helped her on a couple of occasions (at age 9) deliver milk in her green Dodge truck that smelled like Juicy Fruit gum. She was the best example of Jesus I ever knew in my entire life.
Well done!
Joyce, I love your anecdote. It brought back memories of my dad. I was seldom so lucky as to sit by daddy in church because there was another kids nuzzling up to “Uncle Dale” just to be near him but also to get some “kid bait.” That was Daddy’s name for his gum of choice, Doublemint, and it attracted kids from across the little church (Martin Box Chapel). When daddy died, our kids and his church kids each slipped a stick of Doublemint in his pocket as they saw him for the last time. So as you see, your thoughts pricked wonderful memories of my daddy and his tradition.
Very nice.
I chew 1/2 stick because we could chew a small amount and be less likely to get caught in school. Caught meant a trip to the front before the rest of the class to throw away our gum. Be careful tho because 1/2 stick will ‘crack’ much quicker than a whole stick and give you away!
What a beautiful website and your Juicy Fruit story was another link, as are Ted and Lois, to our coincidental and special friendship! My lovingly beautiful Grandmother Davis, Baboo, named by my much older cousin, was living with us when she passed away. I was ten. Baboo was special in so many ways….but I cannot hear “Juicy Fruit” without remembering her with a special smile. Her handbag was the scent of Juicy Fruit gum. It was certainly a treat for her to say that if I would get her purse out of her closet she would give me a treat which was always a 1/2 piece of gum! (She has been gone 50+ years and I’m reminded of her always but until you mentioned the 1/2 stick, that memory had been tucked away, of course that was the only portion anyone in our family would get!) Oh, by the way, my grandmother’s given name was “Ella”!
I know your mother is looking down with her very proud approval of what you are doing on her behalf and on such a grand scale!
Thanks so much for all you do and especially for helping the people for which you are so passionate and concerned.
Sandy Waterman
My mom passed away 19 years ago this month. Yesterday I mustered up the courage to opened her purse she carried to the hospital the day God called her home. At the bottom of her purse there it was! Memories flooded back as I looked at it. Memories of all us kids and then grandkids going into my Mom’s dresser drawer looking for half pieces of her juicy fruit gum.
The gum shouted out to me “Where is she? I long for her gentle tender caress of her wrinkled hands.” I responded back as I closed the purse “Me too”.