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Back in the day, oh, 40-so years ago, my grandparents lived just a couple blocks south from a neighborhood 7-11 store. By the time my sister and I were double digits old, and I'm not joking- my grandma held our hands while crossing the street until about that time, she trusted us enough to go to the store alone. So we would gather our coins, and go candy shopping. The only candy we could really afford, or at least, the most candy that we could get for our money, came from the bottom two shelves of the candy aisle. No decision held greater weight than how to spend that change.

In the 1970's, our choices included Pixie Sticks and Laffy Taffy, candy necklaces and Ring Pops, candy cigarettes and bubble gum cigars, Whistle Pops and BlowPops and Tootsie Roll Pops (how many licks does it take...?), LemonHeads and Atomic Fireballs. I really liked the Willy Wonka Gobstoppers because I read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at least half a dozen times. In the book, Wonka explained that the Everlasting Gobstopper was for "children with very little pocket change."  Not even close to everlasting, I probably took a Gobstopper out of my mouth to check which color was next and wonder if the flavor had changed at least a dozen times per piece. Finally we would make our selection and carry it up to the countertop. Once our hands were empty, we followed up by spilling our pockets of coins in front of the register. We didn't at all know how to calculate sales tax, but we had learned that we needed to have little bit extra because the final total always cost more than the numbers added up to be back in the aisle.

This day it seemed like about 100 degrees in the shade and humidity besides and we all were beyond thirsty for something cold. A few friends and I walked down to the corner store to buy water. Sure, there are lots of 7-11's in Reynosa, but even better is the corner store, and this one does not disappoint. This place just may have everything a person might need to live. A refrigerated case full of fresh cuts of meat stands in the corner. We passed a shelf with dog food and cat food and rabbit food and birdseed. You can buy a dozen eggs and all varieties of bread. It goes without saying that a cooler full of tortillas stands by the door. The hungry in search of a quick fix will find Takis and chicharrones and Sabritas. You can smell Fabuloso and Foca on the shelves where the cleaning supplies sit next to mop heads and plastic buckets. All manner of toys hang from high shelves. A cubby full of school supplies stands close to the register. And right next to the register is the candy.

I was thinking that they probably keep the candy selection right there in front to keep an eye on kids. I can honestly say that I never stole candy, but man, it could be pretty tempting when the coins just didn't add up. I didn't ask how much the cacahuates cost. Anyone who has spent time in Latin America knows that, yes, Halls count as candy. But the Kool Aid package? That makes me wonder... The guy at the counter counted up our water bottles, no apparent logic to the price but we trust he knows, and like in days of old, I stared at the money in my hand and hoped that I had enough.
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