The oldest sweetie in England
By mad
12 comments
32 years ago hubby and I used to have a stall on Greenwich Antiques market, great fun on our free weekends. Next to us was a fireman who did the same on his free Saturdays and one day he offered me a wrapped boiled sweet which I declined. He kept trying to make me take it and the more he insisted, the more I refused. When we got home and I started counting our takings (how exciting) there amongst the money was THAT sweet. The next Saturday, having bought a packet of crisps and very carefully opened a bit at the bottom of the packet, I slipped in THE sweet. He accepted when I offered him the bag of crisps, I had one too. When he got to the sweet, he swore at me (in a friendly way) and we all laughed. From then on somehow or other THAT sweet went backwards and forwards between us. When we left Greenwich to come and live in Norfolk, we exchanged Christmas cards, the only contact we had. One year a huge box was delivered, one we were’t expecting, and halfway through unpacking it, we guessed as layer after layer after layer came off to reveal in the end THE sweet. So it carried on every single year, but last Christmas, nothing but a card and we thought we knew that it was in his possession, so we thought maybe he lost it. Yesterday a Jiffybag arrived addressed to Uncle Peter & Auntie Angela, in very childish writing and it contained a bag of Lindt miniature Easter Eggs, and at the bottom was THE sweet. We had guessed really because the only niece and nephews we have are in their 40’s.
Any ideas for next year, the 33rd year?
1 Apr, 2010
10 likes
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Comments
What a fantastic story mad . the ball is now in your court.:o)) you've got a whole year to think something up.
1 Apr, 2010
That is lovely..
1 Apr, 2010
Mad thats a very touching story.
1 Apr, 2010
I agree Mad its a lovely story. So you were 25 minutes away from me back then!!!! Its such a small world. I wonder if my dad knows you, he was always at the market. Maybe are paths have crossed before..............interesting.
Have a fabulous Easter. As for THE sweet I'll have to think about that.
Just come home from work; sent 2 children home today with what looks like mumps, guess they won't care if the Easter bunny comes or not. Poor things I really feel sorry for them
1 Apr, 2010
Wonderful sweetie story, Mad... :o)
1 Apr, 2010
Enjoyed your blog...:o))
1 Apr, 2010
What a lovely story,Mad.Its amazing how friendships can develop,from the simplest things.Long may you continue to pass your sweetie back and forward..:o))
1 Apr, 2010
been thinking about 'the sweet' Mad and christmas crackers came to mind-- the little ones also you know how people make there own cards such as decoupage with little bits of double sided sticky to attatch with how about 'the sweet' instead
1 Apr, 2010
What a super blog Mad and a great friendship you have there, I'm sure you'll think of a great way to return the well travelled sweetie.
1 Apr, 2010
Pamq what a good idea about the little Christmas crackers. Yes I think we'll do that one. Annella, it certainly would be sad if it got lost in the post - we can't very well insure it either!
Glad you enjoyed the Sweetie story, I just wanted to share it.
What I didn't say was that not long after we had moved, his wife died, who was also on the stall, and he moved, but we still carried on. I think he was holding on to something that she was involved in too. He's never re-married.
2 Apr, 2010
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What a lovely blog Mad :-))))) It would be sad if that sweet got lost in the post now!
1 Apr, 2010