Perpetual Ruminations

Blackjack Gum

I've always had a liking for black licorice, although it seems many do not like it. I also enjoyed Blackjack chewing gum as a kid, but hadn't seen it around for many years. The last time I had Blackjack gum was quite a few years ago; my wife had found it while shopping and gotten me a couple f double packs because she knew I enjoyed it. This was probably eight or nine years ago.

While looking though some stuff in my desk, I opened an old tin I had stuffed some things in during one of our moves. I was surprised to see a couple packs of Blackjack gum in it. One had been opened and had three sticks of gum left in it, the other still unopened. I took out a stick and opened it. The gum looked fine, but when I put it in my mouth and bit down, I discovered it had become hard and brittle; it shattered like glass in my mouth.

Also, the taste was not that of black licorice (actually aniseed-flavored) but more like biting into cardboard. I spit it out and threw the remaining two sticks in the garbage, after bending them in their wrapper and feeling them also shatter like glass.

I still have the unopened pack and am tempted to open it to see if it is perhaps still good. There are no best-by or use by dates on the package, and it's sealed in it's original pack. Will it be brittle? I don't know. Will it taste right? Again, I don't know. I will probably open it and flex one of the pieces of gum to see if it's pliable or brittle, and if it still bends like gum should, I may just pop it in my mouth to see if the taste is also still good. On the other hand, I suppose I could leave it out on a counter at the next family gathering. I know someone will pilfer it, and if it's like the piece I tried, I would enjoy watching the expression on their face when they pop it into their mouth. Decisions...