The Year In Mindful Eating: Spring — Jelly babies
I was a precocious kid who loved candy, especially Allen’s Jelly Babies. I was careful with my money, too. Candy, known as lollies, sold loose in trays in general stores called milk bars in 1960s Australia. Most candies were four a penny, except, say, the huge pink sherbet bombs. They cost a whole penny — a fortune for a child then.
Like most other youngsters I chose mixed lollies, a handpicked assortment of the penny candies, delivered into my sweaty kid hands in a white paper lolly bag. This happy state went on until 1966’s decimal currency, when the less precious 5 cent coin replaced silver sixpences, and I had my first brush with inflation.
For a while after decimal currency both Australian currencies were legal tender. The then government said the new 5c coin was equal in value to the old sixpence. Little children roamed far and wide in those days, so I marched down to the shops. The grim faced store owner stood behind his counter; arms crossed. I moseyed up to the glass lolly case. “A penny’s worth of jelly babies, black cats, bananas, jubes (fruit jellies), milk bottles and a sherbet bomb,” I said, holding up a 6p coin.
With 21 candies safe in my possession, I started again. “Give us another bag exactly like that one.” He counted out the lollies and held out his hand. “That’ll be 6p,” he said. I handed him the 5c coin. He pursed his lips and shook his head. A cent gets you four candies. You’re a cent short.”
I made him go over it again and again, each time proving that the new money wasn’t worth as much as the old. Neither of us gave an inch, and after an hour of haggling, he grabbed the penny’s worth bag back and threw me out of the store.
I didn’t give up. I came back another time with six single pennies in one pocked, and five cent coins in the other, and went through the whole thing again. The third time I came in, he hid below the counter and had “The Missus” throw me out.
Disgruntled, I sat on a bench and ate the candy that I’d bought in advance at the milk bar across the road. I never did get to the bottom of this currency discrepancy, or inflation, but I still love jelly babies.
