My Early Chewing Gum Experiment

Once, when I was a brilliant and popular prepubescent girl-about-neighborhood, I chewed the same piece of gum for almost two weeks. I wanted to see if I could keep one piece alive all summer. I chewed it in the morning, I chewed it on my ten-speed, I chewed it at the pool. Every night before bed I parked my gum on my bedpost. Two weeks into my experiment, my gum dissolved in my mouth; and as the gum’s astrobiochemical micro-structure gave up the ghost, I panicked and tried to spit it out, but it was all over the place! There are no words. I had to run inside and brush my teeth. Then I started over with a new piece. Then I lost interest entirely.

I chose to share this anecdote with you because it showcases some of my most bewitching qualities: my tenacity, and my willingness to give up.