So, what's the deal with Chiclets?

Poststructural Pub
1

Seems like Chiclets gum is not to be seen in its own guise much these days… yet it’s hiding out… pretending to be other century-old brands of chewing gum, like Dentyne or Juicy Fruit.

Is it in the Federal witness relocation program?

Are the gums having an identity crisis?

Is it the dawning of the Age of Librarius?

Is it part of a vast right-wing conspiracy?

2

The box is awkwardly shaped, too crushable, and they rattle in your purse or pocket.

3

Running out of Manilkara chicle and it’s labor intensive to tap.

4

Man, I stopped messing with that stuff. One charge for under aged was enough for me.

djm

5

Maybe the resources spent on Chiclets could go towards candy I will eat. I ate them a few times when I was a kid. I found them more visually appealing.

6

I never went, but when tourism opened up in Cuba for Canadians a few decades ago, friends would come back and tell me about all the Cuban kids at the airport with their hands out, begging for Chiclets.

djm

7

Agreed - awkward, crushable package, but have you ever tried to carry tic-tacs unobtrusively? My kids knew I was hiding them the minute I walked in the door.

Even though they are now grown, they still know I’m a user and frequently ask for my stash of mints/gum.

8

I confess I hadn’t really thought about it. My 'puter keys look kinda like Chiclets, though.

9

Honestly, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Chiclets outside of the little $.25 gum machines.

10

I remember from childhood a vertical box with a cellophane window. I think there was an image of an indian and a tepee on the front of the box. The box was just as visually appealling as the candy. There were few candies that I didn’t eat. Here are some images that I did find.

11

I had some experiences with attempts to stop illegal cerote production in wax camps on federal lands in South Texas. Mexicans would come through along the border and harvest/wipe out the Candelilla, Euphorbia antisyphilitica, and process it right along the river and dump their waste straight into the river. BTW it does nothing for syphilis. I don’t know if they still use it for Chiclets or not.

12