The Candy Bag

Isn't it funny how everyday objects can act as a portal to a moment in time? And every item means something different to every person? A shopping bag full of candy might make your stomach growl, but last night I took one look at it and broke down into tears. You see, to me this wasn't just a Target bag with a box of M&Ms and a bag of Skittles in it. It was a forgotten reminder, and one glance was enough to make this determined man take a complete 180 and fill up with sadness. Rewind back to my third date with my boyfriend. Well, just before actually. I was going to make my first ever trip to his house, meet his parents, and watch a movie. I was thrilled, and anxious. I had a great idea; I was going to get both of our favorite candies at work to bring for when we watched the movie. I bought a bag of Skittles for him and a box of M&Ms for me, but unfortunately, I made the mistake of leaving them at work, where they sat until after our date. I kept bringing up those treats, which eventually made my way to the trunk of my car and finally to the floor of my bedroom amidst a pile of junk.

We would eat them during a future date. This was very quickly forgotten, and that pair of candy containers sat on my floor for over a month. They sat there together waiting for the promise of being consumed to be fulfilled, and although it was a long wait, they sat together hopeful. Little did they know plans changed. They would be rediscovered under very different circumstances. As I cleaned my room, happy to have found something productive to do to pass the time, I opened one of many random Target bags to see the candy. I had completely erased any memory of buying them and setting them there, but now it all came rushing back. These simple treats triggered memories that night. In a single moment what seemed like a hundred memories rushed into my head at once, and the thought of that unfulfilled promise was too much to bear. I broke down thinking about that wonderful third date we had and found myself yearning to go back to that—a night of pure joy and hope for the future, a night where I was blissfully unaware of any of the challenges that awaited me. How, I thought, could two things of candy trigger all of those feelings at once? How ridiculous was it that I was uncontrollably sobbing over candy? Oh how I wish I could've just tossed out that whole Target bag...but it was so nice to be in that moment one last time...again and again. I think I'll give it to my friends.