Saturday is National Popcorn Day so of course this edition of the Popcorn Stand covers, well, covers National Popcorn Day.
I love popcorn. The after effects of popcorn, not so much. I’ve eaten popcorn all of my life and somewhere way back in some space in my teeth I’m sure there’s a kernel from 1971. Every time I eat popcorn I spend days trying to get those little kernels out of the teeth from my mouth. And when I get one of them stuck on the roof of my mouth — I look like dog chasing his own tail trying to remove it.
I’ve also never learned exactly at what point of the bottom of the bag of popcorn to stop eating so I end up eating those half cooked and uncooked kernels.
But it’s all worth it because I absolutely love popcorn. But as an old fuddy duddy popcorn just isn’t as special now as when I was a kid. Now I can have popcorn anytime I want. Put the popcorn in the microwave for two minutes — actually about 1 minute, 45 seconds — and voila it’s ready.
Although I have to admit I’m like Homer Simpson in that episode of “The Simpsons” when Moe tries turn his bar into a family restaurant. Moe obtains a huge deep fat fryer and brags to Homer “this thing can fry a buffalo in 40 seconds.” “40 seconds,” Homer replies. “But I want it now.”
That’s the way I am with popcorn in the microwave. “One minute, 45 seconds...But I want it now.”
Actually when I was a kid I had no problem waitin for popcorn because again, like I said, it was a special occasion when I had it. It was definitely a treat on Sunday nights when my father would get up to go to the kitchen to get the contraption in which he made the popcorn (we didn’t do Jiffy Pop). I got so excited — and the anticipation no matter how long I had to wait — was just as good as the popcorn itself.
So Saturday on National Popcorn Day, popcorn may not be as special. But the memory of my father making that popcorn on Sunday nights is as special as ever.
Thanks Dad.
— Charles Whisnand
