Refreshers

As a kid, I was very energetic. I sprouted energy, but I always got more from somewhere.

Refreshers were the best sweets ever. They fizzled on your tongue and burst into flavour - if you were prepared to wait! They were also good for crushing, which also let the sugar out. I loved them to death and could consume a packet in seconds.

"I really love Refreshers!"

Not that anyone wanted me to, of course. Whenever I had had a packet of Refreshers, I was in a super energetic hype and it was impossible to get me down into a seat, to the annoyance of my mother, my brother, and my two sisters. I'd be there, bounding around and blocking the TV screen, or just being a pest in general.

Lots and lots of energy!

But I would still do anything for Refreshers.

Semibreve: I bet you can't sit down and stay still for 5 minutes.

Me: (having the type of competitiveness that comes with masses of super-hype-energy) I bet I could!

Semibreve: No you couldn't!

Moth: If Minim can sit still for 5 minutes, then Minim, you get the extra pack of Refreshers. Deal?

Me: (who would do anything for Refreshers) Deal!

I sat on the sofa in the corner of the room, intent on getting the Refreshers. Half a minute passed, and I started to get bored. What did my sisters and brother do to stave this off? The TV program was some boring thing, so I couldn't be bothered to watch the stuff.

A minute had gone. 4 minutes left, I reminded myself, starting to panic. I felt sure I would not get those Refreshers, because I'd moved a bit during that one minute. I looked around for something to keep me on track.

"Help..."

And that's when I spotted it. One thing that I rated even higher than Refreshers.

A Garfield book.

And yes, I did manage to get it.

I doubted whether the book would actually hold my attention for the full four minutes left. It never felt like more than that, anyway. Fortunately for younger me, my knowledge and understanding of time passages never was good.

I opened the book. During the first few pages I constantly looked up at the time, wishing for it to be over. But after a while it caught my whole attention and I sat there, reading happily.

When time was up and my Refreshers won, I kept on reading the book, spurred on by the fact that it was awesome, and I could collect my well-deserved and totally mine Refreshers any day. But I quickly finished.

And it was time for me to collect my reward for my being quiet and settled.

But my mother regretted it.

Because I quickly engulfed those as well, and returned to my super-hyper-energetic-madness once more, with a relish. Revenge is sweet, after all.

Yay for energy!