Goody Gumdrops

four years old and she was already looking for a Higher Power her parents were bookworms and she piled one onto another Hemingway and Nietzsche firmly stacked with Sartre and Poe the latter she thought was misspelt because of Winnie the bear a tower of language and words reaching to her own little heaven she put on her boots and stood tip toed in full stretch at the altar on which jars and packets were stacked ready for celebrations Quality Street Cadbury marshmallows and lush candy of all sorts paradise on the table and no one else to spoil the spiritual feast the days were when children were still allowed chocolate cigarettes her heart lit up and she smacked lips and taste buds in delight in the knowledge that devout worship came in many tasty forms worldly and openminded she felt that one God was never enough believed firmly in gummy sharks dating toffee dolphins in church and was especially attracted to biting off chunks of Fisherman’s friends ‘My God’she chanted and added ‘Salem Alaikum’ for her Muslim pals there was even a fat trumpeting elephant in celebration of Ganesh and to top it all a almond coated devil with pitchfork ready to savour the table was high but the powers of be knew her sweet little longing no tooth for a tooth but she was aware than not one god is the best 05th July 2020 For those who might not know, ‘Goody Gumdrops’ is an old fashioned expression for utmost delight.