Life Slaver

I am eight and I am standing with my family in a carpet store. The salespeople double team us. The man does the serious talking with Mom and Dad while the woman ushers the children to another part of the store. She is holding a pack of Lifesavers.

“I’ll show you a trick,” she says.

Each of us accepts one Lifesaver, and we pop them into our mouths. The saleswoman continues, “Now, come over to the water fountain, take a drink, and see what happens. Do you know what will happen?” We follow her instructions. The searing cold water, somehow enhanced by the Lifesaver, spills over my lips. “It makes it extra cold!” I say, astonished.

A week later, there is a shiny, blue carpet covering the entire second floor in our new house.