Extra 5

I'm driving to work this morning and had an uncanny craving for a fountain coke. So, I did what I usually do when I get an uncanny craving for something, I gave into it. No sense in depriving myself of things I want. Maybe that's why I'm getting more and more out of shape and poorer by the day....but that's not the point of this rather pointless entry, so I digress.

I'm in the closest gas station, because again, I'm not into making things difficult. A fountain coke is a fountain coke. It's better than out of a bottle or can and just about any gas station or convenient mart will have. And, it was on the way to work.....things seem to work out perfectly sometimes. Coincidence, highly doubtful. The Man upstairs has my back, I hope.....I digress again. I get my fountain coke which was actually a Diet Dr. Pepper, which true to advertising, does taste more like regular Dr. Pepper than say, a Pepsi, because Pepsi tastes like Pepsi.....

ANYWAYS, at the gas station as I walk up to the check out sipping my latest temporary indulgence, my eyes run accross a package of that new "5" gum. I have seen commercials for it on tv and ads in magazines. I thought the ads in magazines were for Kool cigarettes. I was way off! I'm a sucker for the ad campaigns and I like gum, so I bought a pack, shunning my beloved EXTRA spearmint. That's the flourescent green EXTRA gum for those of you who don't chew gum or still chew Hubba Bubba. I am a devout chewer of that EXTRA gum. It's the best. It has been the best and most likely will be the best.....those have been the thoughts in my mind before I bought the "5" gum. I did buy the Spearmint version of the 5 gum, which was called "Rain" because I don't like other flavors of gum. Simple enough. oooooo.......just sounds enticing doesn't it?

I abruptly forget that I had bought this gum until about 10 AM when boredom set in to a level 8 and I needed something to occupy my time while I rattled off games of FreeCell (8 game winning streak, thank you very much. Yes, I clear the statistics when I lose...you do it too). Well, I opened this graceful pack of 5, which again was like opening a pack of cigarettes, just on a smaller scale...and they smelled better...and you don't have to light a piece...and you can chew it inside. Pop a piece in and go about my FreeCell without even thinking about it. A piece of Spearmint gum is a piece of Spearmint gum right (well, unless you call it a slice of gum, but who does that)? WRONG. After about 5 minutes I stopped and noticed my mouth was feeling spearminty fresh and the taste was amazing! I was so amazed I mentioned it to a friend in an email later on that day. This gum was truly great. If rain actually does taste like that gum, I'm going to be collecting it during every rain storm. AND, the flavor lasted for a long, long time, which is key.

So, I think you can see my dilemma. What do I spend my $1.19 on from here on out? I love the classic feel of the EXTRA gum with the foil wrapper and packaging. It's a pack of gum, pure and simple. It's got great taste and it lasts a long time. There's no drawbacks. The gum even looks cool. I still think it could glow in the dark, but I've never tested it. The only thing is that sometimes the pack falls apart, but that's usually because a bunch of drunk people at a bar are grabbing for a piece and shredding the pack to bits. Other than that, it's good. BUT, here comes the cocky, younger, hip, cooler alternative. SIDE NOTE: I haven't done the research but I'm fairly confident that both gums are owned by Wrigley. Those guys in R&D are earning their paychecks aren't they? This new hip, sleek packaging of the 5 gum makes it just seem cool to chew gum. Talk about advertising and packaging geniusry (I know it's not a word)! AND, the gum tastes great to boot. The flavor was there, it lasted for a long time and the gum didn't get hard after a long period of chewing. The 5 has infiltrated my taste for gum with it's 21st century feel and look and advertising.....I'm such a sucker!!!! I don't know what to do. I am truly devasted that I might have to have the sit down with EXTRA to make the breakup official. I'll take it to Red Lobster, the best breakup restaurant. That might ease the pain.

I do know that I am going to finish this pack of 5 gum and I'm going to enjoy the hell out of it. Every piece that gets pulled out will make me feel cooler than the last! You'll envy me when you see me out, chewing on this 5 gum. Your gum just became second rate! Sure, you can totally have a piece of my 5 gum, but you have to tell me how cool I look when I chew it and inflate my already inflated ego!

Post: I hope I haven't violated any copyright laws by posting these pics of gum on this blog. Hell, I just gave these guys some marketing, they should be sending me boxes of this stuff. That way I can conduct a blind taste test on this! I'm a genius!!!!!!