Licorice Man

” There is nothing quite so sweet to a writer than a surprise.”

This is the front of the Licorice Man shop in Guthrie, Oklahoma. I was lured there by the fancy facade on the three story building and the waving flag and the shop’s name. I know what licorice is and love it, but who is the Licorice Man? I noted a dollhouse in the window display case as we entered. The room smelled like a candy store allright. Chocolate, spice, taffy, and caramels and licorice–the main event rose up to slap me in the nose. Wow! What a great scent! They must make candles with that smell.

The bell over the door alerted the owner that she had a customer and she hopped off her stool and stood up to greet us. The licorice jars were a colorful stream along the tops of the old jewelry store showcases.

There were jars of red, orange, and of course black candies. The Australian blacks–stiff and strong as espresso coffee shots and American style black jellybeans. American soft reds, cinnamon, coffee, chocolate, raspberry blue, cream filled, rainbow sours, and green apple flavor filled jar after jar. They were a feast for the eyes and the sweet tooth. All my teeth are sweet ones. Imagine the bright colors and the shapes: balls, tubes, strings, squares, gum drops, beans, tubes, and twists. Some were sugar-coated and some were candy-coated while the rest were filled or chocolate drenched. An art museum worthy display!

Do you love taffy? It’s not my favorite, but I do like chewy candies like caramel and gummies. The famed Licorice man never showed up while we were choosing our treats. We had quite the variety to look over: chocolates, jelly beans, old timey favorite candies like circus peanuts, chocolate drops, a room dedicated to vintage candies had candy cigarettes, peanut patties (the red ones from Texas), those wax juicy bottles wax lips, sugar straws, black gum, and sour piggies, suckers, lollipops, and Payday bars, coconut stripes, and rainbow stripe chewing gum.

I chose the pink sour piglets, some red licorice, and taffy with odd flavors. It’s a hard choice. Of course, it is a very important decision, like trying to choose an ice cream in Baskin Robbins from 36 flavors. While we’re on the topic, has anyone ever counted the flavors?

We had a nice visit and then came in the Licorice man who told me that he lived upstairs with his sweet wife. (What other kind could he have?) They had potted gardens behind the famous multi-colored facade. His wife owned the doll house, china dolls, and miniatures in the front window.

We left happy carrying our little candy bags and it was a hot, but sticky sweet day.

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“My son, eat honey, for it is sweet. Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste; Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; if you find it, then there will be your future and your hope will not be cut off.”

Proverbs 24: 13-14

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