I Love Fruit Stripe Gum – I Only Wish the Flavor Lasted Longer than their Commercials

About once a year, I indulge in a pack of Fruit Stripe Gum. You see, it's not just your run-of-the-mill chewing gum – it's a visual masterpiece, a delightful experience that stands apart from the average stick gum. Yet, there's a hitch that's hard to ignore. If you had started chewing this gum as soon as you began reading this post, I regret to inform you that by now, the flavor would have vanished into thin air. It's a perplexing conundrum, given the leaps and bounds in gum technology. One might wonder why this aspect hasn't received an upgrade. Could it be a cunning plan to lead me to consume an entire pack in a mere 10 minutes? I admit, I've fallen victim to this plot on more than one occasion.

There's something about their mascot that tugs at my heartstrings. This zany character goes by the name of Yipes, though in my mind, he's always been fondly referred to as Fruit Stripes. My fondness for him was so intense that it led me to acquire a strangely colored zebra, resembling him, from the streets of New York. For years, he graced my cubicle with his vibrant presence. Alas, his fate took a tragic turn during an ill-conceived prank by a co-worker. He was sent on an unintended flight out of a window and never graced my sight again. If, by some cosmic miracle, you're still out there, dear Fruit Stripe, know that you're missed. And if, in some serendipitous twist of fate, you can hear these words, consider this an invitation to return home. The cubicle misses you, and so do I.