Field Trip

Dear Children,

I know these are troubled times. I know there are hard things that you are facing, like pre-algebra and being grounded from all things electronic. But we will persevere, dear ones, and we will come through, hopefully relatively unscathed.

Do you know why?

Because, in times of great turmoil, in times of questionable-quality budget grocery items gracing our pantry shelves, we have to remember to look up. Look up for the 'sign'. And beloved offspring, when you see this sign, you will know that what awaits you inside will be balm for the troubled soul or whatever ails you.

Ahhhh, Krispy Kreme.

We set out early one morning to Kettering to the nearest KK store, where the hot light would be on and the doughnuts would be just rolling off of the assembly line. I woke up and felt like an adventure, so I stood in the middle of the house and yelled an announcement: "We're going on an adventure and our van is pulling out in FIVE MINUTES!" Little, bedheaded children were flying around with questions, but soon they were settled in the van, ready for the adventure.

It took well over an hour to get there, but look at what awaits you! Scores of donuts being made right in front of our very eyes! The whole creation of the donut, from dough to frying to frosting to box (or garbage can for the flunky donuts) can be witnessed!

They.

Were.

A.

Hit.

A Hit I tell ya'!

I loved the boys fascination with the creation process of a Krispy Kreme. They are now KK fans, but only the fresh, hot ones, not those store-bought, dried, hardened greasy ones. We know the difference now and are true KK fans. Or something like that...
The boys saw two doughnuts that were probably going to be 'rejects'. The one (Smashed One) was smashed when he was still soft and doughy by the rollers. The second one (Ugly Duckling) got a little too done in the hot grease. Both of these doughnuts they watched with great interest as they rolled under the frosting waterfall and rolled slowly around the assembly line. Their hearts beat as they neared the point where they would be accepted or rejected by the doughnut packing-man. They rooted, "Come on Ugly Duckling, stay strong! Look alive, Smashed One..." But it wasn't to be. They were rejected, tossed onto the assembly rollers that drop straight into the garbage can. As they neared the end of their little, short doughnut lives, we sprinted up to the counter where I made a cash offer for the doomed doughnuts. Although the packing man didn't exactly understand my fast plea for 'Ugly Duckling' and 'Smashed One', he complied and gave us the doughnuts as they were about 4" from their little garbage can coffin.

We were junkies. Like an i.v. of straight cane sugar was pumped straight into our veins, we were junkies. Add to that a cup of coffee and our pulses were through the roof.

Someone made the comment that this was too far to drive (3 hours round trip) and too much money to spend (around $10 plus gas) and a waste of money. Yeah, it was a lot of money to buy doughnuts. Yep, it took us from waking up until after lunchtime to get home. And I am sure there was a lot of schoolwork that we could have accomplished in that timeframe. But there's something to be said for the stray from the ordinary that makes this special. The time spent together, with one's own tribe, having an unexpected adventure. It's not about the money. It's not even about the doughnuts. It was just about the fun and time together and the element of a surprise.

And that is surely a good thing.