August 21, 2002

Flight from L.A. to Charlotte

Sat next to guy whose job used to be maintaining machines in a candy factory. Some machines were so old and you could tell at one time they were hooked up to steam engines. He would eat a pound of candy a day but didn't gain weight. He says hot candy just made is the best. Would pop a 150 degree mint in his mouth. If you move it around with your tongue it won't burn. What makes candy sticky? Water content. Hard candy is put in a vacuum to get the moisture out. When you put it in your mouth it gets water in it. The taffy puller is to put air in the taffy, otherwise it’s hard. He's seen 100 pound blocks of taffy hit someone in the head. Throw it in the giant taffy puller and it might sling back at you.

He thinks things are getting way too computerized. He bypassed the computer in his 86 Ford truck to make repairs when no mechanics could do it. He's got other stories too about falling off a small cliff and the subsequent surgeries.

When this plane lands and I look for my connecting flight, I see candy man head to the bar in search of others with which to - as my dad would say- shoot the shit. Maybe it doesn't mean much, but I'm glad for such people to exist.