They looked lonely at the single table at the corner of a large sun drenched parking lot. Without an umbrella nor canopy to protect them that unseasonably hot afternoon, they waited for strangers.
I stopped, with just a whiff of pity, and bought a box of Thin Mints.
Alas, later, at home, I looked at the box. Yes, the ridiculous claim that a “serving” of Thin Mints is just four cookies remains. Below the Nutritional Facts in the ingredients is a new line: Manufactured in a shared facility with peanuts, tree nuts, milk and egg.
Uh-oh.
I’ve always had a peanut allergy.
Back in the 1960’s that meant giving away the PBJ on my lunch tray. Today it means carefully looking at the panels on products, including many you might not suspect of hiding peanuts.
Sometimes peanuts aren’t mentioned when they ought. A friend served a delicious green bean casserole with shaved almonds she got at Walmart. The package said nothing about the nuts being cooked in peanut oil, yet, I could tell. (I also learned that night that my emergency pills don’t have much oomph when they’re four years past date.)
Recently a young lady with an even more acute peanut allergy died, victim of a cookie which didn’t mention the damn danger. Even an EpiPen injection couldn’t save the ballerina. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mislabeled-cookies-peanut-allergy-stew-leonards-nyc-woman-death-rcna135638
Still, in a world full of lawyers a growing number of products – including most grocery store gourmet and mass market cookies – carry a tag line about coming from plants where peanuts and tree nuts, etc., are processed. Yes, I had no ill effects from my Thin Mints and most chocolate chip and other cookies probably don’t contain nut residue. Knowing my allergy (and aware that the impacts appear to getting stronger as I age), the wise course becomes avoiding most cookies. Bye, bye Thin Mints.
This gives me a taste of empathy for what many long time Republicans now endure.
You see, the GOP used to reliably support the troops, oppose Russian expansionism, promote law and order and revere the U. S. Constitution.
But the Republican Party became the Trump Party. Military members are losers; Ukraine ought to surrender to Russia; America won’t automatically enforce the NATO charter; law enforcement is just another tool of corrupt deep state Democrats; and, that stuff about truthfully counting electoral votes and avoiding insurrection, well, that’s not what we do anymore.
As Saturday Night Live parodied the other night, even Republican Senators insulted by Donald Trump must ardently, publicly support him. And, in three weeks the co-chair of the national GOP will be Trump’s daughter-in-law.
The question is what’s easier? Me living without cookies or long-time Republicans living without their core values?
Too bad most of the Republicans in power, in Washington and Jefferson City, seem willing to trade long-held values for Trump’s support.
Glenn Koenen
Image created with Microsoft CoPilot