An Eric Episode

I don't have many memories of my brother Eric from childhood. Being 15 years older than me, he left home for the Navy before I entered school.

But I do remember that for a period of time, holidays held a special appeal because of him. My parents were with the Navigators during that time, and lived on support. My mother was the queen of stretching a dollar, and our pantry was a generic brand wonderland. Instead of Cheerios, we'd have Toasted Oats. Instead of Doritos, we'd have Cheesy Tortilla Rounds. Our Oreos were called Two Brown Disks With White Cream Sandwiched Inside.

During this time period, we also drank powdered milk. I was never one to question or complain about the food choices in my home, but I will say that even then I thought powdered milk was gross.

So you can imagine the joy that filled my little heart when Eric would walk in the door for Christmas, carrying a gallon of whole milk in one hand and a box of bona fide Cap'n Crunch in the other! Not Crunchy Corn Nuggets, but real Cap'n Crunch!

I remember eating bowls and bowls of Cap'n Crunch with whole milk through the Christmas holidays. The roof of my mouth would be torn up for weeks afterwards. For years I associated Eric with milk and cereal.


Some kids wanted expensive trendy toys for Christmas, I wanted brand name cereal and milk that had that ability to go bad in a week.