Bazooka Bubble Gum. A love story.

He was a little red headed kid. Green corduroy pants with patches in both knees. A hint at how active he really was. The T shirt he was wearing had no business trying to compliment the green pants. But he didn’t care much about fashion. He didn’t care much about anything. He was all of six years old.

But…

He had two pieces of Bazooka Bubble Gum his older sister gave him for helping take out the garbage so her freshly painted nails wouldn’t smear. He would have done it for free (and had many times) but she gave him some gum as a reward. He went right to the park, sat on the wooden bench, and peeled both down to the gum, ignoring the cartoons (for now). With both pieces in his mouth, and that beautiful first hard chew filled with a burst of sugary joy, he closed his eyes and started chomping.

With two big pieces in his mouth, he was certain he would make a bubble at least as big as his head. He kept chewing. Then…he heard a sweet voice. Soft. Gentle. Hopeful.

“Do you have any more gum?”

He opened his eyes. It was Daisy. She was in First Grade with him. She had an easy smile, and they often waved at each other leaving school. Her face was all scrunched up with hope.

“No. My sister gave me two pieces …but I shoved them both in my mouth. I want to make a big bubble!”

Her face fell.

“Oh. My Mom doesn’t let us have gum.”

This time, it was his face that fell.

“No gum?! Why? Everyone chews gum!”

She brushed a little lock of hair off her face. A gesture he would come to adore.

“Not my family. My older sister and my older brother both wear braces on their teeth. So Mommy said none of us can chew gum….because they can’t.”

A little tear started to form in her eye.

He never really thought about it. He just did it. He pulled the giant wad of gum out of his mouth, pulled it apart like taffy into two about the same size chunks.

“Here.”

She felt her eyes go wide. A thrill rippled through her tiny body. Joy exploded as she popped the wad of gum in her mouth. They both smiled and started chomping with intent. After all, you have to get the right texture to blow bubbles.

A few minutes later…they started blowing bubbles. Soon, giggles and gum were everywhere. And they still had the cartoons to read.

*****

He was eighteen now. She was too. Graduation had been just two weeks earlier. He had called her to the Park. He sounded scared. Worried. She grabbed two pieces of Bazooka Bubble Gum from her bedside drawer. Threw on a sweater…and raced to the park. He was on the Bench. Deep in thought.

“Hey.”

“Hey. What’s up?”

He held out a piece of paper. She took it. Her hands trembled:

“Greetings…”

She read it in complete silence. Their summer of 1967 …was already over. She popped both pieces of gum in her mouth. After just enough chewing to make a wad of gum…she took it out, pulled it apart like taffy…and gave him the bigger piece. He took it without a word. Stuffed it in his mouth and with years of practice and habit…got it to bubble making consistency. They both blew a bubble at the same time. Bigger and bigger…after all, they had more than a decades experience at making bubbles. And then …as if God and Nature wanted it to happen, both bubbles burst at the same time. That made them laugh.

“When do you leave?”

“Two weeks from Monday.”

“Army?”

“Probably.”

“You think …you…you think…they will send you to Vietnam?”

“Probably.”

They held hands. The only sound was of chewing gum, and bursting bubbles.

*****

She was nervous. His letters from the Hospitals were always short. And just like her letters, every single one came with a cartoon from the Bazooka Bubble Gum collection. It kept them connected. She hadn’t seen him since he left for Nam…just six weeks before Christmas.

January of 1968…TET began. His last letter, with Bazooka Bubble Gum Cartoon in it, was dated: 1 February 1968. It was short. He said:

“We are fighting every day. Everyone is tired…and scared. Tomorrow we move out on another sweep. Send peaches and Oreos…and socks if you have any that will fit me and the guys. And some gum!”

She had laughed. She went right out and got peaches, wool socks, Oreos and an entire box of Bazooka Bubble Gum. The picture he sent her, with his whole Squad holding up socks in one hand, and Oreos in the other hand…all while everyone had blown a big gum bubble…was her favorite of the whole time he had been over there. You could tell they were all smiling, even as dirty, muddy, and tired as they all looked. She had it blown up to an 8 X 10….and kept it on display over the fireplace at her Mom and Dad’s house.

In May, TET started up again. She stopped getting answers to her letters. His parents called to say he had been wounded…and was being sent to Japan. Two months later…he was sent to Tripler Army Hospital in Hawaii. She wanted to go see him. He said no.

“Wait till I come home. I don’t want you to see me like this.”

It had been five months since he got wounded in May. It was mid October now in the Midwest. A chill was in the air…and one was in her heart. His plane landed. Everyone had gotten off. She stood with his parents…waiting. Finally, he came out of the tunnel. She couldn’t hold back the tears.

He was so thin. He walked with two crutches…but he was upright. The left side of his face was scarred. His eyes lit up when he saw her. She saw them dim when his Mother yelled out: “Oh. My. God…what did they do to you!!!”

She was almost screaming at her son, like it was his fault. His Father just stared in shock. She stepped back so the Family could work out those first few moments. They left to go get his stuff from baggage claim. He hobbled over to her, and their hug was long and silent. He sat down in a chair, a gentle “woof” escaped as his weight settled in the plastic chair.

She got out two sticks of Bazooka Bubble Gum. Chewing with determination, she got it just right. Took it out of her mouth, tore it in half like it was taffy. He took the larger piece she offered him. Looked at it hard. Then looked at her. She popped her piece in her mouth. Then gently, very gently, pushed his hand towards his mouth, until he smiled and plopped his gum in his mouth.

They sat chewing for a while. And just like old times, they blew a bubble at the same time. But this time, the two bubbles met, clinging to each other without breaking. They took the stem of bubble gum out of their mouths staring at the double bubble balloon …still unbroken. When it finally popped, they both smiles, pulled the gum apart and started chewing again.

She helped him up. Handed him his crutches. Holding his one arm lightly, they walked in a comfortable silence. Only the sound of chewing and the occasional “POP” of a gum bubble disturbing the silence.

They kept those two cartoons from Bazooka in a frame, along with the picture the Stewardess had sent them. It was taken without their awareness. Just two 19 year old kids, holding two gum bubbles that had not popped…and smiling.