Brain on Chocolate

Our boy. With niece . . .It would probably be chalked down under the ‘seemed like a good idea at the time’ category.Maybe I should explain . . .Our son, Duff, lives out on Vancouver Island in a place called Courtenay.It’s a pretty little city with spectacular views of both ocean and mountain. And green and growing things.He works with special needs adults.And loves his life.Now Duff, you should probably know is the original ‘obey that impulse’ sort of person.And some of his resulting experiments are . . . let’s just call it humorous.Duff loves Halloween.He lives on a quiet street inhabited mostly by adults.But he has a great love for children and is the blessed favourite uncle of all of his nephews and nieces.On a side note: he carries cash with him throughout the summer in hopes of running across an intrepid little peddler selling lemonade. He then vastly overpays for the treat in hopes that he can make someone’s day—as someone made his day so many years ago.But I digress . . .This year, Duff purchased his usual large boxes of mini chocolate bars in preparation for little ‘Trick or Treaters’.And, as in years past, none arrived.It is a quiet little street.Thus Duff again found that, on November first, he had many, many little varied and assorted chocolate bars.And only himself to eat them.Now I should mention that Duff loves his food—mixed.He will happy dish out whatever is being served, then mix it together with whatever else is being served.And just as happily consume it.Yeah. It’s a quirk.Now our boy was busily consuming his little chocolate bars two at a time. To mix the flavours.And his brain told him: Hmmm . . . why not mix ALL of the bars?So he did.Getting a large pan, he dumped in all 148 chocolate bars and warmed the whole thing, creating a large, not easily recognizable mass.That, when it cooled, turned out to be . . . DELICIOUS!Said brain then told him he SHOULD EAT ALL OF IT!!!To spare you the resultant diabetic attack, I will jump to the end of the story and tell you that, this time, he didn’t obey. Rather, after that initial taste, he disposed of his experiment into the nearest trash receptacle.We can learn something from this:1.  Not every kitchen experiment—though it may be delicious—needs to be eaten.and2.  If you are in Courtenay, B.C. on or about next Halloween, please find Duff’s house and let him pour in the treats. He needs all the help he can get.