“Today I am a small blue thing
Like a marble or an eye.”

— Suzanne Vega, Smell Blue Thing (Suzanne Vega, 1988)

How many people here have read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl?  I imagine most people have.  My kids loved Roald Dahl and I had read this book myself in childhood (although for some reason I could never get my head around James and the Giant Peach.  Huge pieces of fruit may be just a step too far.  Oompa Loompas, yes.  Gigantic nectarines, no thank you).

Anyway, the point about Charlie and the Chocolate factory is how it feels to be poor.  Charlie, you may recall, shares his bed with his grandpa because of the lack of space in his house.  Actually, it might be two grandpas.  Or two grandpas and a mouse.  I forget exactly.  But Charlie’s one luxury in life is his birthday bar of Willy Wonka chocolate. 

If Charlie had that chocolate every day it wouldn’t have meant so much to him.  But, as a once a year treat it was treasured.  It also meant he didn’t get fat and got gold stars from his dental hygienist. 

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