From the Archives

Cast your mind back 70 long years to March 1947, a more innocent time when bubble gum was not yet known throughout the world …

Shortly before sailing for the Netherlands I stopped in a store on Broadway in New York to buy some bubble gum. It was still scarce at that time and I bought all their small stock. “Going to have a party?” inquired the shop assistant. “No,” I said, “I’m taking it to the children of my friends in Holland. It’s still unknown there.”

As I turned to leave I overheard my shop assistant remark to another, “See that guy? He’s taking bubble gum to Holland; he’s going to civilise Europe!”

SUBMITTED BY F.K. WILLEKES-MACDONALD