Cousin Candy has always been a sweet guy. He was birthed between the pillowy, marshmallowy thighs of his diabetic mother. Born soaked in her glucose rich blood, he was a serene placid little boy right from the start. He was put in the care of his 14 year old sister Molly as his mother toiled to care for 10 other siblings.

No crying with colic, no keeping his folks awake with cries of hunger; no, Candy would suckle on his infant fists until Molly fixed a bottle of Carnation milk sweetened with Karo. He grew into a chubby loveable little boy. He didn't do too well in school--he was kind of dreamy, and to be honest, not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

He began to have hypoglycemic spells while in grade school. In the middle of class, or after walking around at recess, he would swoon to the point of passing out. A doctor said he was having low blood sugar spells and suggested he keep candy on his person at all times to eat when he felt a spell coming on. (It's a oddity that people who suffer from hypoglycemic low blood sugar spells will often go on to develop diabetes, or high blood sugars.)

From that day, he unfailingly carried a Snickers bar in his pocket, and soon no one called him by his real name. He was always cousin Candy. He was soft and sweet and huggable and likeable. Right after high school he got a job with a construction company. First day on the job, he was in a wreck that put out an eye and cut off most of one ear that couldn't be reconstructed.

After that, Cousin Candy moped and his personality changed. But after several years of this he got on his computer and put his profile on Facebook or one of those other sites. He wanted a girlfriend just like anybody else. I thought that will never happen. But guess what?  He found a girlfriend who also has a disability. Knowing her has changed his life for the better and they get along like peas and carrots, carrots and peas (line stolen from Forrest Gump.)

That's the key to finding someone--I was never that smart. You've got to put yourself out there, warts and all, and who knows?  Someone may be out there, looking, just like you are.    susil

Comments:

comment by larryb on Oct 10, 2008 5:23 PM ()

Larry, so glad you're back!!!

reply by susil on Oct 11, 2008 9:26 AM ()

There really is someone for everyone.

comment by elderjane on Oct 6, 2008 6:10 AM ()

Jeri; I reckon so..

reply by susil on Oct 8, 2008 9:00 PM ()

comment by troutbend on Oct 5, 2008 10:26 PM ()

Cousin Candy is lucky he didn't get nicknamed "Snickers" since
that's what he has always carried in his pocket!

reply by susil on Oct 8, 2008 9:05 PM ()

Hi Sue. Wonder how old Candy is today? And if he still has his girlfriend. Did you ever read Peter Jenkin's "Walk Across America"? He met a woman in your state, married her. She joined him in his walk to the Pacific. All that torture and togetherness, and they still got divorced some 10 years later. I don't have a point--usually don't!

comment by marta on Oct 4, 2008 6:53 PM ()

Hi marta; hope you are well!

reply by susil on Oct 5, 2008 9:55 AM ()

comment by panthurdreams on Oct 4, 2008 10:12 AM ()

Hi Hawaii!

reply by susil on Oct 5, 2008 9:54 AM ()

Very sweet story.

comment by angiedw on Oct 4, 2008 2:11 AM ()

What a sweetie you are!

reply by susil on Oct 4, 2008 9:40 AM ()

I don't know how much smart has to do with finding someone, Sue. I do know that the old adage, "Once bitten, twice shy" is an adage because it's true!
Oh and hey, three cheers for Cousin Candy finding someone. Very cool.

comment by catdancer on Oct 3, 2008 10:38 PM ()

Hi Karen; well, every time I've put myself out on a limb, I've
been rejected, so fear of that has caused me to stop looking--but
Candy didn't let that stop him!

reply by susil on Oct 4, 2008 9:47 AM ()

Smart was what you couldn't appear to be if you wanted a guy when I was growing up. I believe I responded that I'd rather be alone than pretend to be dumber than my date.

reply by tealstar on Oct 4, 2008 4:43 AM ()