"Once you pop...you can't stop." We all know it as the catchline for Pringles. For Maddy the phrase applies doubly to popcorn.I have mixed feelings about the toasted maize. It is bland without butter, boring without salt, and far too healthy to gain any sense of indulgence - even after bottoming a pot of freshly popped corn. And there's nothing worse than the lodging of a kernel between a freshly flossed set of pearly whites.
On the topic of my dental works, sugary variations, like caramel corn, satisfy my sweet tooth enough that it's not bothered by an extra sweep with the waxed wire. In addition to this, a visit to the theatre isn't the same without a bucket of popped corn of by your side.
And beyond its crave-curbin functions, popcorn has other varied uses. For instance, this time of year it reminds me of my role in the mass production of endless lengths of strung popcorn for the classroom Christmas tree in primary school. On a cloudless day it also provides an alternative to hunting for vague shapes in the sky - most popcorn pieces, I have found, bear some resemblance either to a zoo animal or a character from The Simpsons.
For Maddy none of this matters. There is no need to dissect the popular popped snack. A sprinkle of salt and a near-bottomless pot of popcorn is good enough. It's appeal is rubbing off on me - but then my appetite succumbs to peer pressure quite easily...
