1 September 2001

Subject: RTP

Dear Ones,

 

Yesterday, I glanced down at a Ritz cracker I was about to put into my mouth when I noticed the cracker was smiling back at me. I looked closer at the cracker and discovered that a "smiley face" had been "inscribed" into the cracker dough before it was baked. I brought my child-like discovery to Leavon who replied, "Yes, I knew that all along".

 

It was only after I finished eating the last cracker in the waxed-paper tube that I saw the box from which Leavon had taken the tube of crackers. It was real neat and quite colorful. It read: "New Smilin' Ritz Crackers".... "4 Stay Fresh Packs". I turned the box over to read the back side. It was then that I realized what a colossal mistake I had just made. It was then that I realized that I might have just eaten a "Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle".... plus a "Family Trip".... plus "$10,000 Cash". In bold text it plainly read: "Look Inside. Find the Ritz Cracker that says, 'Grand Prize' and you win!" "Oh, no", I exclaimed to Leavon, "Why didn't someone tell me?"

 

That seems to be the story of my life.... a day late and a dollar short. But, after all, am I not the one who told my son to always "RTP" (Read the Problem) before trying to answer any question on a test or attacking any problem. In this case, "RTP" would have meant "Read the Package".... before eating the contents. 

 

Not only might I have devoured a luxury SUV for not following my own advice, but upon reading the small print, I see I consumed some 160 calories (70 calories from fat) from just 10 little old crackers. I just wonder how many total calories there were in that SUV cracker.

 

Oh, well, that's life.... and you know what, I didn't win the Powerball last week, either. Reckon that was because I didn't buy a ticket?

 

Have a great day, be happy and keep smiling!!

 

Don