Sometimes I get hungry at night after Sherry goes to bed.
The other day, I spotted a package of microwave caramel corn at SaveMart. I never had heard of such a thing. Since I was by myself, I slipped it into my basket along with the beets, asparagus and other healthy foods I had been instructed to buy.
It’s about 10 p.m. It’s safe. Sherry has been in bed for two hours. I go downstairs and take the caramel corn out from behind the cans of beans in our cupboard.
I follow the instructions: four minutes in the microwave. At two minutes, smoke is seeping out. I wait another minute, thinking this might be normal behavior for something as unique as microwaved caramel corn.
It wasn’t. Soon, the bag is smoking like crazy. I’d never smelled burned caramel before – it’s nasty. The odor floods the kitchen and begins spreading to other rooms in our house.
Sherry rushes out of the bedroom, ready to call the fire department. I settle her down, kind of.
It’s been two days since this little incident. Sherry can still smell burned caramel. And she tells me about it.
In the future, when I visit outdoor art shows or county fairs and smell the inviting booth with caramel corn, I will pull out my four dollars and remember some things are meant for the professionals.