I found one-pound bags of Super Bubble on sale at the Walgreens in the Empire State Building - strategically located between Penn Station, my port of entry to Manhattan every day, and my office on 37th Street between Fifth and Madison.

The temptation was too much for me. I fell off the wagon, and before I hit the ground, I was chewing through an entire bag at my desk in a typical 10-hour day. Having given up most food, and all forms of alcohol for Lent, I felt it was a reasonable caloric exchange.

In truth, it was like buying a bag of refined sugar at the grocery store and eating one spoonful at a time all day long. I found myself getting out of bed to chew in the middle of the night - the way I did years ago for cigarettes. But I didn’t give a rip any more about the obscene bonuses on Wall Street - or the obscene pensions for 50-year-olds in the public sector.

I finally hit bottom when a woman in my office dragged me to a Weight Watchers meeting and I got weighed. In one week’s time, my bubble gum diet caused me to gain 6 pounds. That put an end to the bubble gum.

But it's still one day at a time. For the moment, I’ve substituted Life Savers for the pink stuff. Life Savers are 5 calories less per piece than bubble gum, and I go through them more slowly.

I know I’m doomed until I can eat carrots and be as happy as I am eating Skittles. That will happen around the time our elected officials stop providing special treatment to major campaign contributors - and corporate executives actually tie bonuses to performance.

But by then, it won’t matter.



In memory of our fallen friend and trusted colleague, Bennet Sedacca, 100% of the donations made to the RP Foundation through April will be channeled to philanthropic endeavors consistent with the RP mission, working closely with the Sedacca clan in the distribution of those funds. We thank you kindly for your support as we strive to effect positive change in the lives of children.