One-up-manship is a great game in the desert.  Someone sends over a plate of dessert, you send it back with a bigger dessert, or the makings of a great meal.  Someone brings you a present, and you not only give them a present in kind, but one for each of their children, their auntie (pronounced AWntie, of course) and grandmama.  Every turn has to be returned with just a little bit more flair.  Up the ante, so to speak, and really I’m soing to speaking because desert people do NOT gamble.

The Mister dropped by a friend’s office with another friend/business acquaintance this past week. His friend is the general manager of a candy/cookie/candy bar factory, so supplies and samples are at his bidding.  A bowl of bubble gum was sitting on his desk, and the friend that had accompanied The Mister to the office dug out a huge handful and gave it to him.  ”It’s for the kids.”  The office friend said, “Oh no.  Don’t take those.  I’ll send something over to your house for the kids.”  The Mister laughed it off.

One should not laugh in the desert.

A couple of nights later, the buzzer rang out after 8 p.m. We typically don’t get visitors unannounced at this time of day, so a few “what the?” glances were shot around the living room before The Mister went out to see who it was interrupting our evening flow (Chelsea Lately!).  He returned with a HUGE box.  As soon as he opened it, he started to laugh.  Inside?  No less than 4 boxes of chocolate bars, 2 boxes of bubble gum, and 8 boxes of a variety of nougat bars.

What am I supposed to do with all of this candy?  There is no way I’m letting Lola have her unbridled way with it.

More importantly, though, what are we supposed to do in return?