I have probably been a chocolate all of my life, but I realized it at summer camp when I was 9. Camp is full of sports, activities, friendships, singing, and just plain old fun. But what they don't tell you about camp is that is full of food. And A LOT of it. Parents love to send their children secret packages with candy hidden inside teddy bears, magazines, and anything else they can stuff wads of mike and ikes into. However, the mother of all candy celebrations is the birthday. I was fortunate enough to have my birthday during camp and let me tell you I still, to this day, have never seen so much food in such a small area in my life. Brownies, cookies, sodas, pretzels, chips, dip, frosting, cake, (notice how they are two separate things), cup cakes, pizza, and candy up the wazoo all filled our cabins every time there was a birthday.
I found myself scavenging for all the chocolate I could find when those packages came. If the cake was vanilla, I wouldn't touch it. If the candies were simply sour and fruity, I wouldn't even think about it. All I cared about was the chocolate brownies, candy, and frosting I could get my hands on. I would even get upset when our counselors would hand us all out candy so we weren't fighting about it, and I would get something not chocolate.
Another thing I remember is saving my chocolate and storing it in secret places for me to eat at other times. I would put it in my drawers, under my bed, or even just under my pillow for before bed. If I thought one piece was ever missing, I would automatically blame my friends, even though I had probably just forgotten I ate it.
Writing this out now, 10 years later, I feel very stupid. I can't believe I would get upset when I literally got handed candy, and it was not chocolate. Or that I blamed my friends for eating my chocolate when it was me the whole time. I guess that it what happens when you are addicted to something; you will do anything to get your hands on it or protect it. Maybe now I have a little more respect for alcoholics or drug addicts...maybe not.
