NORTH BELLMORE, NY - An impulse purchase made during the pick-up of my wife's birth control pills from a local drugstore paid dividends of deliciousness Thursday night, as I ate and thoroughly enjoyed a medium-sized bag of Sour Patch Kids.

A fan of Sour Patch Kids since childhood, when I first encountered them in a neighborhood candy store, I recently became convinced that the gummy, powdered-citric-acid-coated, tart confections have vintages as distinct as any wine. It was with disappointment, therefore, that I noted that the most prominent bag at the CVS on Jerusalem Avenue and Bellmore Road was of low quality, with a gooey appearance and no powdered-acid coating to speak of.

Disappointment turned to delight, however, as I flipped through the other bags and found what appeared to be a batch of particularly thick and powdery candies. After completing my purchase and returning home to my apartment for dinner, I opened the bag and began eating. The texture, taste and aroma exceeded my expectations.

My eating of the Sour Patch Kids was accompanied by a flip through The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition DVD's gallery of designs for the Watcher in the Water, some of which were totally awesome.