First background story: Many years ago, Lay's Potato Chips had an ad that claimed, "Nobody can eat just one." Porter, determined to prove them wrong, ate one Lay's potato chip and no more, I believe for several years—until once when he was eating chips from a bowl at a party and discovered that they were actually Lay's. From then on he considered himself released from his self-imposed vow.
Second background story: When our family gets together at the Maggie P. in the summer, long-standing tradition has it that the M&M jar must be continually refilled. It stands within easy reach of all but the youngest. And nobody eats just one M&M. It is so easy to devour great quantities of the candy, and we do. We almost never eat M&M's at any other time, but probably consume a year's worth anyway.
My story: This year I decided I would not take that first M&M from the jar. That was surprisingly easy to do, because I never stinted myself in any other way, and there are always many special treats at the Maggie P. And not eating any M&M's was much, much easier than eating only a reasonable amount.
Then came the day when our son-in-law baked brownies, and put a pattern of M&M's on the top. I was served a lovely, delicious brownie, with a large M&M prominent in the center of its top. I briefly considered removing the candy and giving it to someone else, then decided not to risk insulting the baker. After all, eating just one M&M is really more of an accomplishment than eating none.
And that is what I did.
