Altoids Tangerine Sours

The round aluminum tin has elegant flourishes and beautiful letters which announce “ALTOIDS” in shiny silver letters. At the edge of the tin, between the drawings of tangerines, orange letters instruct me to “PRESS.” I pick up the tin with my left hand, press on the edge of the lid with my right thumb, and it opens with a metallic “pong!” I smoothly remove the lid to reveal a patch of orange hard candies, coated with a tangy-sugar concoction. I pick one up and notice that’s it’s slightly sticky. (The tin has been sitting on my desk for more than a week, and temperature fluctuations in the office must have gotten to them.) I look at the small candy more closely, turning it between my fingers, and it slightly glistens under the fluorescent light. It has small bumps, as a raspberry would have, which deceitfully tempt my senses. I open my mouth and place it on my tongue. At once I feel its sharp sour taste run to the back of my tongue. My mouth begins to salivate, and a rush of citrus flavor fills my taste palette. The competing sour and sweetness are overwhelming! Only a second after the candy begins to dissolve on my tongue, I unconsciously roll it between my teeth and bite down. The force of my molars instantly causes it to burst into pieces. For the next few seconds I continue to chew on remaining bits of the tangerine sourness and bathe in their succulent flavor. After the last bit of flavor is gone, I gently close the tin and slide it into my jeans pocket. I want to have another after lunch.