Smarter

My father told a story of way back when children sold newspapers on the streets, a little boy was hawking the news at the bus station. The boy apparently was there everyday when my dad would drive up with a bus loaded with prospective customers.

One day as a soldier departed the bus, the boy shouted, "Hey soldier, want to buy a paper?" The soldier quipped, "Nope, I can’t read." To which the boy replied, "You ought to buy one and stick in your pocket so you won’t look so damn stupid." The soldier came back and gave the boy a nickel and took a paper.

We all want to be smarter or at least have other people think we are. Today I discovered that chewing gum can make you smarter. At least according to Yahoo Health, in a article written by Lisa Collier Cool on January 10, 2012. She says, "While chewing gum may not make you look more intelligent, it actually boosts brainpower, new research shows."

The research reveals that students that chew gum had better mental performance and better grades, especially in math. That must be why I had so much trouble with math. We were not allowed to chew gum in class. Mr. Bailey used to recite this poem about chewing gum. "A gum chewing girl, and a cud chewing cow. They’re both the same, but there’s a difference somehow. Ah yes, I have it now. It’s the thoughtful look on the face of the cow."

One theory is that chewing increases blood flow to the brain - munching perks up attention. In addition to improved performance, better memory, faster reaction and increased attention, the research suggests those that munched on gum were also in a better mood.

A true, honest to goodness genuine grumpy old man doesn’t chew gum. It’s not that we don’t want to be smarter and all that other stuff. It’s because we can't walk at the same time.

You knew that was coming. Didn’t you?

PMO
©2011