As I was clocking in at school Friday, John, a fellow staff member, said to me “Did you hear? Hostess is going out of business.” I know John wasn’t expecting my reaction upon hearing his news. I asked him if he was sure, then I went on to explain the sheer panic on my face. You see, Tuesday is Twinkie day according to Cody (autistic) and Hostess makes Twinkies.
Immediately the wheels in my head started spinning and I began devising a plan:
I will have to buy a years supply of Twinkies, at least, because it will probably take me that long to help Cody cope with the fact that Twinkies will no longer exist. There are 10 Twinkies in a box and 52 weeks in a year, so in order for Cody to have 1 Twinkie a week (on Tuesdays, mind you), I will have to make room in my freezer for at least 6 boxes and maybe a few more for good measure.
Having a little time to kill this morning before going to work, I decided to get online and see what articles I could find regarding Hostess going out of business. As you can imagine, there are all kinds of stories floating around the internet, but the one I take comfort in is on CNNMoney. It says…
NEW YORK (CNNMoney)-- Rest easy, Twinkie lovers: Hostess Brands, the storied American manufacturer of snack cakes, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Wednesday, but said it will continue to churn out Ho Hos, Ding Dongs and other iconic products.
"Throughout the proceeding, we're going to operate business as normal," said Hostess spokesman Erik Halvorson. "They'll keep making Twinkies."
I am hoping, if worse comes to worst, that another big company will buy Hostess out and continue making their products as insinuated in the following paragraph of the same article…
Published reports indicated that Hostess sought potential buyers, including Oreo-cookie maker Kraft Foods (KFT, Fortune 500) and Campbell Soup (CPB, Fortune 500)'s Pepperidge Farm.
Regardless, I am going to purchase those aforementioned boxes. It’s better to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst, right?!
Cody came home this afternoon and informed me that his Day Program won't be going to the track on Thursday. When I asked him "Why?", he replied, "Because we're having a Price is Right party for Danette instead."
Normally, Cody would be a little upset about a change in routine, but he loves to watch The Price is Right. He often tells me, "I wish I could afford to get on." Call me mean, but that's not ever going to happen unless someone else wants to volunteer to take him. His excitement over the noise and commotion would cause such rapid arm flapping that he'd probably beat the crap out of anyone sitting near him.
Imagine, for a second, that Cody actually did go to the studio and the announcer called him to "come on down". Cody has no concept of money. To prove my point, I asked Cody what he thought Danette would bid on the following items. Here are his answers:
Me- How much do you think Danette would bid on a new car?
Cody- forteen ninety-five
Me- What about a new refrigerator?
Cody- two fifty
Me- What would she bid on a new boat?
Cody- one dollar
Me- How about a new bedroom set?
Cody-nineteen dollars and ninety-five cents
Me- Let's see...What else do they bid on at The Price is Right?
Cody- a dinette set
Me- Okay. What would Danette bid on a dinette set?
Cody- one dollar
Me- How about a trip to Europe in the showcase showdown?
Cody- six fifty
Let's face it. Cody would have to have luck on his side to make it very far with some of those bids (unless everyone else overbid each time, then...maybe?).
I hope if you find yourself watching The Price is Right this coming Thursday and see Danette, you'll remember that she is a friend of Cody's and he is giving up track to party in her behalf.
Good Luck, Danette!
