from quality street to easy street

and the shadow of abundance

Nanny, you still didn’t answer my question: has the quality of Quality Street changed over the years?

My nanny shook her head and pondered. It took her a minute to remember when she first had them.

It must have been back in the 50’s. We were just starting out. Living with Sheila and Percy. All of us there in the basement with a curtain between us, waiting for the rest of the house to be build. Of course Percy was at sea a lot, but still, things were tight.

She trailed off for a bit.

But Christmas? That’s when I first found Quality Street. Money back then was pretty tight too. We were just starting out and couldn’t afford much. A tin of Quality Street was a big deal.

What was the quality like Nanny?

She smiled. They were great. You didn’t have to make them yourself and they were considered really fancy back then.

Chuckling, she continued, back then, each of us could have one. One after supper. One a day. The orange ones? The ones you don’t like? They were exotic, cherished. A tin lasted the …