That Wrigley's spearmint pickup is goin' for you! (Bubble Gum Weekend)

Gum is cool.

Indeed it is.

For decades, gum chewers far and wide were confronted by a deep mystery.

They always wondered why sticks of gum often appeared to have tire tracks on them.

But that mystery was solved by a series of Wrigley's spearmint gum commercials that aired frequently around 1982.

The ads showed peeps working their asses off until they were bored to tears. They included lumberjacks, musicians, and other hard-working folks! But they always whipped out a stick of Wrigley's, gently folded it, and crammed it into their mouths - which gave them a pep and made the day move faster!

The ads featured a catchy little tune with screaming guitars and all the production elements that made you realize that gum was patriotic and American. The music could have easily been used in an ad for a branch of the U.S. military.

But the tire tracks mystery was solved by the mention of "that Wrigley's spearmint pickup":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbeCX1ROCbw

I get it now. The Wrigley's spearmint pickup must be a truck that runs over each stick of gum. Sort of like the Mix Van.

Yes, the line about "good, smooth chewin'" was spoofed by many a viewer as "good, smooth pooin'" However, since this was before I was in high school, it was not followed up with "that crisp, clean baste."