text: Sweet as Gingersnaps By: Sean Green Since 1955 in a little town in Pennsylvania, two cookie companies named Cappington’s Bakery and Montages Cookie House had been competing to be number one. The town always hosted a bake off between the two companies. The contest always had ten rounds and it was to see who could make the best flavored cookies. Each year for decades members from each family would compete in the competition and it this rivalry has been going on for generations. This generation sees Cappington’s daughter Julia and the Montage’s Cookies son Raymond being the competitors. At Montage’s, Raymond told his parents that he has always wanted to chosen to compete in the contest since he was a kid. Raymond’s mother told him, “You can’t fail! We need to win every competition and at least try to put Cappington’s out of business.” Raymond replied, “I know that this a competition and we are trying to beat a rival business but why put them out of business?” Raymond’s father explained, “My grandpa wanted to make a cookie business and that dream came true. Our business was the only bakery in town until three months later Cappington’s Cookies opened up. We lost customers and ever since we have been competing to get those customers back and ever since they just keep coming and going.” Raymond’s mother bellowed in an angry protest “Every time we make new recipes we get old customers coming back and new customers coming in. However, Cappington’s finds out everytime to have something new and then they will make new recipes the same month! Customers can’t just keep going back and forth between the two bakeries! In1959, the mayor created this competition and ever since we have won some and lost some and it is the same for them. So this time we just need to put them out of business! We were here first and this town belongs to the Montage’s.” Raymond sort of understood his parents dilemma and told his parents that he would win for them. Robert however felt like the two companies could still somehow exist together. Julia Cappington was competing for the Cappington’s Cookies business. Julia felt like there should not be any competition. She believed her family and the Montages should get along and help each other with their business’s. Julia asked her dad about this and he said, “Julia, since 1955 Cappington’s Cookies has been stealing customers from Montage’s but they keep getting their customers back! They have been bouncing back and forth. This time we have to win and get everyone to love our cookies more than theirs.” Julia still did not agree and thought the rivalry was just childish. But Julia did agree to compete in the competition because she felt like something special would happen to her. Julia had always loved making cookies since she was a girl and does it in honor of her mother’s memory. Julia wanted to win for her mother but felt like it would be cruel to the Montages. Tomorrow was the contest, Raymond and Julia had trained to win but somehow felt like it would be cruel to the other family. Raymond knew he could not let his family down. Julia knew this would be important to her family. But each one knew what all this competing was really doing to them and the relationships with their family and the citizens of the town. It was the next day and it was the day of the contest. The competitors had to get there a little early to set up and bake. Raymond and Julia parked their cars next to each other. They got out of their cars and headed to the door. Julia was looking over some family recipes cards and not paying attention to Raymond walking up beside her carrying an armful of cookie sheets All the inattentiveness caused them to bumped into each other and cookie sheets to fly into the air. “I am sorry about that.” Said Raymond “Oh no I’m sorry!” Said Julia Julia helped Raymond pick up the cookie sheets. He held the door for Julia and then he went after her. He started to talk to her and said, “Are you who I am competing against?” Julia replied, “Yes I am and before you say anything I do feel bad that you are going to lose. I don’t want your family to lose their business.” Raymond said, “Really? I don’t think I’ll lose but you are very nice for a Cappington.” Julia said, “Well, thank you and you are nice for a Montage. My dad always told me that your whole family was very rude but after meeting you I find that hard to believe that.” Raymond said, “I appreciate that and glad to hear that we both kind of see how silly this contest is.” They both smiled at each other and got to their tables and started to bake. Raymond asked Julia, “What are you making over there?” Julia replied, “My family’s oatmeal and raisin cookies, chocolate chocolate chip cookies, cream filled sugar cookies, peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies, and our special orange cookies” Raymond said, “Sounds delicious” Julia said, “They sure are.” Raymond, “Funny thing is I am making chocolate chocolate chip cookies too.” Julia said, “Nice what else?” Raymond said, “I have strawberry and white chocolate cookies, plain sugar cookies with icing, apple cinnamon cookies, and my favorite ...the macaroons.” Julia and Raymond talked while making the cookies. Julia was having problems with her mixer. Raymond walked up to help her and fixed the problem. Julia thanked him and they went back to making cookies. Soon they started to make small talk, Raymond asked Julia what she likes about baking cookies. Julia told Raymond that she loved baking with her mom Sandra, especially loved baking cookies. And it keeps her memory alive. Julia told Raymond that her mother died from cancer two years ago and she bakes cookies to honor her. Raymond told Julia that he was sad to hear about Julia’s mother and happy to hear that she does it in honor of her. They both finished baking and they started talking about how it is just silly that their families do to each other over the competition of their businesses. Julia told Raymond, “I understand the importance of the competition to our business but not the whole hating each other part.” Raymond told Julia that he really did not like it either and believed that it was just childish. Julia said she could see that too, Julia said that she just felt like there could be a way to stop it. Raymond said, “Do your husband or children like baking with you?” Julia said, “I am single, I was engaged for a little while, his name was Perry. Unfortunately, I found out he was cheating on me.” Raymond responded, “Oh I am sorry to hear that it seems that you have had a lot happen to you. I am sorry for all that.” Julia replied, “You know you can stop being mister nice guy and trying to get me to like you because I actually liked you when we first talked.” Raymond said, “Wow you actually do huh. That is a first for me.” Julia said, “You mean you never had a date.” Raymond said, “Well I liked this one girl named Rose but she got a boyfriend and I just stopped asking girls out.” Julia replied, “That sad, I mean you are very likeable and you are very kind even though we are suppose to be rivals.” Raymond responded, “I can’t believe a man would cheat on you. You are very nice and well you are as sweet as gingersnaps.” Julia chuckled and said, “Well I like that you said that but sorry to disappoint I actually don’t really like gingersnaps.” Raymond replied, “Oh I’m sorry but would you at least like to go Raymond thought maybe there could be, and Julia asked how. Raymond looked at the cookies and asked, “Maybe we could combine one of our creations.” Julia thought that was a great idea and decided to do it. Julia told Raymond that they could combine her family’s orange cookies with one of Raymond’s family’s cookies. Raymond picked the macaroons, they combined their recipes and tasted them. Julia and Raymond both thought it was delicious. They both agreed to replace one of their selections with their new collaborative creation. It was time for the competition and Raymond and Julia got ready. The first round was up, and the judges tried both Raymond’s and Julia’s chocolate chip cookies. Julia won the competition. Which made the Cappingtons laugh at the Montages. However, the judge’s loved Raymond’s apple cinnamon cookies in the second round and the Montages laugh at the Cappingtons. Both Raymond and Julia watched as their family’s laughed at each other and knew that they would teach them that they were being childish. Raymond won the third round and Julia would win the fourth but in the fifth round Raymond and Julia got their combined cookies and gave them to the judges. They first tried Raymond’s and then they tried Julia’s, the judges were confused and tried the cookies again but they both thought they tasted the same. One of the judges said, “Ladies and gentleman both of the competitors have such delicious cookies but this round has been tied because both of the cookies taste the same and we cannot pick one.” Someone in the audience said, “Just pick one already.” Another judge said, “We can’t because for some reason they taste the same.” Then Julia said, “that is because they are the same.” Everyone gasped and Julia’s dad said, “Julia how could you, why.” Julia responded, “Because Raymond and I wanted to show our families how childish this is and that both of our families need to get along and not hate each other over a childish reason. We worked together and came up with this delicious cookie, can you imagine what recipes we could come up with by combining our talents?” The Cappingtons and Montages looked at each other with surprised looks. Raymond then said, “That is true Julia and I do not like the fact that this rivalry has taken away the true purpose of our businesses. Why, couldn’t you all have just collaborated with each other and made new flavors just like Julia and I did. I have told my family I don’t understand the rivalry and neither does Julia! Let me tell you both - we have made a new cookie and the judges seem to love it!” The judges nodded their heads and agreed that it was a delicious cookie. Julia said, “And you know what else I like Raymond and maybe someday like can turn to love.” Everyone gasped and could not believe what they just heard. Julia said, “Does that sound so horrible? We don’t want to go on being the examples of our family’s childish behavior.” Both of the families thought for a moment and Raymond said, “Let’s all just get along and maybe help each other” The families thought about it for a second and then Julia’s dad said, “I guess I suppose you are right Montage.” Julia said, “not suppose ....it is just right” Raymond’s parents said, “We can just give it a try.” Raymond replied, “We don’t need to try, we do need to be friendly too another and not just because we are business competitors.” Raymond and Julia asked the judges who the winner was. The judges unanimously decided that both of them won. Both families shook each other’s hands and Julia and Raymond got together and winning. At night they all partied together even though it took a while before all the families’ members were friendly to each other. Raymond and Julia were very happy to have met each other and were glad that the feud was over. Julia told Raymond that she knew that there was a reason for her to be at the competition and was glad that she now knows why. Two years later Raymond and Julia were engaged and set to be married Raymond and Julia also opened their own bakery and called it Sandra’s . Their business was very successful and both of them were very happy and both families were happy for them. Sandra’s bakery would go on as one of the most successful business’s and soon a franchise. Raymond and Julia knew that with their love everything was possible. The End