Thursday, February 5, 2009

Where Have All the Girl Scouts Gone?

Maybe I'm getting antzy too soon, but isn't it Girl Scout cookie season? CNN is writing about Girl Scout cookie selling ethics, so it must be the season of the Thin Mint. Apparently there is a "a flock of 3.7 million Girl Scouts" and all their unethical parents are hawking their cookies for them at work so their daughters don't have to take time away from their "soccer, Hebrew school, karate" commitments.

First of all, you think with a flock that big I could score a box of Thin Mints, but I haven't seen one yet. What are my coworkers the most ethical parents around or something?

Second, why weren't my parents so unethical? I was a Girl Scout for (far too many) years, and my Dad never took that little sign-up sheet to work. Just like my parents never put that stupid sticker on their car that said "Proud parent of a Burnside Honor Roll Student." And you know what, I'm okay with that. Sure, I had to sit my little butt at a table outside the bank to sell my cookies in the freezing cold, but at least I know how to make correct change and talk to strangers now! Look, I've even made a career out of talking to strangers. Although, I have to say, I think strangers like Girl Scouts more than reporters. But the point is, what are parents going to do next, do their kids Hebrew school homework and play in the soccer games for them?

Back to the cookies. I'll take as many boxes of Thin Mints as I can fit in my freezer, please. And one box of those ridiculously sweet ones with the caramel and coconut for Nic. (I checked the cookie descriptions on my local chapter's site and apparently they're called Samoas now, but I'm pretty sure they were Caramel Delights back in my days in the old Green and White.)

And even though I object to the practice on principle, I will compromise my beliefs and buy from some Girl Scout's parent if need be. I'm a sucker for a Thin Mint.

What are you ordering? If you like the peanut butter ones, have no fear, the Girl Scouts are apparently immune to the recent peanut butter recall fiasco. Whew. Close call all you Do-Si-Doers.

Photo by Flickr user bandita (Creative Commons license)

5 comments:

MK said...

I miss the girl scout cookies, too! OK, so they are called "Samoas" in some parts of the country and "Caramel Delights" in others... at least that's what I've been told. THOSE ARE MY FAVES! And I'm not surprised that they are Nic's faves because Nic and I like all the same foods, minus meat.

My parents never brought a sheet in to work, either. I had to go door to door and sell 4,000 boxes to get a stuffed zebra. (That is a true story, btw)

Kate said...

Hahaha. Thanks for the info. on the regionality.

High Plains Drifters said...

Just fyi (re: comment you made on our site):

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/us/politics/08michelle.html?_r=1&hp

Last week, she took her staff to lunch at Five Guys Burgers and Fries, where she had a cheeseburger, French fries and a Coke.

Anonymous said...

This post made me laugh!!! My mom always took stuff to work BUT after I went door to door and harassed all of my neighbors first!

I am with MK- Samoas are my favorite!

Great site Kate!!

Mrs. in May said...

I am on a serious wedding countdown diet yet I cannot resist a little girl selling me cookies. I bought 10 boxes! I loaded up on Samoas and Thin Mints for my soon-to-be but then got some new sugar free ones for myself. Theyused to have these lowfat lemon coolers that I loved and mmmmmmm the graham crackers with chocolate but those must not have been good sellers, alas, they are gone now.