'You can never grow old'

My buddy Chris is a “special” young man and was here for a long weekend. On Sunday morning, Howard Kurtz (CNN’s “Reliable Sources”) was listing some stories buried by cable news’ overkill coverage of Anna Nicole Smith.

Kurtz mentioned a “peanut butter recall.”

BJ: “Chris, I wonder what brand of peanut butter?”

Chris: “Why don’t you go online and find out?”

BJ: “Good idea.”

Chris and I then went to the pantry and pulled out a 40-ounce jar of Peter Pan creamy which we had pretty much polished off over the past month.

ConAgra had recalled Peter Pan peanut butter with lids bearing a lot number starting with “2111.” The lot had caused an outbreak of salmonella poisoning, affecting some 300 persons in 39 states.

BJ: “Chris, do you see any numbers on the yellow lid?”

Chris: “Yes.”

BJ: “Can you read them to me?”

Chris: “2-1-1-1-6-2-8-2-0-0-1-8-4-8-8.”

Chris and I had consumed 40 ounces of the glorious golden goo – “Lot 2111” - and were none the worse for having done so.

I cannot shake the feeling that the two of us might have ended up in the hospital with only my cooking to blame.

Peter Pan is my brand, and I wouldn’t change, but this does give a whole new meaning to “You can never, never grow old.”