We’re in Manhattan (New York, not Kansas) where I’m suffering from two kinds of sticker shock: regular and newyorkish. Regular: at DIA, I treated myself to a cylinder of Life Savers: $1.35. Life Savers, as everyone knows, were invented by Hart Crane’s father and are still manufactured to the formula that has made them a gourmet delight for a hundred years: "sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1)." But Life Savers cost, in my childhood, exactly a nickel. Now it’s $1.35 for a small package!! Beyond belief!! But if regular sticker shock is bad, what about high-voltage newyorkish shock? In my own lifetime, it was possible to ride the NYC subway for 5 cents. Now it’s two count ’em two bucks, making the lifesaverish increase seem like peanuts. And what about this morning’s breakfast? An omelet and a cup of coffee: $17.23 plus tip. And the earmuffs at a boutique for brazillionaires on Madison Avenue: $650. After an efficient deliberation, we decided against purchasing the designer earmuffs. At a nearby shop, knockoffs just as effective were available at $32.00, which, in context, seemed like a bargain. Only $16 per ear. But shouldn’t a pair of earmuffs retail for $1.59?
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