1A TALE OF TWO COOKIES by Regina Rei.

Lamourelle

It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times. Charlotte, a Sugar Cookie, could
not remember when things had been so good and bad. More sugar cookies were selling than she
could ever remember. In fact, at the Cookie Exchange, there were so many sugar cookies that
they had to stop cookie trading until the market settled down. Charlotte, president of SCI
(Sugar Cookie International), had appeared on a television show to tell about her success.
Grandma Sugar’s recommendation to add lemon to the dough was a real hit. Sales boomed when
she suggested that people eat sugar cookies and milk before bedtime to relax and go to sleep.
Apparently, people are influenced by what they see on television. The problem for Charlotte now
was that the sugar needed for the cookie was in short supply. Charlotte was “one tough cookie,”
and she knew that she needed to find a fast sugar supply to keep her cookie market edge.
A sharp business cookie, Chancellor did not understand why Charlotte was complaining. She
had fame, success, and lots of potential clients. Science was also on her side. Serotonin, a
calming brain chemical released from sugar cookies and milk, really did help people sleep. She
would have many clients. However, Chancellor’s problem was somewhat different. He had
plenty of supplies, sugar, flour, and chocolate. Plain, oatmeal cookies weren’t selling so well, so
he converted his factory to make chocolate chip oatmeal cookies on the advice of a cookie
counselor. How sweet the new cookie sounded. Chancellor would combine two main ingredients
that people love, chocolate and oatmeal cookies. Chancellor was sure that his cookies could be
just as big as Charlotte’s if he only had some publicity.
Figaro, a Fig Newton, was one smart cookie. He knew that Chancellor would gladly share his
sugar with Charlotte if she could help him with some publicity. It sounds like a “win/win,” so
Figaro knew he had to get these two cookies together to negotiate a trade. He knew just the
cookie to help him, Ginger Snap. Ginger was the socialite of the bunch and knew how to plan
meetings, parties, and ways cookies could meet each other. Figaro took Ginger, his old friend, to
lunch and discussed his plan. She agreed to help if Figaro could get his cookie friends to donate
some goods for her cookie charity event to help the less fortunate cookies. Figaro agreed, and the
rest of the plan was a snap.
Ginger invited Charlotte and Chancellor to her Fancy Cookie Ball, and the rest was history.
The two cookies sat next to each other, with Figaro and Ginger nearby. With some
encouragement, Charlotte and Chancellor agreed on the terms of a sugar trade. Chancellor’s
chocolate chip oatmeal cookies did become popular, and Charlotte was happy to share part of the
cookie market with him. She knew that without his help, she could have lost all her cookies.
Chancellor learned from Figaro that his cookies and Charlotte’s had a lot in common.
Chocolate, the main ingredient in his cookies, also has a brain chemical similar to oxytocin that
is good for thinking and caring. According to the American Heart Cookie Association, oatmeal is
also a very good fiber for the heart.
Ginger Snap was a socialite, but she also had a cookie conscience and some final advice.
Ginger reminded all the cookies that they were only snack items and should be eaten in
moderation. Just because they have some good chemicals in them does not mean that people
should eat too many or too often. Ginger told her friends that they had a duty to add this
information to the cookie packaging.
At first, the cookie friends were reluctant but remembered how cooperating helped them
solve their problems and be successful. After all, if people only ate cookies and became sick, no
one would ever want any cookies. That would not be good for all cookies. So the cookie friends
agreed and banded together to form the Responsible Cookie Coalition and passed the “Cookie
Information Act.”

Regina Rei Lamourelle, 11/18/1997