Life Savers, a ring-shaped hard candy that is usually wrapped in foil rolls, was occasionally featured on the television show Mad Men. I remember in “The Phantom” episode Pete wanted “fresh” Life Savers from the lobby (whatever that means), then there was that time Peggy lost both a nickel and a quarter trying to buy a pack of them (again in the lobby) during “The Summer Man” episode. Also, in “The Jet Set” Duck has started drinking again so he pops a Life Saver before he walks into a meeting. So if Mad Men was really trying to sell me on the candy, they sure did. Or maybe I’ve just watched too many episodes too many damn times.
Anyway, if Peggy or Pete or Duck (if he’s still alive) are driving north on Route 11 into the upstate New York town of Gouverneur, they’re not losing their minds. Yes, in the middle of Main Street is a giant roll of Pep-O-Mint Lifesavers. Open on one end, the “statue” was donated by the local Rotary Club in 1987 in honor of local resident E.J. Nobel, who was not the creator of the candy but came up with the the idea of the tin-foil wrappers to keep the mints fresh. Pep-O-Mint was the first official Life Savers flavor. So Nobel’s wrapper live on in his hometown. Wasn’t that little nugget of information a “hole” lot of fun?
