Cheerios and Islands to the East of Continents

Do you remember when there used to be just Cheerios? I mean, just regular Cheerios?

No. I'm not that old.

Yeah, me neither. What are there like five different kinds of Cheerios now days?

Uh…let's see. There’s Honey Nut. And Frosted.

Yogurt covered just came out. I swear there are more, though.

Okay, I just Wikied it and here are the varieties of Cheerios and the years they were introduced: Honey Nut (1979), Apple Cinnamon (1988), Multi-Grain (1992), Frosted (1995), Team Cheerios (whatever those are) (1996), Purely O’s (organic Cheerios) (1999), Millenios (2000—no longer available, big surprise), Berry Burst (2003), Yogurt Burst (in Vanilla and Strawberry) (2005) and Fruity Cheerios (2006).

I had no idea. We named, what, three?

Yeah. We don’t know our O’s. It also says The Lone Ranger was a spokesperson for Cheerios from 1941 into the 60’s.

That’s a long time.

It is. And there used to be a Cheerios mascot named Cheeri O’Leary.

How diverse of them.

Truly.

Whoa, the New Zealand form of Cheerios has 6.5 times the amount of sugar the American product has.

How do we get our hands on some of that? Save us the trouble of putting the extra 6.5 times amount of sugar on it ourselves before we eat it.

No kidding. I think I have an aunt that lives in New Zealand, maybe I could find out.

Do.

I always get New Zealand mixed up with Madagascar.

Really? Why?

They’re both large islands to the east of continents. Is Australia a continent? Or is it an island?

It’s a continent. It’s the smallest continent.

So both New Zealand and Madagascar are islands to the east of continents. They’re linked in my mind. Actually, I always think Madagascar is New Zealand but I never think New Zealand is Madagascar.

So basically, in your mind, there are—or should be—two New Zealands.

I guess so. Sorry Madagascar.

NASCAR should have a race in Madagascar. NASCAR in Madagascar!

Can you imagine how much it’d cost to send their cars and equipment over there?

Yeah. It probably wouldn’t be worth it, I guess.

What about Japan? Or Taiwan? Or Sri Lanka?

For a NASCAR race?

No. They are large islands to the east of a continent. Do you get them mixed up?

I...don't...know. I'm not very good with geography.

*Cheerios facts in this conversation were supplied—as stated by Buck—by Wikipedia. The author makes no claim whatsoever to have known there were that many varieties of Cheerios. Or that The Lone Ranger and Cheeri O’Leary had any affiliation with Cheerios. Furthermore, the author does not claim to like Cheerios. Or NASCAR, for that matter. But he would someday like to visit large islands to the east of continents.