Want to find candy from your childhood that’s still in production? Aside from Candy Addict links, try the very bottom shelf in the candy aisle at your supermarket. The bottom shelf usually has the less popular comestibles, or maybe it’s for the customers who know what they want and where to get it. Either way, that’s where I noticed a fun candy from my childhood: original Spree. (I said “fun,” not “delicious.”)

So, what’s so fun about Spree? Well, you have to know what these candies do when they get wet. That’s right: they bleed off their super bright colors like you’ve got your own personal dye factory. Apparently, some girls used them for makeup before they were allowed such stuff, but of course we boys had a much “better” idea. We systematically collected all the red ones and made fake gun-shot wounds on our white t-shirts. Obviously.

Our method was to very lightly moisten the bowlful of red Spree candies with a mist from the hose, then rub off the color with our fingers and apply it in tight red circles where we wanted to pretend we’d been hit. Now, because the color was so bright and released so easily with water, we didn’t even need all the red ones we’d collected, but we thought it looked great to have many, many wounds. By the time we were through, it looked like someone on a crime spree had sprayed bullets through our yard, hitting all of us multiple times. Ahhh, good times.

I did taste original Spree again the other day. They were like I remember: sort of a wimpier version of SweeTarts. So, I guess some things stay the same: I still like Spree more for its crazy bright colors than for its taste. But they’re always good on your t-shirt.

• Willy Wonka Candy (maker of Spree)

Buy Spree Online:

• at Old Time Candy
• at Candy Direct
• at Amazon.com
• in bulk at Candy Crate