April 13: Entourage

Peanut was a short, round, and portly little fellow. He was a social nut. He had a bold attitude towards life. He went into every situation with an admirable assertiveness that is hard to find in an individual. He stood strong in his beliefs that the buttery blend he created with his fellow legumes was unmatched in flavor. Not only did it taste great, but it balanced the often stubborn Jelly. He loved hanging out in bars and traveling on airplanes, but being the sport nut that he was, he loved a good ballgame too.

Cashew, on the other hand, was just plain nutty. Or was he? He was tall, lanky, had horrible posture and a split personality. He walked around with the weight of the world on his shoulders. And why shouldn't he? Raised alone and sheltered from the world, he had always been misunderstood. People called him a nut when in reality, he was a little more fruity. He was a seed that needed love and affection to grow strong but he never received it. The only friends he had were other misunderstood misanthropes like himself. Alone, he was boring, but when he was in the company of his salty and zesty friends, he was a real treat.

Raisin was an anomaly. People either loved or hated him. A direct relative of that fruit, Grape, he couldn't shake his dry sense of humor. The world as a whole, never knew whether to enjoy his antics or toss him aside. In 1986, Raisin's cousin, A.C. started a rock band with his friends, Beebop, Stretch, and Red and brought fame and fortune to the family name with the hit single, I Heard it Through the Grapevine. The name was synonymous with awesome and cool, but through the years, the fruity group couldn't keep its fresh appeal. They shriveled back to Earth and the public soon forgot them and went back to that pesky Grape. Raisin and his dry wit was left pleasing half a crowd.

Almond. What can be said about him that hasn't already been made perfectly clear? Big on the power of protein and a health nut by nature, he was more outgoing than anything. It never took much persuasion to get him to come out of his shell. He loved a good shave with a bowl of ice cream and that pasty mixture that Peanut was always raving about? It didn't even compare with his self-title Almond Butter. Almond was the kind of guy that had a perfect complexion and a chiseled look that made Sugar blush.

M&M: the most diverse, sweetest guy around. Men are from Mars and so was M&M. Everyone loved him. Red, blue, yellow, green, brown, and orange. Arguments have been made for years over which one was sweetest, but science had proven that each was just as sweet and friendly as the other. They say nice guys finish last, but M&M was the exception to the rule. Born in 1941, M&M had made appearances on ice cream, in granola bars, and in vending machines everywhere. He was so cultured that he'd been to more than 100 countries and he received the same accolades in each one. He was the kind of guy that would melt in your mouth and not in your hand. He became close friends with Peanut and Almond even though the two had their differences in opinion. Although Peanut and Almond couldn't stand each other, it was M&M that brought the two together.

An unlikely group of heroes. A brilliant idea of convergence and unity. In 1968, this sweet group of nutty fruits serendipitously met each other in California. M&M, of course, already knew Peanut and Almond and had arranged for them to meet. The latter two knew each other through word of mouth and from rave reviews from their sweet, mutual friend. Raisin was there visiting the graves of A.C. and the band. Cashew was searching for answers.

As legend goes, two surfers in need of an energy snack gathered the five unique individuals and the rest is history. Trail Mix was born. "The sum is greater than the individual parts" and this couldn't be more true for the new entourage. Each one had its own contribution to society, but together, they were inseparable. They climbed mountains together. They ran marathons and went on picnics as one. Trail Mix even hid in the pockets of students and teachers alike.

Finding one without the other isn't difficult, but strongly advised against. Why go social with Peanut, but leave the Omega-9s of Almond behind? M&M is fantastic, but Cashew needs some love too. Together they're fun, friendly, and energetic. Together, they are Trail Mix!