Answer to Mystery Object #5

It wasn't hard to figure out (I need to start making these harder) but Mystery Object #5 is gummy bracelets! We officially called them Goomies back then. Thanks Michelle for being the first to guess!  

This chain of goomies was originally five times the length. They've unravelled over the years but I've clung to them because of their neon-like colors and my slight guilt associated with them. During a childhood summer I spent in Taiwan my grandmother sent me to her distance niece's house to learn the abacus (no joke). I had never met this niece and her family, but she taught the abacus for extra income. My cousin and I went for a full day of tutorials when I noticed that one of her kids was playing with a giant pile of goomies. Apparently this family was also in toy exporting, but the toys were the flimsy, plastic Made In Taiwan in the 80s kind. Their were nothing like my die-cast metal robots or pricey video games. I had been pretty spoiled with our toys in the states. I asked if I could have a few goomies and ended up taking a giant chain. I was thrilled. These were coveted by the girls at school! 

They weren't the softer goomies that I had at home. They were hard plastic and retained the last shape they were bent, which was not desirable (see above photo). And they scratched. But I took them just because I could. When we got home I got in trouble with my grandmother for asking for so many. I also didn't remember know how to use the abacus.