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In a Moment of Vision...

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It's the 1930s, San Francisco.

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Joseph B. Friedman [br]and his young daughter Judith

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are sitting at the counter [br]in a soda parlor.

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Judith has just ordered a milkshake.

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Vanilla or strawberry, we may never know.

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When the milkshake arrives,[br]Joseph watches as little Judith struggles.

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Seated on the parlor stool,

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she is unable to reach the mouth[br]of the striped paper straw

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protruding from her shake.

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Joseph, in a moment of vision, [br]modifies Judith's straw.

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He inserts a screw into one end,

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and using a piece of dental floss,

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crushes the paper between the threads[br]of the screw

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creating a series [br]of tiny equidistant corrugations.

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After removing the screw,

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the straw is able to bend over the side[br]of the glass

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and Judith is able to savor her milkshake.

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Joseph initially markets [br]the new flexible straw

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to hospitals to help patients[br]drink while reclining,

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but eventually, with the marketing[br]and business savvy from his sister Betty,

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the bendy straw becomes a beloved utensil[br]of every child

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and a regular household item.