Near had never liked sweet things. Every Halloween, Near would always get the candy the other orphans didn't want; the sour ones. He loved green apples, lemon and grape, though oranges were too sweet for him.

But as time passed, Near grew to not just dislike sweet things, but to have flat-out resentment for them. Whenever he would head an investigation, no one would be allowed to eat candy, chew gum or even drink Coca Cola. Chocolate were forbidden along with regular white sugar for tea or coffee.
People complained and called him eccentric behind his back when they thought he wasn't listening. But Near didn't care. They were there for solving crimes, not to eat sweets. Besides, he told them, too much sugar would make them fat and their brains slow.

What he didn't tell them, was the real reason for he aversion against anything sweet: any kind of candy, lump of sugar or chocolate bar reminded him of the losses of the two men he had ever cared about, and it made him feel sick to his stomach with grief.

Near himself would only ever eat candy on two dates: October 31st and December 13th.