When it comes down to it, I've only been drinking soda for a little over 20 years.
Of course, I've actually been drinking carbonated soft drinks for a lot longer than that. But before I got to college, I drank "pop." That's what we called it in eastern Iowa, where I spent the first 18 years of my life. But then I went to college -- in Cape Girardeau, Mo. -- and I soon learned that southeast Missouri was in "soda country."
It could have been worse, I suppose. I could have landed myself in an even more countrified territory, where such drinks are referred to as "sodee." Or I could have ended up in the domain of Atlanta, where everything is a "coke," regardless of the flavor or brand.
But it was soda country for me, and I soon learned to adapt. Among the things I learned in my first semester of college were where all the "1-ups" were on Super Mario Bros, and how to order a soft drink without sounding like a complete outlander.
But in my younger days, it was "pop," and getting to drink it was a real treat. About the only time my sister and I got to enjoy such such pleasures was on camping trips, when my parents would stock up on the "Hy-Vee" brand pops -- the cheap stuff from our local grocery store. My sister's favorite was grape. I was a fan of wild cherry.
Somewhere along the line, I became a Pepsi man, though I can't remember when or why. But I do remember that in high school, I amassed a collection of Pepsi cans, including their holiday offerings and their "Summer Cool Cans." Of course, this only goes to show that I was pretty much a colossal geek. My dad probably still has a box of those cans somewhere deep in storage. They're probably worth 5 or 6 bucks today.
It was during my college years that I discovered the joy that is Mountain Dew. I spent my summers during that time working as a summer camp counselor. Those employed in that line of work tend to find themselves perpetually tired, but also constantly in need of energy. So it is of little surprise that Mountain Dew was popular among the camp staff. I used to fill a 32-ounce cup with the fizzy yellow stuff at least three or four times a day. I lived on it.
But such consumption took its toll. As time went by, I discovered that on weekend evenings when I would consume significant amounts of Mountain Dew, followed by significant amounts of carbonated malt-based beverages (or vice versa), I would get a significant stomachache. Later, I would get the stomachaches simply from drinking the Dew alone. So I gave it up.
It was sometime after leaving college that Coca Cola became my beverage of choice. I think it was mainly a convenience issue. Outside of Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, pretty much every restaurant in the world only offered Coke products. So that's what I learned to love. Having landed in the South, it also made sense to choose Coke as my soft drink of choice.
But the Dew always beckoned, and eventually I fell off the wagon, succumbing again to the citrusy sensation. Luckily, I was no longer drinking it by the gallon (and I was consuming far fewer carbonated malt-based beverages), and my stomach pains never returned.
But I did start putting on a few pounds. Not a ton, mind you. I've never been a big guy. But after years of eating poorly and getting next to no exercise, I reached a point where I weighed a little more than I needed to.
So I switched to the diet stuff. Diet Mountain Dew at home and at work. Diet Coke in restaurants. Plus I started exercising more, doing a little running, eventually working my way up to half-marathons (half-marathon No. 4 is this weekend in Little Rock ... wish me luck). I managed to shed a few pounds, and am feeling healthier.
Today, I try to keep my soda consumption at a moderate level, though I admit I still drink my fair share. I drink a Diet Mountain Dew every morning, and a caffeine-free Diet Mountain Dew every night. I'll often order a Diet Coke in restaurants, although every once in a while I'm a good boy, and settle for ice water.
Whether you cal it pop or soda or sodee or coke, I will always be a fan. Sure, it might not be the healthiest stuff in the world, but I figure we all deserve to have a few vices we can enjoy in life. And soda is one of mine.
Cheers.
aweld@blythevillecourier.com