Memories

I stopped at the pop (or "soda" if you like) cooler this afternoon after filling up the Jeep (OK, I was also out of cigarettes) and was dismayed to find they were out of 2 liters of Mt. Dew. Figuring this was no problem I'd simply buy two 1 liter bottles instead I opened the cooler and then paused as I realized it would buy $3.00 for two liters. This seemed a bit wrong to me as it usually only costs around $1.69 for an actual 2 liter bottle. I grabbed a 1 liter and a 20 oz. bottle instead (alas, nary a regular Code Red in sight). The 20 oz. happened to be one of their "limited time only" bottles of Mt. Dew Throwback (made with REAL sugar)...they used the red colour in "real" so I figured I would too. Anyway back to the story.

The first sip I took of Throwback caused two things to run through my head. First, this tastes better than the usual formula. Second, this tastes just like the Dew in glass bottles I used to buy for a dollar back in Scania, Iraq. OK, three thoughts with the third being "I could really go for a Craven A cigarette right now to go along with this taste for old time sake."

Odd as it may sound, I miss stopping at Scania at least a couple times a week. That place was actually fun to wander around when I had the time, watch the interaction of people from all the different countries, and best of all the way the shops were arranged almost Old West style. Or to stroll even farther down memory lane, to the nights spent there in the beginning of the war when it was just a dirt lot, some fuel bladders, and us drivers camping out on our semi's, playing cards, socializing, maybe watching some movies, and me popping popcorn on the camp stove. Even though we were thousands of miles from home, we found our ways to have fun and relax after a long day on the road. I'll always be able to look back on times like that and smile...and to think, those memories were all triggered by pop formula that is almost a memory in and of itself.

Hope everyone had a merry Christmas and are still being safe.

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