On the road trip to the Loire Valley last week we stopped at a gas station to get gas and snacks. Having an inkling for a fountain soda I was quite excited for our stop. Fountain soda is my favorite, especially a Diet Pepsi from Taco Bell. I wasn’t just excited to have a fountain soda I was excited to have a fountain soda with ICE. Yes Ice. If you ever happen to order a soda here- be sure to ask for Ice if you would like it cold- though many times – you will still be rejected of your request. It’s simply not a common request as it is an expectation at home.
When I found out we would be stopping I began to day dream of the amazingness, of a fresh fountain soda with extra ice. I imagined the refreshing coolness of the drink, the crunching on the ice once the drink was finished but still had the lingering taste of soda on each of the cubes. Yum. When we finally arrived at the gas station I stepped out of the car with great delight knowing that once inside treasures awaited for me.
As I opened the door, being polite and holding for strangers to enter in exit, I continued to savor the thought in my head, of the drink I would soon get to partake. As I entered the bustling convenience store I quickly scanned the walls to headline in the direction of the soda machines. At any station in the U.S. there would be a minimum of two soda fountain machines with a large variety of options to choose from. You could choose: Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Root Beer, Orange, Iced Team, Cherry Coke, Dr. Pepper, and the list could continue. I knew my options would be a bit slimmer but I was okay with that- as long as I had my ice cold fountain coke- life would be grand.
As I continued to scan the room, a fountain soda machine was not to be found! In the entire convenience store where they sold: books, CD’s, food, tires, even canned soda, not a single flowing fountain soda machine ran! I was flabbergasted. As I tried to pick my jaw up off the floor, in the shock and horror that a fountain soda machine did not exist in this place- it quickly fell again when I found what they used as their replacement. Lined up against two walls were automatic coffee machines! Now come on! Really? Is two walls worth of automatic assorted coffee options really necessary? Couldn't’t you take one wall and turn it into a soda machine instead? Seriously! I mean where is the logic? And who even drinks assorted coffee flavors on road trips? Doesn’t a nice cold soda sound much more appealing???
The next morning upon arriving to breakfast there was a bowl set in front of each person. Now in my typical American mindset I thought, “oh cool, we are having cereal for breakfast.” No. no. no. no. no. Though cereal was an option for breakfast, that was not the purpose of the bowl placed before me. The actual function this bowl was intended for, was as a coffee cup. As I looked across the room each person had a large bowl of coffee placed before them. No cereal was currently being eaten from these bowls- nor would it ever be. You would take your bowl, pour in the coffee, and then enjoy a huge bowl of coffee with a baguette and jam.
I think after last week, I am more confused than ever- No fountain soda machines, automatic coffee dispensers instead and now- Coffee out of a cereal bowl. I have never really become attached to the caffeine in drinks rather I have always enjoyed the flavors of drinks that have caffeine in them. I knew I loved my caffeine- I just never realized that I might have had a greater attachment to the way it was consumed rather than the caffeine itself.
1 comment:
That pic of you with the cereal, I mean Coffee cup is too cute!
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