Writing Wednesday is a place for me to write whatever I want to write.
The following is a piece I wrote in my summer writing class last summer. It kind of goes along with my post from last week as it was also inspired by summer warmth. As I am typing this, it is about 93 degrees and I have braved the outside warmth a few times today, each time coming into my air conditioned house being grateful for central air. Yes, I am a spoiled brat. Enjoy a little piece from the past:
The girl from Wisconsin isn't made for the heat. You know, the blazing, I'd rather just jump out of my skin into a pool filled with icy pops and ice cubes kind of heat. The pops would be so much more tasty but the cubes would offer a bit more wetness with its cold. And it is always nice to have a grape ice pop on hand when the taste and heat inspires.
Now, a pool filled with ice cream would be cold, I'll give you that, but it wouldn't be as pleasant. Being creamed doesn't feel like it would be my life choice. Now, chilled, yes a lifegoal, sticky and creamy, not so much.
An ice cold drink is my also help with feeling too hot, but through a straw is best way for an iced drink, in my opinion. I'm against the too cold embrace of my upper lips on ice as the liquid battles for space into my mouth. And my drink of choice is definitely going to be the carbonated goodness of soda.
Now, there's another thing to battle. Is it soda or pop? I've seen maps showing which states use which label. I think it is about 50/50. I used to care about "right" answers but I now find diversity or variety the right answer, although I may be less bugged by soda.
I think my favorite solution is the way my high school friend's dad would offer me a "soda-pop," with a tiny emphasis on the POP, on warm summer days. It was endearing the way he would push the sugar filled drinks on us teens. He was like a cute 60s hair slicked back kind of a drug dealer.
Now, the only soda term from that map that I do not stand for is Coke. When they say "want a coke?" in the south it doesn't necessarily mean a red can with swirly Coca-Cola embedded on the side. Nope. It is like asking: "Want a soda, or want a pop?," but bringing back some milk. Maybe I prefer Pepsi. Will I end up eternally thirsty because I didn't want a Coke?
So, in crazy places where they ask you if you want a Coke, is there a follow up question? Like "what kind?" Or is it just a lottery style, you get what they give you, or what they have in their fridge? At least when you say want a soda(or pop)? you know there will definitely be a follow up, usually offering what the options are in the fridge.
Maybe people in Cokeland only like Coke. Or maybe they have seen all the cute polar bear advertising and have assumed that Coke just makes everything better and therefore is the only answer.
Maybe I am not just hot right now, but maybe I am also very thirsty. I guess those often go hand in hand.
I don't care what you call it, just get me a drink already. And make it cold, like my heart, but not as cold as ice. Please and thank you.
