Behold The Power Of...

Grape Crush.


I was in the store the other day, standing at the check out counter, when an unseen force began pulling my eyes toward the soda machine. I NEVER buy soda unless I am sick. I glanced over at the soda machine and there it was.

A big, cold, purple, gleaming bottle of grape Crush. For whatever reason unknown to me, I HAD to buy it...so I did.

On the way home, the sun was blistfully shining, the song on the radio was upbeat and fun, and I took my first gulp of the lushious purple liquid.

I was immediately zapped back to being 10 years old. I was standing at the 25 cent soda machine with my siblings and my dad. I was pushing the button for the grape soda, and I was excited. I loved trips to the quarter soda machines with my dad...always with my dad. It was our Saturday afternoon break, after doing yard work all morning. Fond memories.

Then was thrown back to being 8 years old. I was riding my bike down the street with my brothers. We all had a bag full of goodies from our trip to the "corner store." In my bag, I also had grape soda. We would stop on a big grassy field, pull out the candy, drink the soda, and think we were the kings of the world.

Next I was thrown to the smell of sawdust and fresh cement. I could hear the saws roaring and the nail guns blasting. I was standing in the wood frame of what is now the house I basically grew up in. It was time for a break and we were all sitting on the wood piles, eating lunch and of course, drinking soda...mine was grape. Once again, the soda was provided by dad. Love it.

Soon, I was blasted back to being 7 yrs old. I was sitting in the fort I had spent the last week building with my siblings. We were out in the pasture on a warm summer afternoon. We just pulled some "pop" out of the freezer in the garage. Some had orange, some had Rootbeer, I had grape Shasta. We loved our fort. We loved every fort we ever made.

Next thing I knew, I was out of the softball field. I was 11 yrs old. It smelled like hot dogs and popcorn. I had on my hot pink hat, my team shirt, and of course, hot pink shorts. So cool.
We had just finished the game, and the "treat mom" brought soda. I picked grape, and snagged a few more for my brothers.

The memories didn't stop there, and they are still coming!

By the time I made it back to reality, I was grinning from ear to ear. What a trip!

I quit drinking "pop" when I was young. I just stopped liking the fizzy feeling and the sugar buzz. I can't even remember the last time I had anything other than a Coke (to stay awake while driving, or to help with morning sickness). This was quite the moment for me, and it was great!

It made the gorgeous, sunny and beautiful day spent outside, that much better! I was a kid again!

I still have 1/2 the bottle in the fridge and I am taking my time with it...releshing in the memories each drink brings.

Some things are just to classic to totally give up.