The Pain of It All

I had to go to Sam's yesterday. I was cooking for a crowd at church and needed the super economy size of noodles and salad. As I have mentioned time and again, it has been pretty dang hot around these parts. Yesterday was no exception.

I don't drink much soda any more (it used to be an all-consuming habit of mine), but I enjoy a Dr. Pepper now and again, preferably served from a fountain. In fact, Dr. Pepper is the only major brand soda I can even tolerate. Yesterday I was thinking that my suffering in the heat, especially at my advanced age, deserved the treat of a tall, ice cold, fizzy beverage of the Dr. Pepper variety. I had my baby girl with me. Sam's has a heck of deal on a giant slice of pizza and a soda. The girl has no interest in soda and we usually split a piece of pizza, so I could be satisfied for cheap and life would be good. I couldn't have been more wrong.

I got my pizza and giant cup and headed over to the row of fountain drinks and...WHAT!!. Seriously? The only choice with an "out of order" sign on it was the Dr. Pepper. Now, I am fully aware there are worse tragedies in the world, but this seemed almost epic at that moment. I went back to the counter and asked for a refund. The darling girl looked at me like I was out of my mind which I was as my dreams of tall, ice cold, fizzy beverage were dashed on the jagged edges of an "out of order" sign.

After consulting with her superior she told me I would have to go to the service desk or I could have a bottle of water. While any other day of the week I might have chosen that over the Dr. Pepper anyway, yesterday was not that day. I told her I didn't want water. I wanted a DR. PEPPER! She offered me an Icee.

Now I fully realize that is a more than fair trade. An Icee is an upgrade for any normal and reasonably sane person. That wouldn't be me on my best day, but I took it just the same.

So I ate my pizza, enjoyed the company of my baby girl, and sulked as I sipped my Icee. I still haven't gotten over it.