Flavored Memories

Cherry Coke

Vanilla Dr. Pepper

Peach Tea

Raspberry Ginger Ale

Flavored drinks are all so popular right now. Everywhere you go you can have your choice of fruits and flavors added to anything you want. You can mix it up in a Big Gulp drink from the local gas station. Restaurants offer special teas and coffees. You want to be considered cool? Add a couple of flavors to anything you drink.

Who knew that mumblemumble years ago, my girlfriend, Beth and I were cool years before our time?

Every opportunity we had during those lazy summer days of high school, we could be found cruising the Sonic Drive Inn and sipping on our own mixture ... we called it a CVLS (Cherry Vanilla Lime Sprite) and it could only be had at the one drive inn located between our houses. The other one in town didn't have Sprite, it had Teem. And while the manager would argue that there was no difference - trust us ... there was. It wasn't on the menu. The menu didn't list flavor additions at that time. It was something we talked them into making especially for us. After the first few times, we didn't have to talk to hard ... unless we got a new employee. Then we would patiently talk them through it. Only a couple times did we have to get the manager to confirm our request was legit.

Tonight as I drove by the Sonic on my way home, I was looking at the kids enjoying the last days of summer before heading back to school. I watched them ... sharing and tasting the different flavors of their various drinks.

I remembered those CVLSs from those years long ago. So I pulled in and ordered one. Of course, I had to use the words and not the initials. The girl taking my order didn't bat an eye at the combination of flavors and the carhop that brought it to my window wasn't the least bit curious about my request. But that was alright.

Tonight as I drove home sipping the refreshing flavored drink, I enjoyed those memories from mumblemumble years ago. And smiled.