As far back as I can remember, each morning my grandmother prepared breakfast for my granddad before he headed out for work. Poached eggs, toast and black coffee was the routine. My mother dropped me off at their house on the way to her job at Houston Lighting and Power, and I would always enjoy a great breakfast as well. Once the two of us had been served, Grandmother was ready to have her breakfast... |
Coke! One of those cold glass bottles of Coca Cola. This is what she drank every morning without fail. She couldn't stand coffee. In fact, she once warned me that coffee was bitter and suggested that I wouldn't like it. Hence, my dislike for the stimulating drink to this day.
But yes indeed, she would drink a Coke for breakfast each day - a Coke and nothing else. Now I know what you're thinking. This must have wreaked havoc on her health eventually. And I would imagine the same to be true had I not seen her live out a truly long and relatively healthy life. She passed away in March 2015, just twelve days short of her 96th birthday!
But yes indeed, she would drink a Coke for breakfast each day - a Coke and nothing else. Now I know what you're thinking. This must have wreaked havoc on her health eventually. And I would imagine the same to be true had I not seen her live out a truly long and relatively healthy life. She passed away in March 2015, just twelve days short of her 96th birthday!
This probably wasn't the best influence on me. But it seemed to be a trend in those days to have one's pantry stocked full of such sugary drinks and not hear a thing about potential health concerns in the news. And let's face it. I was a kid, and there was no way I was going to miss out on that carbonated goodness! Grandmother had a copper-colored timer that she set for sixty minutes every afternoon. She and I would |
grab a few bottles and put them in the freezer -- because we liked our colas icy cold. In this manner, the fridge was always stocked with drinks ready to be consumed.
In April 1985, Coca Cola decided to try something new. In fact, they called it "New Coke". Do you remember this? Well, Margaret Virginia White wasn't having it! She was put off with the foreign taste. At any rate, it didn't last very long, and before you knew it the store shelves were stocked with the old bottles (and cans) again. This time, they were called "Classic Coca Cola.
In April 1985, Coca Cola decided to try something new. In fact, they called it "New Coke". Do you remember this? Well, Margaret Virginia White wasn't having it! She was put off with the foreign taste. At any rate, it didn't last very long, and before you knew it the store shelves were stocked with the old bottles (and cans) again. This time, they were called "Classic Coca Cola.
I guess Grandmother could see through this marketing ploy. From that day forward, she bid farewell to the once trusted brand that had betrayed her. So she gave up on these sweetened drinks and turned over a new leaf, right??? Nope! Instead, she (we) moved on to Sprite - in cans rather than bottles. We continued our ritual of semi-freezing the drinks. |
Later, a couple other flavors were added: Fanta Grape Soda and Barq's Root Beer. All of these were products from Coca Cola, ironically.
Life went on. I entered high school and became preoccupied with my own activities. I would get to see Grandmother fairly regularly, but not on a daily basis. She and Sprite remained faithful to each other to the very end. I remember seeing a can sitting next to her recliner almost every time I came over. She used it (or maybe it was Coke) to help wash down her BC powder, which she had been taking for years.
Obviously, I wouldn't recommend drinking sodas as frequently as Grandmother did. But somehow it worked out for her. I can still imagine her there, sipping away, watching Wheel of Fortune or reading one of her romance novels with a smile.
Life went on. I entered high school and became preoccupied with my own activities. I would get to see Grandmother fairly regularly, but not on a daily basis. She and Sprite remained faithful to each other to the very end. I remember seeing a can sitting next to her recliner almost every time I came over. She used it (or maybe it was Coke) to help wash down her BC powder, which she had been taking for years.
Obviously, I wouldn't recommend drinking sodas as frequently as Grandmother did. But somehow it worked out for her. I can still imagine her there, sipping away, watching Wheel of Fortune or reading one of her romance novels with a smile.