This week I treated myself to a fantasy shopping spree. Not much in the way of purchases since I don’t need anything but I had the opportunity to try some really cool spring clothes on and fantasize about it.
No shopping trip is complete without pizza at my favorite shop. Their pizza is not greasy. I don’t understand why some places have a pool of axle grease laying on the top of their pizza. It’s getting harder to get good pizza these days because it’s all leftovers. Pizzerias make 20 pies around 8 a.m. and reheat as they get orders. I long for the days of a freshly made slice straight from the oven. However, this post is not about the pizza.
I walked into the cafeteria-style shop just in front of another middle-aged woman. I ordered my pizza and then she ordered her pizza. The pizza guy asked, “Is this together or separate checks?” Taking the high road, I volunteered to have her pay for my pizza but she just laughed and said, “Separate.” Now I understand why he thought we were together. We came in at the same time; looked similar in age; and essentially ordered the same thing except for the disgusting spinach she got on her pizza. (That is just wrong. No self-respecting pizza wants green stuff on top). Clearly, I was the younger of the two of us. She could have been my much older sister but a 20-something pizza guy wouldn’t pick up on that. Heck, he wouldn’t care!
Then an amazing thing happened. We ordered our drinks – diet coke of course but she ordered hers with a shot of cherry. Wow! The fountain had cherry coke but it wasn’t diet so I never got it. I looked at her and said, “That sounds wonderful.” She assured me that it was. The guy in back of the counter got a kick out of these two old women (at least in his eyes — I would prefer the term hotties myself) discussing diet soda. He turned to me and said, “Oh, go ahead. Live a little.” So I did.
I am a huge Dr. Pepper fan. Over the years they have done wonderful things to cherry and coke flavors. My favorite was chocolate cherry (it was way more wonderful than it sounds). As soon as I was addicted to that, it was discontinued. I drove to every soda distributor in the area picking up chocolate cherry cases. I managed to squirrel some away. It took me months to finish and I took care to make sure they didn’t get that off-flavor that old diet soda gets. Then I moved onto cherry vanilla. Doggone it! They discontinued that. I swear that they have a webcam in my house and when they notice that I like something, wap it’s gone.
Back to my story…the pizza was wonderful and the shot of cherry in the diet soda was ingenious! I didn’t make a forever friend but she was clearly pleased that she could introduce a new concept. I believe I made her day and gave the pizza guy a giggle!
Views and Mews by Coffee Kat 
I know what you mean about stores discontinuing items you have formed a real attachment to. I’ve traveled miles to find a store that carries a product I love that another store dissed.
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I hear you. I did that with cereal too until it wasn’t available at all locally. Then I ordered on line which made it expensive. Then it wasn’t available there. I think it’s available in one town in the southwest because the manufacturer still lists it but it’s not at all available in the northeast!
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I don’t think we ever got the chocolate cherry dr. pepper! Wow! I would have been all over that one! I love it, too. I’ve been very good at reducing my diet soda intake over the last two years…hard for me to do that! I’ve some early osteoporosis and the soda is one of the “no-nos.” But every now and then, I have to have it! Fun post! Debra
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Yes, I have had to limit myself to a couple cans a week. That’s what makes it special when I have it. I would love a can of the chocolate cherry!
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Young men are blind, aren’t they?
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Yes, really!
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I loved cherry vanilla coke. It was like a dessert. Why did they discontinue something so good? Or were we the only 2 peeps who liked it?
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I don’t know why they discontinue the good stuff. There must be more people who like it.
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I love days like that!
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May I suggest you give Cherry Coke Zero a try? It is amazing. Tastes just like Cherry Coke, but no calories!
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Hmmmm….sounds good! I love cherry anything.
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Years ago the LV was a test market for Pepsi Kona. When they stopped making it I got the last 4 bottles out of a machine at a carwash in Wescosville and stowed them in the back of my refrigerator, waiting for a special occasion to open one. When that first special occasion arrived I discovered that soda in plastic bottles looses it’s fizz eventually. Flat Kona is not as tasty as fully charged Kona.
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Gosh, I missed that whole deal! I probably would have loved it!
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You’re making me hungry! 🙂
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A chance meeting and now you have a new beverage of choice. Sounds like it was fun!
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I mean, really, when is that last time you can remember adding a spritz of something just because it sounds yummy and tasty? Go for it, indeed! I so totally get what you’re saying about them always discontinuing something just as soon as you decide you like something. I’m a huge fan of peppermint ice cream. Sadly, most of the time it only shows up around the holidays. Now seriously, we’re supposed to be okay with doing without for ten months, just so we can enjoy it for those two months in the winter? Really? Give me a break!
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