Thursday, June 14, 2007

Oh, No!



I have been riding my bike to work again lately. It's about 14 or 15 miles each way. In the morning it's not too bad but in the heat of the late afternoon I perspire quite heavily. As such, I found myself fantasizing of a big pitcher of green (yes, green is a flavor)Kool Aid on my home yesterday in the near 90 degree heat. By the time I got back to my neighborhood I was jonesing for a sweet, vitamin C fortified fix.

I locked up my bike and headed over to the little Mexican grocery around the corner. Up and down the aisles I went. In the soda aisle? Nope. Maybe it's by the sugar. Nope. By the coffee and tea? The dehydrated foods? By the Juices? Nope, nope and nope. I head on over to the counter...

Counter Lady: Can I help you?

Me: Where do you keep the Kool Aid?

Counter lady: Hold on. (she turns and shouts to a guy in produce) Pedro! Pedro!

Pedro: Que?

Counter Lady: Spanish spanish spanish spanish spanish.

Pedro: Spanish spanish spanish spanish spanish.

Counter lady: (to me) No. We don't carry it.

Me: Really? No Kool Aid, no Flavr-Aid, no Wyler's?

Counter lady: Sorry.

I was outraged. I have been surprised in the past by some of the items this store doesn't carry but not having Kool Aid just doesn't make sense. I live in a relatively low income/ethnic neighborhood and nobody loves themselves some Kool Aid like poor people. I have vowed never to darken their doorway again.

I walked across the street to the little convenience store and they had Kool Aid. I got enough to make a gallon of the green stuff.

I hurried home with my treasure and mixed up a big batch and served over ice. The first glass was delicious. The second was almost as good. The glass I poured to go with my big dinner salad went largley untouched. Ya know, a gallon of Kool Aid is a lot for one person.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I honestly love that you called it your treasure.

thirdworstpoetinthegalaxy said...

Yes, but I bet that first glass was entirely worth the trouble. Love that feeling of a nice, cold refreshment after a workout.

I hope your place of employment has showers -- otherwise, I have to suspect that (even if the ride isn't as sweaty in the morning) you might be turning heads (for all the wrong reason) as you walk to your desk.

Foofa said...

This is the most racially self-deprecating comment I have left on someone else's blog but, here it goes. Mexican's don't love Kool-Aid; us Black folks do.

Michael K said...

Natalie: For shame! I grew up hearing all the black food jokes when I was a kid. I never understood them cuz as a poor white kid we had fried chicken, watermelon and Kool Aid at least twice a week. I was like, "Yep. They sure do like it." And thought secretly, "What the fuck are they talking about? Fried chicken is my favorite food." Maybe I am part black.

Foofa said...

actually my white boyfriend is the one who brought kool-aid into our house. I wouldn't drink the stuff if it wasn't for him. I just couldn't resist. Bad bad me.