Withdrawal

Since arriving in Maine, I've been absolutely desperate for a fountain Coke. Yes, I have cans, but it's not the same. The fizziness bubbling on your tongue as they syrupy ambrosia surges through the straw...Can you tell I have a problem? Anyhow, for some reason, Mainers do not believe in fountain drinks. Or ice in drinks.

This is a problem for me.

I've forced my parents to stop at every gas station we pass, hoping that this one will have the much longed-for fountain drink machine. You can't not find one in the South. I've struck out over and over again. Worse than no fountain machine at all is walking in and finding a fountain Pepsi machine. Now, I know that Maine isn't the homeland of Coke, but honestly, Pepsi?? My whole being recoils in horror.

Today the weather was cold and drizzly on and off, so we gave up our boating plans and headed into town to do laundry and run errands. (Side note: nothing like a laundromat to make you miss your washing machine) Driving down Main Street-Damariscotta's only street, really-I happened to glance in the window of the local old-time pharmacy. Hope sprang anew as I read the words I'd never noticed before: "Soda Fountain," and below, the sacred Coca-Cola logo. As soon as the clothes were in the washers, I ran across the street and plopped myself down at the vintage soda fountain counter in Waltz's Pharmacy. I happily ordered a Coke, bouncing in my seat like a little kid. I was a bit confused when the girl behind the counter immediately put my cup under the spigot and starting filling. Then I noticed the lack of an ice machine-bad news. A thunderbolt hit the girl and she asked, "Did you want ice in that?" Before she'd even finished her question I nearly shouted "Yes!" She allowed as how she'd better leave some room at the top. She left about an inch and a half. My dad had come in by this point, and as the girl reached into the freezer for a ziploc bag full of ice tray ice cubes, he had the nerve to say that it was BETTER to add the ice second because the Coke fizzed less that way. "You want it to fizz!!!" I nearly screamed. To be so close and thwarted yet again was painful. My fountain Coke today had a total of four ice cubes. It had a decent syrup ratio, but the fizziness was definitely lacking, and there was no ice to crunch on when the Coke was gone. Better than I've found up here so far, but I'm still longing for Nu-Way or Chik-fil-A.