A Day on Mass St.....

Mass St. Soda

The kids and I have spent the last week before school starts goofing off.  The house has fallen apart in the process but I'm perfectly okay with that.  I'll have plenty of time to whip it back into shape when the kids grab their backpacks and head back to the halls of knowledge.

One place we visited this week was Mass St. Soda.  The best way to describe this place?  It's like walking into a liquor store, except that all the booze has been replaced by soda....Lots and lots of soda.....Copious amount of soda.

The first time I visited this place there were so many drinking options that, due to sensory overload, I just walked around in circles completely indecisive.

After a while I got the sense that everyone was waiting on me, and so, settled for a butterscotch cream soda......I did not regret it.

This time around I thought about getting a vanilla cream soda when Tera shoved a bottle in my face, just inches away from my nose.

"YOU GOTTA TRY THIS!!!!!"

Having the bottle so close to my eyes did remind me that I really need to talk to my eye doctor about bi focals.....Up close the words are just one giant blur.  I lean back so I can read.

(on a side note:  THAT SUCKS.  I am actually better off propping my glasses on top of my head so that I can read up close or watch Netflix on my phone.  Pfft.....whatever....  Just.....aggravating...)

"Hmm....Chocolate Covered Maple Smoke Bacon Soda.......Breakfast in a bottle....Really Tera?"

Tera:  "Yeah, doesn't that look awesome?"

"Uh, I dunno.....Are you gonna try it?"

Tera: "No, it's for you."

Considering that she just recently tried to give me a green apple jalapeño soda, this chocolate covered bacon mess appeared to be the better of the two options.

"Whatever, I'll try it."

Tera:  "HOORAY!!!"

NO......Not hooray....I offered Toby the first sip and, God love him, he tried to keep a straight face but the watering eyes and slight pucker gave him away.

Toby:  "It's not bad."

Yeah, you're so full of shit.

I took my first swig and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was actually tolerable. The after taste was a bit strong, but not bad ---- as long as it was cold.

I later discovered that when the soda starts to warm a bit it's ass-like qualities began to make itself known.  Every drink got a little tougher to swallow. The aftertaste got stronger and hung around longer. An inadvertent belch produce an insufferable dose of second hand soda which I was forced to gag down as I was in public and on a busy street.....Had that happened a lonely stretch of dirt road I would have left behind a giant, mucous filled splat mark and then went off to find some wild onions to chew on.  Anything is better than this crap. proof that not all things bacon is good.

Tera:  "Dad, hurry up and finish.  I want to keep the bottle."

Ugh....God....

Next time, Tera, I choose the soda.

The Street Performer

As a guitar player he wasn't all that bad.  He wasn't over the top spectacular, but not bad.

His voice could use a little work though.  It was loud and resonating but, at times, noticeably off key. Still, he did have a better singing voice than the one I possess.  My singing talents are for the shower only.  No one else needs to be put through that form of vocal hell.

I really had no intention of giving him any money but Tera insisted.

"We have to give him something." she prodded.

"Okay, here." I reach into my pocket and pull out all my loose change, "Give him this."

"What?"

I could see it in Tera's eyes; she's just like me in that she is not comfortable interacting with people she doesn't know.  Even if it is just to give a street performer change.

"WASTING AWAY AGAIN IN MARIJAUNAVILLE!!"

Nice change in lyrics there, buddy.

Tera shifted uncomfortably and I did my best to reassure her.

"Look, kid, all you have to do is give him the change and walk away.  You don't have to say a thing to him,  OK?"

Tera nodded in agreement but I could tell she still wasn't comfortable with the situation.

Knowing that I don't want my daughter to be socially awkward like her old man, I make Tera take my loose change and send her forward.

Tera, all too aware that she was not getting out of this, put her head down, quickly walking passed the street performer and gave up the spare change without breaking stride.  She didn't slow down her pace until she was well past him and out of the danger zone.

"Hey, pumpkin."

"Yes."

"Your'e supposed to drop the change in the guitar case, not chuck it at the musician."

"Oh, sorry."

Sigh...."That's alright, kid.  We will do better next time."

Although Tera must not have peppered him too bad.  He did say thanks and kept on playing. In retrospect,  it is probably a good thing he was wearing sun glasses or it's possible that things may have turned out differently.



Chocolate Covered Bacon Soda and one street performer blasted with change aside, it was not a bad day.....Not a bad day at all.

You know, maybe we will go back again tomorrow.  I'd like to go back to Mass St. Soda and pick something out that actually tastes good....Anything fruity or maybe a root beer.....Just no bacon.....Ever....Again...