Sonic Drinks

My husband is always amazed at my near obsession with Sonic Drinks.

Recently in the news, there was a story of a three year old that was lost for several days in the woods. When the child was found he'd lost a shoe, his diaper, and he was thirsty and hungry but basically okay. Steve joked that Will wouldn't live for two days with out access to a Sonic.

To truly understand my affair with Sonic drinks, you really needed to grow up in a small town. During my teen years, I lived in a town with a population of about 5,000. At nights, the only thing to do was cruse; which was just drive the main street from one end to the other and loop back. While you were doing it, you would stop in at Sonic -- the ONLY fast food place in town and get a drink. You'd jump out of your car and talk to other teens that were parked, or working, there. It was THE social place to be. (I'm not joking.)

The Sonic in my hometown was also VERY involved in all sports activities. They'd hand out free coupons for ice creams or sodas to all players at t-ball, basket ball, and any other sport that came along. Our Sonic would pitch our redeemable coins at parades and certificates for free meals when you got all "A"s on your report cards. It was the "cool" place for teenagers to work.

It was the only place for overworked parents to grab a quick meal. The only place to get a desert in town. It is where all stay-at-home mom's took their kids after picking them up for school. It was a MAJOR part of our lives.

I told you. You pretty much had to grow up there to understand it.

When all of us lived in Brady, we all had our own little addiction to Sonic. If I was going to mom's, I went by Sonic first and took her a drink. If Becky was coming to visit me, she stopped and brought me a drink.

Then as we began to separate and move out to other places, we lost that tight knit feeling we had in our small town. The knowing everyone, how every day was going to be, where everyone was . . . having our family close enough to bring them a drink.

Oddly, every one of us girls maintained our love and enjoyment for Sonic Drinks. Even 10-15 years after leaving our home town. If I visited Becky or Byjo, you can bet a day didn't go by that we didn't stop at a Sonic and get a drink; at least once.

Becky worked near a Sonic and was in there so regularly, they knew her name and what she wanted. There was even a time when Byjo was not-drinking sodas and she would still go to Sonic and get an ice water.

Last summer, a Sonic opened up less than two miles from my house. It is between me and the YMCA and the dollar store. Nearly every day, I end up with a Sonic Drink.

Most days it just gives me a sense of belonging. It makes me happy beyond the ability to quench my thirst and I don't even think about it.

Today, it made me think of Becky. It made me realize that I'd never drive through another Sonic with her. Never take her another drink.

Today it made me cry.