Put down the pop!

While waiting for my linguistics class to start, this guy, who we'll call Jabba (you can guess why), walks in with an eight-pack of Diet Sunkist and sits down a few seats in front of me. First, I noticed the change in Sunkist's logo design. It reminds me of Billabong. Then, I thought, "Why the hell does this guy have a pack of soda with him?" Perhaps there was a reasonable explanation. He could have brought that for some gathering of people either before or after class, maybe a student government meeting (he did have a SGA shirt on). Maybe the case didn't even have soda in it, maybe he needed the box for a project, or had put some other item(s) in it, like a gold bikini-clad princess or something. That box has multi-purpose potential. But then Jabba pulled out a Sierra Mist, diet, I believe. Okay, so there was at least one can of soda in there.

Later on during the class, I got up, walked past the case, and with my quick ninja skills, peeked inside. Diet Sunkists! I didn't want to assume it, I didn't want to believe it, but all the soda case had was soda. I consulted with two other classmates about this, and they confirmed that the soda was indeed for him, and this was not the first time. And I thought this guy had a problem.

Why, Jabba? Are you that thirsty for the bubbly, orangey, artificial sweetness? And what was with that one Sierra Mist? That's disloyal-- Sierra Mist is owned by Pepsi Co. and Sunkist is owned by the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (yeah, I didn't know it existed either)!

But really... that's too much soda to carry around for oneself. And diet, schmiet, soda is simply not good to consume in excess, and Americans drink way too much of it. I know you all know this. Like so many things we take into our bodies, it's an addiction. A pathetic addiction if you ask me, because it's just caffeine and/or sugar. They seem like mild-enough stimulants to have more resistance against, so it's strange how one gets to that point of "needing" eight pops a day. Before it ever becomes a problem, why do we not think, "I guess I'll stop at two for the day and have a glass of juice/milk/water/gin and tonic instead"? What's worse is that the information is out there, on the news, in the papers, magazines, and on the web about the effects soda has on the body. Then again, the same can be said for crack and heroin and people will still use them. But at least those are more likely to make one lose weight. I guess addiction is addiction.

Jabba, you're not alone. These people know what it is to yearn for that carbonated bliss. Reach out to them, feel the soothing hand of empathy, and start working together toward a new day. By the way, have you tried coffee?