Objective Distance

I used to drink Diet Mountain Dew straight out of the 2 liter bottle.

About a year and a half ago, I tasted a funny bottle of Diet Mountain Dew. Later I bought a six-pack of 24 oz. bottles, and after one or two bottles tasted funny (a grapefruit aftertaste), I sipped every bottle to test and dumped it when it tasted odd (I thought they were rotten or contaminated).

Soon after I found that this new taste was intentional; the flavor had been changed.

Outraged, I have not had any Diet Mountain Dew since (in actuality, I barely drink pop anymore: I get my caffeine from iced tea--along with antioxidants--and have a few pops a week).

But last night on a hot evening I saw a six-pack of Diet Mountain Dew, and the old associations with the crisp taste of Diet Mountain Dew came back to me, and I bought it. I figured on a hot day, even the new taste would at least make for a refreshing drink.

And tonight I drank it.

And it was good.

No: it was spectacular.

In the words of Frank Costanza, "I'm back, baby!" The love affair that seemed over for the past year has been rekindled: Diet Mountain Dew is once again my soulmate. I just needed objective distance: the taste and feel of Diet Mountain Dew is still wonderful.