Friday, October 1, 2010

Suicide Slush


It was the middle of summer: sticky-humid, with no hint of a breeze to cool us. I was visiting my cousins, who lived outside Xenia, Ohio. 

We were outside doing what children do best—getting into things we shouldn’t. Aunt Leona called us inside and gave us money to go to the ice cream stand. Jubilation! 

My cousin decided we’d take the short-cut, through a field of summer-ripe corn. The smell of it tickled my nose. We wove our way through tall cornstalks, trying to avoid bothersome patches of nettles and stinkweed. 

Finally, we exited the field, the ice cream stand just across the street. I asked my cousin what he’s getting. 

‘What’s a suicide slush?’ I asked. I wrinkled my nose in horror at his reply. Then, the ultimate childhood call-out. He dared me to get one, too. Of course I had to, although my heart was set on a vanilla cone. 

With growing trepidation I watched as the vendor concocted our slushes, sliding the cups under each flavor and pumping a precisely timed icy squirt from each. The resulting mixture was disgusting greenish-brown. My cousin lowered his lips to the straw and slurped a third of it down at once, proclaiming it ‘The best Suicide ever!” There was nothing for it. I sipped. 

My mouth sang in tones of orange/cherry/lemon-lime/blueberry/cola. We raced home, heads tingling with brain-freeze, hearts pounding with sugar rush, and finished our Suicides on the back porch. 

25 comments:

  1. Aw this is sweet! Cool name though - I can imagine these being popular at Halloween!

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  2. Oh, I remember suicide slushes. They always went with roller skating. :) I love the way you used "jubilation", one of my favorite words.

    Wonderful story Maria!

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  3. Very relaxing story. You painted such a nice picture with few words. It took me back to my childhood. Nice work. - AJ

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  4. I didn't know about this ice cream flavor, so I thought there would be an actual suicide on this story, lol.

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  5. I was lame. I just got the cola Icees. No adventure here. :)

    Lovely breath of childhood here, Maria. Your writing is superb and gets better every time I visit you. :)

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  6. My sister always did this with soda when we were young (now I imagine she does it with alcohol). Nice, refreshing story.

    One note: watch your tenses. You switch been past & present in a couple paragraphs. :)

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  7. Deanna;

    Thanks for your wonderful comment! Yes, we used to order slushies at the roller skating rink, too!

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  8. AJ;

    Thanks! I'm glad it brought back pleasant memories for you. :)

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  9. Mari;

    Ah, no suicide on this one. But Halloween is coming, eh? ;)

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  10. Gracie;

    Thanks! I appreciate the compliment and the read. I really preferred (and still do) the cherry slushies.

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  11. Vandamir;

    Thanks for the comment and the style help. Was too damn tired when I edited this for #fridayflash. I'm too damn tired, period, these days. I do like to take a little break from writing sci-fi, fantasy and horror. Not much of a break, though. Thanks again!

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  12. Such a great childhood memory, and the childhood games of one-up-manship. Lot of fun.
    Adam B @revhappiness

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  13. Very evocative of that certain age. I wish we'd had more slushie options when I was a kid- we only ever got to choose between red and blue!

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  14. Not something I'd ever come across before, but I loved your story and now have a desire to try a Suicide Slush, if I can find one...

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  15. Suicide Slush, eh? Now there's a misleading name! No wonder it was a dare. Nice one!

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  16. Ah! A non-alcoholic Harry Buffalo! :) Lovely story, really set a time and place.

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  17. Cute slice of Summer, Maria. I thought they'd actually kill them, or the vendor would be a monster, or... you know. But building it up just to have the pun of "finishing our Suicides on the porch" was lovely.

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  18. Icy, left you out. Sorry. I'm glad you liked it. :)

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  19. Adam,

    I'm glad you liked it. Thanks! :)

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  20. Kari;

    Thanks for the comment. I'm glad you liked it. :)

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  21. Sam,

    Thanks for the comment. I'm glad you liked it. You don't have icee's or slushies in the UK? I feel for you. You haven't lived until you've had a slushie. Try convenient stores.

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  22. Catherine;

    Thanks for the comment. Yeah, it is the kind of taste one needs to be dared to try. But not bad, once you get past the initial shock. ;)

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  23. Janet;

    I've never heard of a Harry Buffalo. Closest thing I can think of with alcohol is a Long Island Iced Tea. And drinking those is just asking for trouble. Thanks for the comment!

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  24. John;

    Glad you liked it. I took a little break from the monsters and serial killers this week. They'll be back, though. As if I have a choice. Thanks for the comment!

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  25. great descriptive! I love it. :) Nostalgic!

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